Chapter Twenty-One
Marina
Marina remained quiet as she sat across from the one person she would have removed from this earth if she could do so with the snap of her fingers.
It took everything in her to keep from yelling at him and not engage the man, but she worried he would do something nefarious to her if she provoked him.
She kept her gaze focused on the window and watched the trees and fields on the way to Gretna.
They moved faster than she would have expected the carriage to go, but hopefully, Tabitha would have alerted her family and Evan to what had occurred.
Surely they would guess that Minto had taken her and would attempt to get her to Gretna Green.
She thought of Evan and how worried he must be right now. She longed to have his arms wrapped around her, to know that everything would be all right. He would come after her. He had to come after her. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and she tried to wipe them away without Minto seeing her.
“Are those tears for me? Are you upset about how hurt I was to find out you intended to marry someone else?”
“Never.”
“Oh, come now, surely you must realize how intent I am upon marrying you. I don’t know why you even bothered to fight me on this. You should know by now I always get what I want.”
“What’s to stop me from refusing to marry you or running from you when we arrive?”
“You won’t do either of those things.”
She stared at the man. “How can you be so sure?”
He let out a hearty, vile laugh. “Because I will murder your handsome viscount should you do so.”
Marina’s mouth dropped open, and the color drained from her face.
“That got your attention. You don’t think I failed to notice Ockham sniffing around your skirts? It didn’t take much to figure that one out. Plus, your father confirmed as much to me when he tried to convince me to give up my suit.”
“Why would Papa agree to let you marry me if he tried to convince you otherwise?” None of this made any sense. Her father was adamant that she had to marry Minto.
“Blackmail, my dear girl.”
“What did you have to blackmail my father about?”
“I might as well tell you. You’re about to be my wife and under my control. You won’t talk if you ever want to leave our house.” He chuckled and then continued. “He was having an affair with Ockham’s mother.”
Marina stopped him. “I already knew this. That isn’t reason enough to blackmail him. My mother knew about it, too.”
“Clever girl. And you’re right,” he said.
“The murder of your viscount’s father has never been solved.
Your father was afraid that if the magistrate found out about his affair, he would become the primary suspect for the murder.
Or at least he was afraid once I told him, I would ensure it happened.
That I had fabricated evidence that would guarantee that my version of events would appear true. ”
She gasped. “You would let my father hang for a murder he didn’t commit?”
He shrugged. “Telling his wife about the affair wasn’t enough to get him to force your hand. I had to tighten his noose a bit, so to speak.”
“You’re a monster!”
“You have no idea what desire does to a man. I have wanted you for years. I tried the proper way first, throwing money and promises at your father. When your father wouldn’t force you to choose me, I had to take matters into my own hands.
So, I had Ockham killed. Fortunately, he had a bunch of gambling debts, so it was quick work to buy up his markers and stage his death. ”
Marina clutched her arms around herself tighter. Her body trembled, and she only hoped that she would be found, and soon. There was no limit to the man’s madness, and no one she cared for was safe.
“That’s why you know that I’m serious when I tell you I will have the new Ockham killed. I will have any man killed until I have you.”
She clenched her fists, unable to speak.
“Your father came to me before he died and told me he would not allow you to marry me. His conscience was getting the better of him. That’s why I had to stage his little accident and have him killed,” Minto boasted.
She opened her mouth and closed it again, fighting the urge to jump across the carriage and choke the life out of the man. She would if she thought she could overpower him. “You are the reason Papa died?”
“Of course,” he said as calmly as if he were discussing the weather. “He was in my way. I underestimated your brother. I thought he would cower under my pressure, but he had more of a backbone than your father ever did. So here we are.”
“You didn’t just kill Papa. You killed Viscount Sandon, leaving his wife a widow. Do you have no soul or conscience at all?”
He waved her off. “The woman is better off without that fop. She’s free now to do what she pleases. Your mother, too. They should thank me.”
“But not me. I am certainly not free,” she spat back at him.
“You will have a comfortable life, as long as you are a dutiful wife and obey me. You had best remember who you belong to.” He waved his finger at her.
Her hands trembled. If only she and Evan had gone to Gretna themselves last night as they had planned. They could be far away from here.
