Page 19 of Rescued from Betrayal
“Your calm resignation to your fate does you credit, Nate.” Eddie’s intent gaze was disconcerting. “I would have thought you would be at least a little more distraught at the situation.”
John knowingly smiled behind Eddie. Nathaniel frowned. “I have had a whole night to get used to the idea. Why do you think I was still abed? I am unsure if I slept much more than one hour altogether.”
Al stepped up beside John near the door. “Then we should leave you to rest. No need to have an overtired groom.”
“I still have three weeks to rest.”
“Then you have not heard?”
Nathaniel glanced between each of the men.
Eddie placed a hand on his shoulder. “Uncle Percy has obtained a special license. You will wed on Wednesday next.”
Chapter 7
The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. Melior spent most of them packing while simultaneously trying to avoid her mother. The night of the ball had been tumultuous enough without her mother’s temper, but when they had returned home, she’d had to endure a full hour of her screams.
Holding her own words in check had taken monumental effort. No matter what she said, it would not change things. Then her mother had accused her of ruining herself on purpose, and she could bite her tongue no longer.
No doubt the gossip of their heated words would make its way around all the servants’ tables by the time she took her vows tomorrow morning.
She rubbed her cheek where her mother’s hand had taken its revenge in the end. The light bruise had faded, but it still made Melior feel self-conscious.
Her mother had always vacillated quickly between praise and criticism, depending on how pleased she was with her children,but she’d never become violent. It was the first time she’d ever struck Melior and Melior vowed it would be the last.
That was the one light in her rushed marriage. No more need to deal with her mother’s fits.
Oh, she had begged Uncle Percy to give her time and have the banns read, but he’d not relented. He’d obtained a special license in order to avoid further speculation and gossip and insisted they remove to the country to allow the rumors to die down.
The thought of not only being married off so quickly to a man she barely tolerated and who despised her was hard enough, but the idea of being banished to the country while everyone else enjoyed the London season was agonizing. What would they do with only the two of them for company?
Someone knocked lightly on her door. “Enter.”
Eddie opened the door and leaned against the frame. She glanced up from where she was organizing several necklaces. She’d tried to avoid him too these last few days, mostly because he stalked around the house as if he’d been the one who faced an unwanted fate.
“So you are really to marry my best friend?”
She frowned. They had been over this several times. Why must he keep asking?
“Eddie, make yourself useful and bring me that stack of linens on the end of the bed.”
“Do I look like a footman?”
“Close enough. If you insist on irritating me with the same useless questions, then I demand you work for your answers.”
He skirted around a crate of her painting supplies and gathered the stack. She took them from him and continued wrapping each necklace and broach individually.
“What really happened that night, Mel?”
She froze. None of her family had questioned the lie they had fed them about a torn dress and Sir Nathaniel’s kindness. A chill washed over her as she recalled the moment she had feared she’d be forced to marry Mr. Fairchild.
“I know you were not the only ones in that room.”
Her gaze shot to him. “How?” she whispered.
“Nate is one of my best mates.”
“He told you?”
