Authors: Samantha Forest
“No.” Her heart ached as she pushed him away. “Charlotte will never stop. You don’t know her like I do. I never should have let this happen, but it changes nothing. The King decreed that you marry her, and you’ll have to marry her. I’m sorry, William. My only hope is to leave before she finds out. We won’t say anything. I’ll leave her a note telling her that I’ve run off.”
He stared at her in disbelief. “And you’re just going to live on the streets? You’re going to raise my child on the streets?”
“This is not your child,” she hissed furiously as she backed up. “You are marrying Charlotte. She will raise your child. You’ve got to accept that, William. That is what the king has decreed. That is what is expected of you. I would rather my child thrive on the streets than to raise the bastard child of the aristocracy!”
“Lena!” he cried out, but she was already pushing past him. She would gather her things and flee tonight. There was no way she could stay here knowing that she would have to leave the man that she so desperately loved. She had to go that very night.
As she hurried past the kitchen, Charlotte materialized. “Lena, darling. Where on earth are you going in such a hurry?”
Freezing, she turned around and stared at her older sister. She was carrying a tray with a kettle of tea on it. “I was just…” her voice trailed off. She was just going to hide until she could leave under the cover of night.
“Have some tea with me. I’d like to catch up,” Charlotte said with a cold smile. “Follow me!”
Lena had no choice but to turn and follow Charlotte into the drawing room. “I’m sure you know how important this marriage is to me,” Charlotte said as she poured the tea. “I need everything to go as planned. This is my chance into the aristocracy. This is my chance to be set for life. For us to be set.”
“Us?” Lena asked boldly. She felt her courage swell as she stared at Charlotte. “How will I be set if I’m living in a convent? You told me that as soon as you were married, then you would see that I was married well. You never once discussed me living in a nunnery!”
Charlotte pushed a cup of tea her way and smiled cruelly at her. “And how are you going to be married now with a baby, Lena?”
She froze and stared at her older sister. The tea steamed beneath her, and she swallowed hard. Charlotte never made tea for her. In fact, she never did anything for her.
“Charlotte,” she said softly. “It’s not what you think.”
“Not what I think? So it’s not Blaine’s? Or some random man from the town?” Charlotte said as she crossed her arms.
There was something strange in her tone of voice. Lena closed her eyes and shook her head. “Charlotte…”
“I heard every word, Lena. He is supposed to be marrying me. I would have never sent you down here if I thought you would act like a trollop. Now I don’t care who the duke sleeps with, but I will not let you ruin this wedding for me. I have worked my whole life to get this kind of fortune. Now you and I both know that you aren’t going to a convent. They don’t accept pregnant whores. And you sure as hell aren’t getting married. So drink the tea, Lena. Now.”
Lena felt all the blood drain from her face as she stared down at the teacup. “Charlotte,” she asked softly. “What’s in the tea?”
“Drink it, little sister. Drink it, and save yourself the humiliation of carrying a bastard baby to term. Drink it, and finally do me a favor. I’m been responsible for you for too long. No more. Drink the tea, Lena!”
Lena’s hands shook as she picked up the teacup. Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the poisoned liquid. “I can’t.”
“Oh, honey.” Charlotte sat next to her and stroked her hair. “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here for you. You’ve known your whole life that you wouldn’t do anything worthwhile. Admit it. I’ve tried to protect you from this cold world, and I’ve tried to find a place for you. I’m sure the duke seduced you. He took advantage of your weak and innocent nature, but he doesn’t love you. He’ll never marry you. The king will never allow it. This tea will finally ease all your pain.”
Lena stared at her older sister. She’d never thought of her as cruel. Harsh, maybe. Sometimes quite unloving, but she always said she had Lena’s best interest at heart. But William had treated her so differently. He made her feel like she had a place in this world.
What if Charlotte was right? What if he was just taking advantage of her?
She raised the teacup to her lips as the tears fell from her face. Her baby would never have a place in this world. She’d never be able to support it. And Charlotte was right. She’d never be able to marry now. “Will it hurt?” she asked softly. What a strange question. Would dying hurt? Did it even matter?
“Put the tea down, Lena.”
Both women looked up sharply as William walked into the room. Charlotte stood up quickly. “Your Grace! We were just having a cup of tea and discussing Lena’s condition,” she said nervously.
Lena looked at the man she loved with tear-filled eyes. “It’s for the best,” she murmured. “You don’t deserve something like this. You don’t deserve someone like me.”
He crossed the room and gently took the cup from her hand. It clattered on the table as he sat it down and cupped her face with his hands. “Lena, look at me. Your sister is wrong. You are meant for so much in this life. You’re meant to be by my side. You and our child. I love you Lena.”
She choked back a sob as he tossed the cup on the ground. It shattered, and the poisoned tea seeped into the floorboards. He rose and advanced menacingly on Charlotte. “I will marry Lena. I don’t care if I have the king’s support or not. Everyone will know of how you treated your sister. And everyone will know that you tried to kill her.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened as she stood. “You can’t do this to me. I’m meant to be a duchess. I was born for this, and I will not let her take this away from me,” she screamed.
“Get out of my house,” he growled. He turned and took Lena’s arm. She stood on shaky legs and looked from William to Charlotte.
“I raised you,” Charlotte snarled.
Charlotte had been her whole life. Even when she seemed harsh, she’d always been her family. Her only family. She’d looked up to her sister and trusted her. If she walked away with William now, she’d devastate Charlotte.
“Did you love me?” Lena asked her. “Did you ever think of me as your sister?”
“My sister? You were a chain wrapped around my neck,” Charlotte spat.
