Chapter Eleven #5
“Ivy, something has occurred,” he said softly.
He had decided that being honest was the very best option he had, and he grasped her arm gently as he spoke.
“My father has been speaking with Nigel Warrington and, needless to say, the man is quite angry over the broken betrothal. However, he and my father agreed on several valid points, one being that you would be an excellent chatelaine for Wisseyham Keep since Nigel is a widow and there are no female relatives to fill the position. Secondly, Colin is heir to a substantial fortune and you, as his wife, would be in a far greater social position than if you were the wife of a mere soldier.”
Ivy’s face darkened immediately and she jerked her arm free from his grasp. “I do not want to marry Colin. I want to marry Ali and I shall. You said….”
“I know what I said, but that was before my father had a chance to dwell on your future. He feels that he is providing you with the very best possible life by wedding you to Colin, a life of prominence and wealth, whereas with Ali, you would have none of this. He must do as he believes your father would have wanted and….”
“My father hated the Warringtons!” Ivy shrieked. “They pleaded for Peyton’s hand several years ago and father refused them outright! He would have never wed me to Colin!”
Jubil overheard everything; it was difficult not to. Swiftly, she rose from her seat by Peyton and stood beside her youngest niece. “She cannot marry the Warrington heir, Alec. She already carries a black son and the child will not fare favorably in the House of Warrington.”
Both Alec and Ivy looked at the old woman as if she were mad.
Alec almost responded but caught himself, focusing on Ivy in an attempt to calm her before she flew out of control.
“I realize what this appears, that my father is weak and easily swayed, and that his word cannot be trusted. But I assure you that this is not the case; my father is a wise, intelligent man and he must do for you as he decides best. You might not agree with him, but given time you will understand his actions.”
Ivy was ashen. Her mouth hung open and she took another step back from him. “He has already promised me, hasn’t he? He only pretended to relent and sent Ali away on a false errand so that he would be out of the way while the real marriage took place.”
Alec shook his head. “Not at all. He was sincere when he sent Ali for the lawyer. However, he has had time to think and has come to the conclusion that ’twould be best that you to marry Colin and become chatelaine of Wisseyham.”
“No!” Ivy roared. “I shall not marry him! I shall kill him first!”
Alec was calm, watching the woman work up a wild rage.
He kept recollecting Peyton’s words, how Colin raped young girls and left children to die, and how Nigel himself had raped Jubil even if they could not prove it.
He also remembered the scene in the bailey when Colin had moved threateningly toward Peyton, and it was apparent that he was not a man of mercy or conscience.
Even if Ivy could hold her own against him in a fight, he seriously doubted she could survive to a ripe old age in the House of Warrington.
Being an aggressive woman was one strike against her, but being a de Fluornoy was a death sentence.
All of Alec’s indecision left him. He knew, as he lived and breathed, that he could not be a party to the misery of his wife’s sister.
Nor could he betray his friend. There was far more to this than he could comprehend and his head was spinning already from the enormity of events, but he could understand one thing quite clearly; Ivy could not marry Colin.
Family loyalty! He turned away from Ivy, clenching his fists as his eyes fell on Peyton.
Christ, she was his family now, was she not?
She and St. Cloven were his, no matter what his father said or did, even if saving Ivy from the slimy grip of Colin Warrington cast an irreversible shadow on his relationship with Brian.
He loved his father, as much as a son could love a father, but he could not allow such a horrible transgression to take place with his full knowledge.
How would he ever explain Ivy’s betrothal to Peyton when he himself did not fully understand?
His father had asked him to trust him; he did trust him.
Undeniably. But in this matter, he trusted his instincts more.
He had to remove Ivy before the Warringtons could get their claws into her.
He reached out and grasped Ivy, forcing her to look at him. “Do you trust me?”
Ivy was fully prepared to punch him in the nose and curse him, but the look in his eyes was so intense that she stopped in mid-rage. There was something in his gaze…. “Aye, I do.”
His jaw ticked as he released her. “Then pack a small satchel. I shall return shortly and do not let anyone through that door but myself or Toby. Do you understand? Not even my father.”
Ivy nodded unsteadily and he moved to the door with determination, his gaze resting on his wife once more as he realized that he was about to commit an offense against his father not merely for the loyalty of a friend, but for the happiness of a newly acquired relative.
He was doing it for his wife. God help him, he was willing to risk everything for her.
The door slammed and the room shook to the rafters. Ivy bolted the oak panel as if to lock out the Devil himself.