Instead, she may very well find herself married to the worst man alive in order to keep Evan from being killed.
She wouldn’t have believed he would follow through on his threat until she learned of what he had done to hers and Evan’s fathers.
He was not only capable but also a madman. There was nothing that would stop him.
She fought the tears that formed. Giving this man the satisfaction of making her cry was more than she could fathom. He was already taking so much from her, he wouldn’t take her strength from her, too.
Marina knew she had to do something. Never would she be the type of woman to just cower and accept her fate.
She would fight. She would fight for Evan, for herself, and for the life they deserved to have together.
If she had to, she would die fighting for her freedom before she cowered and married this man.
At least if she were dead, he’d have no reason to destroy the lives of anyone else she cared about.
She glanced around the carriage, looking for anything that might help her.
She noticed the handle of a gun poking out from under a sack that sat next to him.
If she could get her hands on the gun, she might have a chance.
She stared at it, willing the weapon to be in her hands, thinking of how she would make it so.
Glancing at the man, she noted his gaze locked onto her chest. She crossed her arms, unwilling to sit there and let him ogle her.
“I do so love watching your breasts bounce in the carriage, but I’ll get to have my way with them soon enough.”
She grimaced and looked away from him.
“What am I saying? You don’t have the slightest clue what I’m talking about. You don’t even know all the pleasures that await us and all the places our hands, mouths, and other things will go. Everything about your body is untouched and perfect.” He licked his lips.
She quickly shifted her eyes away from him. It was better if he believed she was still a virgin. Any notion that contradicted his belief would provoke his anger. She attempted to remove thoughts of Evan and their coupling from her mind, but the heat in her neck and face betrayed her inner turmoil.
His gaze burned into her, and she glanced at him before darting her eyes back to the window. He continued watching her and out of the corner of her eye she saw he had leaned a bit closer.
“Did you let him touch you?” he ground out.
“No.” She knew her cheeks burned red hot, and she clenched her fists.
“Liar,” he spat the word at her.
She made her best attempt to have him off. “I don’t know what you are talking about. You are mad.”
“You little whore. You let him between your legs, didn’t you?”
She jutted her chin forward and looked away from him.
He punched into the seat cushion where he sat, causing her to jump. He remained silent for what felt like an eternity, prompting her to sneak a quick glance in his direction. She saw his face change when he landed on the idea he contemplated.
“Perhaps this is better. There is no reason for me to marry you now.”
She wanted to let herself relax from his words, but she knew what he had planned for her now would be much worse.
“I was only waiting until we were married, to give you a respectable marriage. Now that I know he’s already had you, that you are nothing but a common whore, then I may as well take you now. I’ll return you to him if he’ll still have you after I’m finished.”
She gripped the seat and glanced toward the gun. She would need to make her move.
“And don’t think I’m done with you after that. I’ll take you whenever I wish. And you’ll come with me willingly or I’ll kill him.”
Marina watched his movements and waited for her opportunity. He was going to push himself on her in only a matter of moments.
“Wouldn’t you rather find another wife? Surely there is someone else you are interested in.”
She only hoped to keep him talking while she waited for her opportunity. She must buy as much time as she could so she could end this, return to Evan, and ensure he knew how much she loved him. If only she had told him so when she had the chance.
“Marriage was the only way I could ensure I would have you. The only way your father might agree. But it matters not to me who I marry. Women are only good for one thing.”
“You’ll want children one day, right?” She imagined the faces of the children she and Evan would have, building her resolve to save herself from this situation. To find her way back to the arms of the man she loved. The only man she’d ever love.
“Why would I care what happens to an earldom long after I’m gone and buried?
Some distant relative of mine can inherit.
” He fixed his gaze on her. “It’ll be satisfaction enough that your viscount will always wonder if his brats will be his own or mine when I take you.
And there’s not a damn thing he can do about it. ” He leaned his head back and laughed.
She leaned to reach for the gun but shifted back in her seat when she heard horses coming from behind them and around the sides of the carriage.
The carriage jolted to a stop, flinging her against the door, and her heart raced when the door flung open.
And she fell into Evan’s arms.