Page 79 of Unseen

But my father’s eyes landed on me, and his face crumpled into an expression of resignation.

“He would not have made you happy. Look at what he has done now. He is not a scrupulous man.”

“That is true,” Azriel said, gazing at the ceiling.

“But I felt I had no choice,” my father spat in Azriel’s direction, before his expression softened as it passed back to me. “I had no dowry, nothing to offer a man in order to marry my daughter. I’d been weak, and selfish. I hadn’t provided for you as I should have, and for that I hope you may forgive me.”

“So you were willing to marry me off to a man you held in such low esteem?” I scoffed out a small laugh. “How honourable of you, Father.”

“I was desperate.” My father clung to the top of his walking stick with his papery hands, covered in blue veins. “Acton Caine, he was, well, he was exceedingly wealthy, and he wanted desperately to marry off his son. He knew no one would take him willingly.”

Azriel raised a hand with a shrug. “That is less true, but please, carry on.”

My father inhaled heavily through his nose, huffing out a rasping breath from his lips. “Acton came up to see us, to make the final arrangements, and I was going to tell you that day, Evangeline. That you were to marry Azriel Caine. But then…” He trailed off, his eyes searching the rug underneath his feet as though a simpler answer lay there waiting for him.

“But then?” I asked after a moment. “What happened then?”

“Then Acton saw you.” My father lifted his eyes back to mine. “He laid eyes on you, and he was besotted, instantly. How could he not have been? He told me that he felt, looking at you, that he was a young man again.”

“But he was not a young man, Father, he wasfifteen yearsyour senior.” The words caught in my throat, thick with revulsion. “How could you agree to such a thing?”

“Yes, my lord, howcouldyou agree to such a thing?” Azriel leaned forward, raising his eyebrows. “Why don’t you tell your daughter how much money my father offered you for her hand? To convince you of the depth of his love and devotion.”

My father shifted on his chair, his mouth set in a hard line. “That was immaterial.”

“Five thousand pounds was immaterial, was it?” Azriel laughed lightly. “Yes, I’m sure it was.”

My mouth dropped open as I looked at my father, this withering, feeble old man, who could not even look at me. “Five thousand pounds? To be married to a man older than my father? Old enough to be your father?”

“Five thousand pounds to take away my bride.” Azriel sucked on his teeth. “A handsome sum indeed.”

“You would have ruined her!” My father wagged his finger at Azriel, his eyes wide with indignation. “Your father told me all about you, about your gambling, and your womanising. Your whores, and your bastards! He told meeverything! And I was grateful that he not only spared my daughter from that life of debauchery but ensured her family would not end up penniless in return!”

“Did it ever occur to you that he was lying?” Azriel sounded almost bored as he posed the question, tilting his head and regarding my father through narrowed eyes. “Did it ever occur to you that all these tales of my depraved behaviour reached your ears after he had laid eyes on your daughter? Or was that sum of money so plentiful that it blinded you to reason?”

“You accuse your father of lying?” My father shook his head. “You would speak ill of the dead?”

“I would speak the truth.” Azriel turned to me, taking my hand in his. “I was robbed of my bride, the woman who would have made me the happiest man alive, and all for greed.”

“How dare you!” My father sputtered, his indignation dissolving in an instant as I scowled at him.

“How dareyou.” I clasped Azriel’s hand tightly to try and regain my composure, to try and keep my anger contained. “You had to have known how he treated his wives. You had to have known how he would treat me. And you say I was your most precious possession?”

“You were, my sweetheart, you were.” My father struggled to his feet, crossing the floor to my side, taking my other hand. “I am sorry.”

I wrested my hand from his grasp. “No, you are not. You are a feeble, greedy old man, and have lain the burden of providing for this family squarely on my shoulders.”

My father shook his head adamantly. “No, no, I never did.”

“Well, this is the sum of it.” I rose to my feet, Azriel quickly standing beside me. “Your business partner betrayed you, and now you may either see your holding go to ruin, oryou may accept my new marriage, and my new husband, and any children we may have.”

“Children?” My father’s face flushed bright red, and he began to splutter again.

“Yes, my lord, children. One does remember where they come from.” Azriel tucked my hand under his arm, and put his hat back on his head. “Then we shall bid you good day, my lord. I think my wife is tired, and must rest. We are at The Bell, should you wish to invite us back for dinner.” He smiled down at me. “Shall we?”

22

TRUTH AND BETRAYAL

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