Page 88 of The Moonstone Hero
But Caden just held her and remained silent.
She looked up at him, searching his face. “No! Don’t you dare agree with him. The scandal of my ending our betrothal will be worse than anything I would ever have to endure from your grandfather and his friends. I refuse to end it. Don’t you dare think of ending it, either. Weren’t you the one who suggested moving up the wedding date?”
He nodded. “I did, but perhaps I was hasty in—”
“No!”
“Ella, we don’t have to decide anything tonight. Let’s sleep on it, and I will stop by in the morning once we have all had a chance to clear our heads. It isn’t about those stupid whispers. Solway and Mar shot those down fast. Nor is it about the politics.”
“Then why the change of heart about our marrying sooner?”
“My grandfather’s behavior tonight,” he said. “That public outburst… It isn’t like him. Taking a swipe at Solway and then at me in front of thetonelite. Cursing like a madman. This is something new and worrisome.”
“But you were always afraid he would do something cruel.”
“Not like this, Ella. He has hit me before…firmly believed I was insolent and had to beat sense into me for my own good. But I am strong and can endure his nonsense. Tonight, I feared he might do the same to you. He would physically hurt you if ever he got his hands on you.”
“Caden, he cannot bethatmad.”
“What if he is? What if his months of anger and outrage, coupled with Abbott’s whispers in his ear, affected his mind? This goes beyond creating stupid rumors or attempting to ruin your reputation. My trust in you is unshakable,” Caden said. “I could find you naked in bed with another man and know you had been set up.”
“Now see here, Mersey!” her father retorted, leaping to his feet.
“Oh, Papa, do sit down. Caden was just making a point that he knows I will always be faithful to him. You should be pleased he has such trust in me.”
Caden nodded. “I would not put it past my grandfather and his cohorts to attempt something heinous. Trying to set you up in a compromising situation or doing the same to me. Would you have the same faith in me, Ella?”
“What do you mean?”
“If there were rumors of my being found in bed with another woman?” He raked a hand through his hair. “I would never do this. All I want to do is marry you and build a life with you.”
“Then let us do so.”
“Will our marriage make it through a first year with my grandfather’s constant dirty tricks? But it is more serious than that. For the first time in all my years, I saw something truly dark in my grandfather’s eyes. I think he may be losing his reason. With that loss of reason may come loss of restraint. I cannot allow him to harm you, Ella.”
He sighed heavily and turned to her father. “For this reason, I am in agreement with you, Lord Stockwell. Perhaps it is for the best we end the betrothal.”
Ella tore out of Caden’s arms and sank down in a chair. She lowered her head into her hands and tried not to burst into tears. “So this is it? We are done?”
Caden groaned. “No, love. We are not done, just postponed for the moment.”
“Which could stretch into years, and you will forget me.”
“I did not forget you when I left Moonstone Landing and will not forget you now.” He knelt beside her and slipped her hands off her face, then tucked a finger under chin and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. “Do you hear me, Ella? I will never forget you. Every moment I am away from you is torture for me. There is no one else for me and will never be.”
“Then why change our plans? Your grandfather wins if we break off the betrothal. How does this help anything? Not to mention the stir it will cause. Your grandfather can so easily use this against you. You are inconstant. You are a heartbreaker. You are unreliable.”
Her father groaned. “Ella, enough. I think we are all best served by sleeping on the matter. We will discuss it tomorrow. No hasty decisions will be made tonight. Lord Mersey, will you join us for breakfast?”
Caden nodded. “I’ll be here.”
“Good,” Ella’s mother said, taking her husband’s arm. “Imogen, go on up to bed.”
Imogen grumbled. “And miss all the excitement?”
“There is no more to be had. Consider the matter adjourned until tomorrow.” Their mother turned to her husband. “My love, let us retire as well. It has been a long and unpleasant night, and I am quite weary.”
“I will, as soon as Lord Mersey leaves.”
