Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
“Do you really intend to marry her?” Felix kept his hands loose at his sides though all he could think to do was wring Lord Milton’s neck for the way he planned to hurt Isabelle.
While Mr. Peregrine’s leads had been helpful, Felix also needed to hear it for himself. He needed to be certain that his former friendship was far past the point of reconciliation.
The man—Lord Waterby—leaned closer to Lord Milton, tipping his glass in Isabelle’s direction. “She is not from England. She will never be a British bride. You must think of your future.”
“I am thinking of my future. Her father runs the largest importing business in America. To think of marrying anyone else would be irrational.”
Lord Milton laughed and pulled out a flask from the breast of his jacket, screwing off the top and taking a long pull before holding it out to Felix.
“No, thank you. Wine is all I partake in from time to time.” Felix cleared his throat. “Is her being the daughter of an import company all that draws you to her?”
Lord Milton shrugged and held the flask to Lord Weatherby. The other lord took a sip before handing it back. Lord Milton smirked. “There are several appealing things about Miss Alden, though who her father is can without a doubt be found on that list.”
“And yet you must seriously consider the status of this woman. She is an outcast among all of the other ladies of the ton. Is that truly someone with whom you wish to be associated through marriage?” Lord Weatherby asked.
Lord Milton scoffed, shrugging a shoulder and casually observing Isabelle. “One woman is as good as any other.”
“But look at her.”
Felix peered past the two of them to where Isabelle was enjoying a country dance with Stanford. She laughed, her cheeks rosy and bright as he swung her around before letting her go as they danced down the path created by two lines of guests.
She spun at the end of the line, taking her place on one side while Stanford moved to the other. They clapped their hands in time with the music as the next couple made their way down the line.
Lord Milton chuckled derisively and shook his head. “Look at her. She will never blend in on her own. I am going to get much credit for being the gentleman who tamed the American.”
“You mean to take her in hand then and show her the life she should be leading?” Felix asked, watching once again as Lord Milton took another pull from his flask.
“I will have her reduced to a gentle wife the day after we wed.” Lord Milton smirked. “There are things you must know about women such as those, and it is that they require a firm hand. If you are too lenient with them, well, then they will never learn.”
Lord Weatherby gave Felix a sly look before his attention returned to Lord Milton. “I have heard she argues with Windham. If she is willing to match wits against a duke, then what gives you the impression that she will bend to you?”
Felix ground his teeth together, his hands stuffing into his pockets so them men wouldn’t see the way he curled them as if he were ready to lunge.
“There is nothing that a swift switch cannot fix.”
Felix pressed himself closer to the wall, his blood boiling. He glared at the man standing in front of him, wondering what kind of man could raise a hand to their future wife, let alone a switch.
How dare Lord Milton stand there and speak of my beautiful imp in such a blatantly disrespectful, callous manner. I have half a mind to wring his bloody neck.
Lord Milton had branded Isabelle an American as though it was a curse. He only viewed her as something to be beaten into obedience. He would willingly hurt her to shape her into the wife he desired.
Lord Milton was too stupid to see that the best parts of Isabelle were the wild ones.
The moments when she was hiking her skirts and beating everyone in a race.
The paint that stained her fingers. The way she would take a puppy beneath her wing and care for it as lovingly and gently as any child could wish from its own mother.
Lord Milton laughed and shook his head at something the man beside him had said.
“She will be molded into the perfect wife with that switch. Obedient. Willing to have as many children as I desire. She will be seen and not heard, and at the end of the day I will be the ruler of the house and she shall be cowed into complete submission.”
“You will do no such thing!” Felix growled, finally losing his careful hold on his temper.
The smirk that appeared on Lord Milton’s face made Felix see red. His hands balled into fists at his side. He longed to lunge forward, take the man by the collar and teach him what it truly meant to be cowed into complete submission.
However, Felix wasn’t a violent man. He wouldn’t make a scene in public. At least not one that was unnecessary.
Lord Milton handed his wineglass to his companion before stalking menacingly over to him.
“You cannot stop this union, Windham, if you do not approve of the intended marriage, then I will send word to her father. Who do you think he will believe? A man in good standing, or a man who cannot take care of his duchy or his family? Don’t think I haven’t seen the way Lady Victoria throws herself at the wealthy young lords, or the way the dowager duchess nearly salivates after them with dreams of her daughters being married. ”
Felix stared at Lord Milton, aghast. His heart had been unceremoniously torn from his chest and smashed to pieces on the cold stone tiles, crushed beneath the soles of Miss Alden’s slippers as she walked towards them.
