Page 70 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“Is that a threat? You would threaten two innocent girls for this?”

“Simply an observation,” he assured her. “Please...” He took the final step toward her and snatched her hand, pulling it to his chest. Diana thought to wrench her hand free, but fear froze her. “Know that I only want what is best for you – for us. Know that I am doing this so that we both might be happy.”

He held her hand clutched to his chest. He looked into her eyes. There was clear derangement behind them, and she knew that no matter what she said, no matter what she did, he would not hear reason.

And it was because of this that Diana said the only thing that she could. “Alright... I will... when I am done here, I will go home and ask --”

“Demand.”

She swallowed. “Demand an annulment from Magnus.”

He breathed a sigh of relief but did not release her. “We will be happy, Diana. You will see. And in time, all this will be is an unfortunate memory. But one that has led to greater things.” A smile grew on his lips and his eyes flicked to her own. Her heart seized because she could see exactly what was on his mind. “And now that we have that sorted, what’s say that we seal this glorious arrangement with a kiss? Oh, how I have waited for such a thing.”

“Lord Herrod...” She leaned back. “It -- it would not be right.”

“Yet so right at the same time...” He kept a hold of her hand. He stepped in closer, lips puckered. And Diana knew that there was nothing she could do...

“Your Grace!” a voice cried from across the park. “Is everything alright?”

“What?” Lord Herrod’s head snapped up and his eyes narrowed. “Who is that – what is the meaning of this?” he snarled. “I told you to come alone!”

“Your Grace!” It was the coachman, blessedly checking on her. “Do you need assistance?”

“It is the coachman,” she said quickly. “That is all. He must have wondered where I had gotten off to.”

Lord Herrod’s jaw clenched and his grip on her hand tightened so that it hurt. “Unfortunate...” His glare was rueful, aimed at the coachman, but it only lasted a second before it softened. “But unavoidable. I should have guessed you would not have travelled without a retainer. I would not expect you to.”

“It is best that he not see,” Diana said quickly, blessedly pulling her hand free. “If Magnus finds out...”

“Yes...” Lord Herrod agreed, still watching the coachman. “You are correct. For now, let us seal this new arrangement with words only. There will be time later for...” He smiled at her, one so sickening it made her want to cry. “... all of that. And then some.”

“I should go...” She took a step back.

“I will be watching,” Lord Herrod assured her. “This evening, I shall have a man on the estate. And I fully expect to see you leave by the hour after sunset. Only then, will I know that you have done as I asked.”

“A... a man? Who is --”

“Insurance,” he assured he with a soft purr. “And as insurance, I would hate to think what he might do if he does not see you leave. If you understand my meaning?”

Her chest tightened and all she wanted to do was cry. But she nodded and forced a smile, her mind on the girls and the fear she held for what this man might do if she didn’t agree. “Yes, that is... it shall be done.”

“I know it will be, Diana. And I need you to know that... that I love you.”

She could not say the words back. She offered him another smile, ensuring that he did not seem put out, angry or vengeful enough he might follow her, and then she turned and fled.

Not that running would make any difference. She was out of the frying pan but all she could do was run into the fire. Nowhere to go, nowhere that was safe. She wondered if she should just tell Magnus what had happened, that maybe he would be able to save her and the girls. But then she remembered last night, and earlier today, and she suspected darkly that he might even be thrilled.

There was nobody to turn to. Nobody to save her. Lord Herrod had her and she knew there was nothing that she could do. And for that reason, as the carriage was directed back toward the manor, Diana cried like she had never cried before.

Her life as she knew it was over.

ChapterTwenty-Four

The sun was setting behind Magnus as he pulled his horse up by the entrance to the manor, bleeding the sky red and pink, which he took as a good sign, for it matched the color of his beating heart and the blood which pumped through his veins. It gave him life, and this life gave him meaning, and this meaning was the love he now knew that he felt for his wife.

As Magnus climbed from the horse and strode up the steps to his home, he put aside the worry that had threatened to unseat him for much of the ride back from his grandmother’s home. The fear that his actions last night and this morning might have ruined everything.

It was but a misstep only. And once I explain myself to Diana, opening my heart to her for perhaps the first real time, I know that she will understand. She loves me, I am sure of it. And I love her.

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