Lena held back a sob and turned her head. “No more talking,” William growled. He gathered her in his arms and guided her from the room. “Charlotte, I will see you in an insane asylum before this year is through,” he said coldly.
Once he’d walked Lena out the room, he turned her around. “Did you drink any, Lena? Even a sip? Be honest. I’ll the doctor right now.”
She felt nothing but coldness inside as she stared at him. “I believed her, William. I was going to kill myself.”
“No,” he said harshly as he held her. She felt his warmth spread through her as she grasped at his clothes to pull him closer. “She was going to kill you, Lena. That would have been murder.”
A loud crash interrupted them, and she tensed. “William,” she whimpered.
“Stay here,” he muttered as he let her go. “Don’t move.” But she couldn’t help it. As he turned back to see what had happened, she followed him. She saw her sister lying on the floor.
“No,” Lena said as she rushed to her sister’s side. “Charlotte. How much did you drink? William, call the doctor.”
He reached down and pulled her away gently. “It’s too late, Lena.”
“Why?” she cried. “Why would she do this?”
The duke wrapped her in his arms and held her. She watched as her sister took her last ragged breath and closed her eyes forever. Despite everything, she had still been her sister. Lena fell apart, and William held her as she sobbed. She cried for the loss of her family. She cries for the loss of her innocence. She cried for the last few years that she had lost believing in Charlotte’s lies. Finally, she pulled away and wiped the tears from her face.
“Lena, this isn’t your fault. Your sister probably couldn’t face the ruin. She did this to herself,’ he said softly.
“I know,” she said with a brave smile. “I know. I guess I always hoped that one day we would have a normal relationship. She was my sister, and I will mourn her no matter what she did.”
“That’s why I love you,” he whispered. “I’ll message the authorities. I’ll take care of this.”
Lena nodded her head and stepped back. “When they’re done, I’ll get this mess cleaned up,” she said bravely.
“No,” William said sharply. “Lena, I am going to marry you. You’re going to be a Duchess. You will never be cleaning up anyone’s mess ever again, do you understand me?”
She shook her head. It was like there were cobwebs in her head. “I just need some time,” she whispered.
“Lena.” There was concern in his eyes. She stared at him. He was offering to be her family, and she loved him. She wanted everything he offered. But she’d just lost her family. She lost her sister.
“Message the authorities,” she said softly. “I’ll be in my room.”
She passed one last look at the woman who had never loved her and turned to leave it all behind.
Chapter Five
William took a deep breath. He stood once again in front of everyone at court, but this time he wasn’t standing alone. He’d been summoned again to explain the death of Charlotte Parsons.
“Come forth,” the king said crossly. William took a step forward, but the king held up his hand. “Not you.” He gestured to Lena.
His heart twisted as Lena squeezed his hand gently and stepped forward. She’d been quiet these past few days, and nothing he could do seemed to bring her out of it. She wouldn’t share his bed. She was quiet at meals, and she never left the keep. He had this horrid feeling that she was going to leave him.
“You are Lena Parsons,” the king said softly. “We had reports that you were an invalid.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. Your reports are incorrect. I can assure you that I am in control of all of my faculties,” she said as she curtsied.
The king cocked his head as he watched her. “Your quite pretty. I can see why your sister might be jealous. Tell me about your life with her.”
William watched as Lena rubbed her hands together nervously. “My sister was ambitious. We didn’t have much, and she wanted more for us. More for her, I suppose. She talked about marrying first, and then I hoped that she would find a husband for me. She was a busy woman. I kept the house clean and made our dinners.”
“Your sister used you as a servant,” the king interrupted.
A wave of pain crossed her face, and William wanted to go to her and hold her. But Lena was strong. She held her shoulders back and faced the king. “I don’t know what my sister was thinking. I freely admit that I betrayed her when I fell in love with the duke. She openly talked about sending me to a convent rather than finding me a husband. She admitted that she had never planned on marrying me. I don’t think she had my best interests at heart.”
“No,” the king said wryly. “That’s quite clear. After all, she did report you as an invalid. We’ve investigated the death. And it’s clear that she took her own life. From your report and the reports of your neighbors, I believe that we can safely say that Charlotte Parsons was not in her sound mind. What would you like to do now?”
Lena’s head snapped up. “Pardon me?”
“Young lady, you’ve been doing the bidding of others for far too long. I happen to know that there are plenty of funds left in your father’s account, and I will order that your uncle release enough funds to set you up comfortably. I am giving you a choice of what to do with your life. You no longer have to worry about money.”
William bowed his head. Part of him was happy for her. She would be set for life, and she would never have to worry about anyone ordering her around again. On the other hand, she would never choose him. She’d grown distant with the death of her sister. Things had changed between them.
“I would like permission to marry the Duke of Carrington.”
Her voice rang out clear across the room, and William’s eyes snapped open.
The king pursed his lips, and his eyes drifted to her belly. “I would not have you making decisions based on any unusual circumstances that you might find yourself in.”
William held his breath. The king knew that she was pregnant, and he still wasn’t ordering the marriage. “I choose to marry him because I’m in love with him, Your Majesty.” Lena turned her head and stared at William. “I’ve had some time think about it. My freedom means the world to me, and I want to make sure I choose my next step wisely. My sister was my family, and she couldn’t love me. I love William. I choose him to be my new family if he’ll still have me.”
The king turned his head to William. “I did order you to marry and provide an heir, but if you choose to marry this woman, you will do it out of love. You will be faithful to her, and you will cherish her. And if you cannot do that, you cannot have her.”
William walked forward and grabbed her hand. “Your Majesty, I love her with all my heart. And I will spend the rest of my life to prove that to her.”
Lena turned to him and smiled. “I know that you love me. You don’t have to prove it,” she whispered.