“If you so much as think of going through with this wedding, it will be the last thing you ever do,” Felix said, his tone deep and icily dangerous as he stalked toward Lord Milton. “I will see you hanged for the abuse.”
Lord Milton stepped closer to Felix, a cruel smile twisting his features. “Are you threatening me?”
“That I am.” Felix kept his hands close to his side. If there was to be a fight, then he would allow Lord Milton to be the one to start it.
“What is going on here?” Isabelle walked over and stopped beside the two of them, looking ready to jump in the middle if it came to blows.
He suspected that she would. She wasn’t the kind of woman to back down from a fight, especially if she was at the center of it.
Felix crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze locked on Lord Milton. “Are you going to tell her the truth about the marriage, or am I?”
Lord Milton glanced at Isabelle, his shoulders slumping forward. “I am afraid that there are benefits to marrying you that Windham here thinks will be an issue in our engagement.”
Isabelle looked hard at Felix. His heart felt as though it would burst from his chest.
Once she asks Milton what he is going on about, she will hear the truth about the situation and will end their engagement without further ado. She will tell him never to darken her door again.
At least he hoped she would, but there was something about the stubborn set of her jaw that made Felix think that the last thing she planned on doing was listening to him.
“We may go into the hall and speak honestly.” Isabelle motioned her chin toward the door before shooting a pointed look at the people beginning to gather around them.
Felix spun around and led the way, Isabelle and Milton trailing behind him.
Edith cautiously followed the three of them, staying close to the wall. When Felix looked at her she gave him a slight shake of her head.
Felix leaned back against the wall. Lord Milton stood across from him, taking Isabelle’s hands into his own and stroking them.
Lord Milton gave her a smile that made Felix’s stomach turn. “I was planning to speak to you about this before the wedding, in my own time, as this is difficult for me to talk about.”
It is impossible that Isabelle is succumbing to this nonsense.
To Felix’s chagrin, Isabelle appeared to be believing every word. She leaned closer to Lord Milton and smiled sweetly. “Whatever it is, we can work through it together.”
“He is a terrible gambler and a rogue,” Felix blurted out, before Lord Milton had an opportunity to fabricate lies and further deceive Isabelle. “He spent what fortune he did have at the card tables and is now intent upon marrying you to pay off his debts.”
Lord Milton cleared his throat. “He speaks the truth. I admit that I spent far too much money at the card tables. It began quite slowly; a little bet here and there. Then, before I knew it, I had run out of money and depleted my finances. However, I wish to marry you because I adore the woman that you are.”
Felix snorted scornfully and scoffed. “Tell her the truth, Milton.”
Lord Milton stared mockingly at Felix, the corner of his mouth twitching whenever Isabelle was unable to see his expression. “I adore you, Miss Alden, and I may have my vices, but I assure you that I am seeking help for them, and I pledge to be a better man tomorrow than I was yesterday.”
Isabelle sucked in a sharp breath. “We will speak about it further in the morning. Now is not the time. Let us all return to the ball.”
“Before we return,” Lord Milton said, his tone softening, “I would like to ask for your hand in marriage. I adore you, Isabelle, and I know that we will make each other happy. I have my vices, but I will slay my metaphorical dragons for you.”
This can’t be happening right now.
There’s no way she’s going to accept the proposal.
Except, when she looked over at Felix, her lips twitching into a small frown before she forced a smile, he knew what the answer would be.
“Of course.” Isabelle shifted closer to Lord Milton. “I will marry you.”
“I forbid it,” Felix said, stepping forward with the intention to get between the two.
Isabelle shot him a withering look. “You’re done enough.”
She turned and strode through the ballroom door as Lord Milton chuckled and following behind her.
Felix began to go after them, but Edith stepped into his path with her arms crossed. She pursed her lips and shook her head emphatically. “I do not know what is going on here, but this ends now. You are not going to keep leading that poor woman on when we both know she must marry.”
“She does not have to marry him.”
“She may be beautiful, but nobody else would have her.” Edith’s voice broke at those words, her eyes shining with tears. “You have done enough, son. It is now time to let her make her own decisions.”
“You know that she is only doing this to save our family.”
Edith gave him another sad smile. “I know.”
“She cannot go through with this.”
“That is no longer your choice.” Edith opened the door to the ballroom. “You have made your bed, Felix. It is high time you lay in it.”