Page 33 of His Bride

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“Permission granted.”

Lydia’s eyes meet mine. “Would you like me to hold onto your wife’s hand when she is at any public event, sir?” Lydia asks the question with an apparent sincerity, though we both know her words are dripping with sarcasm.

“That level of closeness might be unnecessary, but you understand my point.”

“I would have to be in immediate proximity to stop one of the ladies from offering her a pot to sniff. Should I have slapped it out of the Lady Emmaline’s hand? Or would you prefer I smacked your young wife, who has the self-preservation of the average stuffed animal, out of the way, sir?”

There are very few people in this world I would allow to speak to me that way. Lydia has earned the right of reply when it comes to me, but even so, she is pushing it with that response.

“Do what you need to do to ensure that does not happen again,” I say.

Lydia nods. “Understood, sir.”

“I am trusting you to keep a close eye on her, Lydia. Half an hour with Emmaline is enough to corrupt anybody. Tonight could very well have damaged her moral fiber.”

“Understood, sir,” Lydia repeats. “You could institute a urine analysis protocol in order to ensure that she is caught even if we somehow miss the signs.”

“We will not miss the signs. This is the most secure building in New Boston. I expect it to stay that way. It’s why you and thousands of other soldiers are here.”

“It is possible she will occasionally go outside, sir.”

Lydia has a way of delivering her points completely deadpan that is respectful while somehow sub-textually calling me an idiot.

“True.”

I wonder if there is some way of keeping her inside, before dismissing the thought as the insanity it is. I love her, but that does not mean keeping her prisoner. I’ll just have to make sure the world knows that causing her harm in any way leads to terrible consequences.

CHAPTER 5

Arthur

“You bastard, Arthur!”

Duchess Emmaline Carpenter is in my office and she is caught up in an absolute fury. Her anger blinds her to the danger she is in as she parades back and forth in front of me, waving a fan in front of her face to attempt to cool herself. She is wearing an iridescent aquamarine gown that clings to her curves and trails behind her in what I am sure she regards as a glorious way. The glory is somewhat muted by the fact that the dress is crumpled in the back and slightly torn in the front, as if someone has sat and stood on it without regard for its finery. Her hair was put up in one of those very fancy styles, but parts of it have fallen from their pins and now drapes around her face and shoulders.

“That’s Archon-General Darken to you,” I say calmly.

“I had soldiers through my home like ants, searching for drugs!” Her voice reaches the level of a piercing shriek on the word drugs. “Theyhandcuffedme and made me sit on thestreet!”

There are very few ways to humble and punish a woman like Emmaline, but public humiliation is one very effective method.

“You got my wife high,” I remind her. “Consider yourself fortunate to still have a house. If I ever hear of a single one of your cronies so much as coming near a molecule of Soma again, I’ll have you stripped of your land and titles and sent to the colonies.”

She rounds on me, drawing herself erect, her face a picture of pure female venom. “You wouldn’t dare! We are the backbone of society. You are making an enemy out of me, Arthur.”

She’s a proud woman, but in this case, a stupid one. I am not in the mood to be threatened, and the word enemy has a very particular meaning to an old soldier.

“An apology would have been a better course of action,” I say mildly. “Put her in irons,” I order the guard.

“What? No! What?” She starts to panic, her bodice heaving from outrage.

“You just threatened an Archon-General because you couldn’t swallow your pride and apologize. I have given you more chances than you deserve, and you have not shown me the slightest respect. You will learn some in the colonies.”

“You cannot send me there.”

“Of course I can. They take single women of any age there, even ones past breeding. They need cooks and cleaners to keep the miners healthy and happy. It will be good for you, Emmaline. You will be useful for the first time in your life.”

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