“You can test that theory if you want.”
His words hung in the air for a moment. Her heart ached with the weight of her sister's sacrifices, realizing that Sarah had likely been masking her discomfort to shield her. It was just like Sarah to do such, the knowledge, only igniting a fierce determination to protect her from any further torment.
Forced into a corner, Jane found herself reluctantly agreeing to Graham's proposal. With a trembling voice, she said, “I promise to get an annulment. But you stay away from them all, my sister, my nieces, too."
The words tasted bitter on her tongue. But she refused to let him see her cry. "Give me a bit of time to get everything in order."
Graham's eyes gleamed with a twisted sense of triumph, his gaze filled with a sickening sense of victory. "You made the right choice, dear Lady Jane. You will be mine soon."
Her entire being was shaken by the terror of being bound to a monstrous threat of a man like Graham.
The mere thought of marrying him brought her to the brink of tears, yet, the thought of any harm befalling her loved ones pierced her heart with a sharp ache, solidifying her resolve to sacrifice her own happiness for their safety.
But Colin…
The realization that Colin's feelings might not mirror her own brought a bittersweet acceptance.
Jane found the strength to move her body again as she quickly made her way back to her carriage.
I never managed to escape my cruel fate after all…
