What was the need to be so vexed over his protection? Why was she depriving him the right to protect her? Charles felt the unexplainable urge to smoke. He was her husband! How dare she question that? His breathing became intense.She refused his protection. She denied their marriage. Many women of the ton would give an arm to be affiliated with him in marriage. She teased him with a false hand of friendship, and now she thought the worst of him?! How could she ever think he would use his hand harshly on her?Charles was beyond livid. He only wanted to protect her. He had wronged her in the greatest way possible that night on the hill, and even though he had almost never regretted it, he did sometimes for her sake.She had been drunk that night, but his mind had been clear as the sky on the finest day. He should have stopped her. He should have been sensible enough. Maybe he shouldn't have believed when she promised not to regret it. She left before he awoke and her action meant one thi

* * *Carlisle walked out of the room and Alexander was following after him, seeming eager to see the man who was waiting, but Brand wished to speak to him and that he must do. He hurried after him."Edmund." Alexander called his man."Alexander!" Brand called. Edmund came to him as he turned to answer his name. "I must speak with you, now." Alexander opened his hands in askance and he replied. "It is important."Edmund began to exit the room. "He will wait a bit more.""No." Alexander countered. "Send him in. He can wait, but I am too eager to."Edmund bowed. "Your Majesty."As he left, Alexander returned to the room, planting himself again where he had sat before. "All is well, I presume?"Brand walked to stand before him, consciously blinking his left eye with the right. "I met with Lord Denney again, or rather he met with me. He was waiting for me as soon as my ship docked."Alexander scoffed. "He is quite persistent.""He is." Brand pushed his hair from his face and let it hang b

* * *"Eric!!!" Waking up with a start, Beth screamed out of her sleep, stretching out her hand, reaching for who was nowhere before her. Her breathing was rapid and it quavered violently. In her head, she relived the last part of her dream as she froze in place.She saw him fall from the cliff again, as he had done many times before. She still held out her hand, desperately wanting to catch him, to not let him fall, to hold on to him.When it finally came to her that it had been a nightmare, Beth dropped her outstretched hands and sobbed into her pillow, she screamed her life out, beating on the pillow as though it was the culprit. The same, the same nightmare.She wiped the tears off her cheeks and sat up so quickly her head spun. Pulling her legs to herself, she hugged her knees to rid herself of the loneliness, of the sadness. She let her eyes run the entire space of the room it could cover until it rested on the adjoining door to Lord Carlisle's bedchamber and blinked to push bac

She met with Thomas on her way to the Ballroom."Your Grace, I was wondering where you were." He was always searching for her.Beth sidestepped, avoiding the men carrying the miniature stature meant for the Ballroom. The Dowager Duchess had insisted on it. "What is wrong?""Have a care with that." Thomas yelled to the men when they stumbled. They apologized. "The last invitation has been sent out, and this letter came from your Aunt."She received it. "Thank you. Have you asked the tables to be put close to the wall, by the windows?""I supervised it myself." His lips pulled slightly. "Do not worry, Your Grace. Your Ball would be grand."She nodded. She did not need it to be grand, it should not be a flop. But he was right. There was nothing to bother about. "My instructor should be arriving soon, prepare for him. For now, ask Anna to come to my bedchamber.""Of course, Ma'am."Beth made for her room.From the top of the stairs, she took a moment to look at the preparations that were

Beth must be a younger version of his mother.That was the conclusion Charles arrived at when the carriage pulled up at Carlisle Crest. He took his time getting out of it, positively marvelled at how much the mansion had changed in the short while he was away.The hedges had been trimmed to another pattern, the main door had a wreath on it, the windows were all opened and the fountain had a vine twined around the statue. She must possess his mother's spirit when preparation was involved.A neighing horse drew his attention and he turned to the mare being led out into the fields. Clover. She was a calm, obedient horse who was as spirited as a freeman. She would accord you control until she felt you no longer deserved it. She took off running as soon as she was let off her leash, sprinting through the open fields, glad to be free.Beth wanted to be free. Like the mare she must feel caught on a leash. She must want her freedom as desperately too, he thought.Thomas rushed out of the hous