Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Took me?” I frowned. “I beg your pardon. No one has taken me.”
“Forgive me. My words were clumsy,” Evander said quickly. “I meant he caused me to lose my chance at marrying you.”
“How could he do such a thing? Was it not because of some baron’s daughter—”
“It was not that!” he snapped, and I jumped slightly.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Damon shift.
Evander stepped back and looked at the fire. “Forgive me, but that talk…that lie, it haunts me. It was not I who took that girl. I do not know if Fitzwilliam did so on purpose to ruin me or if it was just a series of events that worked to his favor and my detriment.”
“I do not understand how his actions could affect you so.”
“Fitzwilliam pretended to be me.” Evander turned back to the fire, a glow cast upon his eyes. “We grew up together, so everything about the estate, down to my signature, he knew. Father had even made him a ring with our family seal. It is not as though all the world knows what I look like. He took Emma, telling her that she would be his duchess, and when she was caught with child, she told her family the Duke of Everely was responsible. Her father came to me the week before your coming out, demanding I wed her. I refused and told him it was the most wicked of slanders. But the girl had letters, and he swore he would take me to court and thus, ruin my good name.”
“So, you just married her, you fool?” Damon gasped, now entirely away from the window.
“Of course not! I beseeched the girl to tell the truth!” he exclaimed. “But she was terrified and refused, as doing so would leave her even further ruined. I told them that I would go to court and prove this to be a fraud. Her father was enraged and demanded a duel.”
“I beg you, say you did not.” Damon sighed heavily.
“I did no such thing.” He frowned. “I did not fire. I tried to reason with him, swore to him that I had not taken advantage of his daughter. But the foolish man shot at me anyway.”
“Were you injured?” I sat up from my chair.
He smiled half-heartedly. “No, the gun backfired, and he wounded himself. The witness can attest to this. I have it in writing as well. I refused the duel, and he injured himself. After the man died the next morning, I realized the fate that was left to the girl and her mother. Neither would admit the truth, especially as they had lost all protection.”
“So, you married her,” I whispered.
“The whole affair at that point had gotten too rotten, Aphrodite,” he said, shaking his head. “Should it have come to light, my name would’ve been ruined and, thus, my sister’s, maybe even your own.”
“You could have fought it!” Damon retorted.
“How long would that have taken?” Evander questioned in return. “How would it have looked? As her belly grew and she was forced onto the streets. Her father had more debts than any man should—it was a disgrace.”
“Why did you not just tell us the truth? Could we not have helped you?” I asked. “Do you truly believe us so concerned with reputations that we would shun you?”
“It is because your family cared so much that I was concerned,” he said. “It was not as if it were my only issue. My brother was—is still out there, still trying to use my name. However, I have fortified myself much better, having changed everything down to my signature. I even sought to slightly alter our seal. I have men searching for him to hold him accountable for his crimes, but he continues to elude justice.”
“He’s the one who stabbed you?”
“Stabbed?” I glanced between them. “You were stabbed?”
He nodded.
“This brother is mad,” I said.
“Back then, it was too much for me. I gave in to the easiest road, marrying the girl in hopes of getting her to write the letter of confession.”
“Did she?”
He nodded. “When she became ill, she sought to make peace, though I will not use it.”
“Why in the hell not?”
“Because the daughter she bore is innocent,” he said without hesitation. “And she has no knowledge of any other family. I swore to her mother I would protect Emeline.”
“Then what was the point of asking for the letter?” I questioned.
“Protection against the woman’s mother, who knows the truth but said nothing and pushed her daughter to do the same.” He stared into my eyes. “There was nothing I wished more than to marry you. I could not allow you to join that chaos.”
“How is it any less chaotic now?” Damon grumbled, coming to sit with us, rubbing his temples as Mama often did. “Your wife is dead, but your brother is still out there and violent—”