Page 41 of Marigold and the Marquess
Well, Leo was tough as old boots and not departing this earth anytime soon.
Now, he was about to take Marigold as his wife.
A wife in name only for now since he needed to protect her whether she liked it or not.
Failing to consummate the marriage was a first step in giving her a way out of what could turn out to be a dangerous proposition. If necessary, he could also feign madness in addition to supposed impotence. Surely, a court would grant her an annulment if he were declared to be so afflicted.
Not that he wanted to end this marriage.
In truth, he yearned for it to be a happy and successful one filled with children who had Marigold’s enthusiasm for life.
However, he could not have it both ways.
He had to make a choice.
A successful marriage?
Or revenge?
Right now, he wanted revenge.
Those four years had destroyed him.
Perhaps things would change once the traitor was caught.
He would not dwell too much on it now. Time would reveal the paths he and Marigold were destined to take.
He also knew Marigold had been right about his giving Ian and the Crown agents more than thirty days to discover the identity of the traitor. However, he was not going to admit this to Marigold, for she would be even more impossible to dissuade if circumstances forced him to change his mind again and act immediately.
She was determined to heal his ravaged soul.
He was just as determined to keep her safe and would do everything possible to accomplish this.
As for him, he was beyond caring about his safety.
In fact, he was eager for a confrontation with the traitor and did not care if they both drowned in a pool of blood. All that mattered was taking this man down before he harmed anyone else, especially Marigold.
This traitor had singled him out for a reason, but how did one turn back the clock four years to discover what it could be?
Was this man mad or simply cruel? And what had the wretch hoped to gain by getting him out of the way? Why single him out specifically when there had been others in the delegation? Yet, no one else had been taken or even more than slightly injured.
What set him apart?
He had asked himself these questions over and over again ever since his capture and not come up with any solid answers.
Perhaps marrying Marigold would rile this villain into acting again.
But would the man go after him? Or Marigold?
Leo knew he had to make himself the target. To accomplish this, he had to show no affection toward Marigold whenever they were out in public. More than this, he had to make everyone believe he was angry to be trapped in an unwanted marriage and eager for a way out. The task would be much easier if he actually felt nothing for her.
Not that he loved her yet, but he was more than halfway there. He had to be, for he had never burned for any woman as he burned for Marigold. Ironically, she was clueless about seductive wiles and had no idea how desperately he craved her.
How was he to keep up the illusion of this union being forced on him?
He had better hone his acting skills.
TWO DAYS LATER,Leo stood beside Marigold as they were about to exchange wedding vows.
