She woke me because she needs a warrior again.
The strongest there ever was.
The bravest and most courageous.
Her voice is like warm oil running over my body.
Say you forgive me.
I'll never forgive you, Vardor, but I will give you one more chance to prove yourself. One more! And if you fail, this entire world will pay the price for your failure.
Oh most vengeful one. I will never fail you again. I swear.
We'll see, Vardor. We'll see. Find me. And this time,youwill have to wakeme.
Now! Wake! Up!
"All you need to do is sign here and all your debts will be paid, my lord."
Quietly, I stood by the open door leading into my father's study with a mercilessly hammering heart. I pressed my right hand against my chest, afraid my heart would jump out, while fisting my left and partially stuffing it into my mouth, so I wouldn't betray my presence.
The sound of a metal dip pen—my father's latest purchase—scratching on parchment paper reached my ears. I bit into my fist to keep from screaming. It was done. I didn't know if I should be elated or scared to death.
I was about to become a Countess. The scratching sound of the metal dip pen told me that Thomas Ashford, the third Earl of Dunmere, had just agreed to marry me. Me!
That morning, when Father told me it was a done deal, I didn't believe him. I wanted to, but I didn't dare hope. But my father had just proved once again what a shrewd businessman he was.
Naïveté had no place in my thoughts. The chances of the Earl ever falling in love with me were slim to none, and that was fine. As much as I longed for romance, escape mattered more—so long as he freed me from this cage, from my father, I would be content. In truth, it might even benefit me if he didn't fall in love with me. Independence had always been my true desire.The freedom to live as I pleased, without chains or obligations. I was a contradiction to my gender. It wasn't the first time I regretted not being born a man—had I been, my father might have been proud of me instead of seeing me as a burden. More than that, I could have followed my own path, chased my dreams instead of being trapped in someone else's. Perhaps I would be in Egypt at this very moment rather than lurking in the shadows, eavesdropping on my father and my so-called fiancé.Fiancé.The word itself felt like a mockery.
As a countess, I would have the means to hire an entourage and travel as much as my heart desired.
"When do you wish the deed to be done?" A deep voice inquired.
Deed? Was that what I was to him? A deed?
My heart stumbled for a few beats. Of course, I knew the Earl wasn’t exactly thrilled to marry a merchant's daughter, but adeed?
"I have arranged for Roweena to attend the debutant's ball Friday night. You two can officially meet there, and you can pretend to fall head over heels in love with her. After that... say six months?" My father replied.
Six months?
You can wait six months, my mind whispered,there will be much shopping that needs to be done. That was true. I needed to find out what the weather would be like in Egypt in six months' time and plan accordingly. Thomas Ashford didn't know it yet, but he was about to spend his honeymoon in Cairo.
"Six months it will be," Thomas replied politely. "Now, let's talk about compensation. This wedding will be a costly affair, and as you are well aware, my financial situation is not the best at the moment."
And the reason why he is even entertaining the idea of marrying a low merchant's daughter, I added in my mind.Seven years ago, Napoleon's armies were defeated at Waterloo, causing the reestablishment of the Bourbon monarchy in France, which highly favored French aristocrats over the English. Thomas lost many of his most profitable landholdings in France because of it. He held on to them longer than other Englishmen, but in the end, he lost all legal battles and the money he had invested in them. His debtors were calling in their dues, and Thomas was close to having to sell off all his holdings. He was desperate. Which was when my father stepped in with his outlandish proposal: marry my daughter and be free of your debts.
It took the Earl an entire month to accept my father's proposal. A month I spent waiting in nervous anxiety, unsure of what I should hope for. I worried I would flee one cage just to be trapped in another, but in moments of hope, I tried to convince myself that maybe the Earl would be happy to have me travel as much as I wanted to. Since I was painfully aware of my lack of noble bloodline and skills, I hoped we could come to a mutually acceptable agreement—my promise to stay away from court in exchange for his promise to allow me to travel.
I was jarred out of my thoughts by the scraping of a chair against the floor. I didn't have time to flee before the Earl rushed out. He brushed by me without a glance, his face set in a disgusted snarl. Anger emanated from him, raising my anxiety.
"You can come in now. Don't think I didn't know you were lurking about, daughter," my father called.
For a moment, I considered rushing up the stairs away from him, but I knew better. I composed myself as much as my fast-beating heart allowed, pulled my shoulder blades back, lifted my head, and entered.
"Yes, Father?"
"Well, you heard. The marriage is going forward. Make sure you look fabulous Friday night. Spare no expenses on the dress." He ordered.
