Page 17 of The Scarred Duke's Bride
“As I said before, you are free to do as you please.”
They reached the carriage, and he stepped forward to open the door for them. Extending a hand, he helped Mrs. Beecham climb up the stairs, followed by Isabella. Freya ignored his hand, climbing into the carriage all on her own, bristling all the while. He shut the door behind them. With a frown on her brow, Mrs. Beecham leaned forward to speak out the window. “Are you not coming with us, Mr. Campbell?”
He gave her a smile, “Indeed, I am. I shall follow behind you with my horse; after all, I will need a means to get home once my business is concluded.”
Mrs. Beecham nodded. “Oh. All right then.” She sat back in her seat, and the coachman took off. Freya stared out of the window grinding her teeth and fuming.Why did Mr. Campbell have to be soinfuriating?
ChapterNine
“Idon’t sleep much. Even though the tuberculosis makes me extremely tired, it does not make for a restful sleep. I much prefer to sit in my library with a hot toddy and a good book,” the Duke explained to Eric as soon as the butler ushered him into the room.
The Duke had been awake when they all arrived back from the Campbell residence and comfortably ensconced in his favorite armchair.
“I have read through the agreement you sent,” Eric began without preamble as he sat down on the leather Chesterfield opposite the Duke.
“And of course, you have questions.” The Duke put his book down with a smile.
“Just one,” Eric said.
The Duke gestured towards him. “Ask it.”
“You have given me a bevy of conditions for this marriage with your daughter, but you failed to mention what would happen should I fail to meet all these conditions.”
“Ah!” His Grace said with relish. “I am glad you have asked that question. Should my conditions not be met, I have made arrangements for my personal fortune and unentailed property to be remitted to the exchequer and donated to the crown. My daughters will get nothing, and neither will you.”
Eric blanched. “That is rather cruel to them, do you not think? I have my family’s fortune, but they will be left destitute.”
“Indeed.” The Duke nodded. “Do you not think that I don’t know who is resistant to this marriage? ’Tis my daughter as she continues to be a disappointment to me. So, if she does not meet my conditions, she will getnothingfrom me.”
Eric began to realize what a cruel man he was dealing with. He felt quite sorry for both Freya and Isabella. Getting to his feet he glared at the Duke. “You need not worry Your Grace. All your conditions will be fulfilled.”
The Duke nodded with satisfaction. “Good. We shall see you at the wedding tomorrow.”
Eric walked slowly out of the library, his thoughts in turmoil. He began to wonder what exactly he had got himself into and whether it was worth it for his family.
Father would have wanted this. Alexander would have wanted this. I have to do it for them.
Still, there was a niggling doubt at the back of his mind.
At what cost, Eric? At what cost?
That voice in his mind was reminiscent of his father, and he wondered if he was letting them both down.
* * *
Freya hardly got any sleep that night. How her mind was churning with so many emotions from anger to fear for her future and Isabella's to the stress of imagining how radically her life would change in the morning. Even if she was supportive of the wedding, the fact was that she had never lived in proximity to any man aside from her father. She had no idea what to expect, and it scared her.
Freya liked to know what to expect.
The only consolation she had was that once they were done with all the formalities, she could go back to Stark Manor and her garden. She missed it terribly.
Light had barely begun to seep in through the cracks in the curtain before her lady’s maid appeared, drawing back the drapes before disappearing behind the screen to prepare her bath.
Despite her sleepless nights, Freya felt lethargic and reluctant to leave the bed. Once she did that, the day would have begun, and she would have to face our future.
And who wants to do that? Not me.
Isabella came bursting into her room and jumped on the bed, making her moan with mock annoyance. “Stop it, girl? Why do you have so much energy so early in the morning?”
