Page 67 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
It wasn’t a light, girlish laugh. It was something darker and harsher. The kind that mocked his audacity, that ridiculed the fact that he seemed to believe that Ronald Bailey mattered.
How ridiculous.
Eventually, her laughter tapered off, yet her shoulders vibrated slightly with mirth. “And what exactly is the value of your word these days?”
Nathan stiffened, his eyebrows rising slightly at her confidence.
“I’ve spent the past month cleaning up after you,” she continued with another dry chuckle. “Lying to our friends, managing the staff, watching everything Father built disappear piece by piece. I’ve defended your name, Nathan—ourname—while all you have done is go back to gambling dens and striking shady deals. And now you come here, crying betrayal?”
“You’ve ruined everything,” he said in a bitter tone. “I had a plan. To take back the estate and to build our fortune,” he added, trying to sound convincing.
Her eyebrows knitted slightly, her gaze cooling as it met his.
She shook her head. “No, Nathan. You had a delusion.”
For a moment, Nathan just stared at his sister.
“Delusion?” His jaw clenched. “You say that to me, Lily?”
She simply looked at him, offering no response.
Eventually, he spun around and stormed towards the door.
“We will fix this. We will call off this wedding,” he muttered, before grabbing the doorknob.
Lily gave a quiet laugh. “I’d love to see you try.”
Nathan stepped out of the room and slammed the door shut. The bang echoed through the room, but when it faded, Lily realized one thing.
For once, she wasn’t afraid.
Magnus was sitting in his study when Edwin came to pay a visit two days after he and Lily had signed the marriage contract. They sat across from each other, an unopened bottle of wine and a basket of fruits set on the table between them.
“It seems I have come at a bad time.” Edwin mused stepping into the door, Timothy coming in beside him bearing a bottle of wine.
“Not at all, Gillingham.” Magnus answered. “It is always a pleasure to have you. I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I happened to have secured a few bottles of exquisite wine in my latest shipment and wanted to share some with you.”
“Indeed? It is indeed most fortituous that you have come.”
“Indeed.” Edwin answered.
They waited till Timothy had poured the wine and left them before speaking.
“What seems to have set such a gruelling frown on your face?” Edwin asked sipping at his wine. “I don’t know if I’ve just made the most brilliant decision of my life,” Magnus said, picking up his glas and taking a sip as well, “or the most suicidal one.”
Edwin leaned back in his chair and crossed a dark brown boot over his knee. “Depends.” He shrugged. “Why did you make such a decision? Out of affection?”
Magnus gave him a warning look. “That’s obviously not it.”
“Ah.” Edwin grinned as he reclined further in his chair. The man’s penchant for enjoying others’ misery annoyed him. “So the lady marries you, secures her future and takes your name, but gets no warmth. How very gallant of you.”
Magnus took a slow sip. The port burned just enough to remind him of the heat that rushed through him when Lily signed the marriage contract the previous day.
“It was the only way,” he answered finally, but it seemed more like he was assuring himself.
“To keep her out of Bailey’s arms, or out of yours?” Edwin questioned, studying him closely.
