AFTER SAYING THOSE WORDS, Hector left my room. Leticia and I sat in stunned silence for a few moments before she turned to me. "You cannot leave with that man. He'll kill you."

The suggestion that my uncle would kill me seemed far-fetched at worst and cryptic at best. "I won't be living with him. Matthew's providing me just enough money to live on my own."

Leticia's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'just enough money?'"

I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm under the age of twenty one, which means any funds given to me are legally my uncle's. So, to bypass any extortion or financial abuse, Matthew is only giving me meager means until I'm of age."

Leticia considered this. "Smart."

"Yes, it is."

"Still...he seems intent on keeping you at Axel House. Aren't you obligated to live with him?"

"By custom, I suppose. But there is no law that says I must stay with him."

"And what type of house will this meager sum allow for?"

"Something small. A cottage, perhaps."

The mention of a cottage lit mild alarm in Leticia's eyes. "A small cottage? A cottage without an army of servants and attendants?"

"I'll survive without people to attend to my every need, Leticia."

"That wasn't my concern, Rose...not precisely. It's just...if you alone or with just one servant girl, your uncle could waltz in undeterred whenever he liked."

I could admit to not thinking of that. "But he wouldn't. Why would he?"

"He doesn't need a reason. That man is bitter and hell-bent on hating you for reasons unknown. What could prevent him from attacking you in that house?"

I tried not take her words so seriously. That would inspire panic. I didn't really have the luxury of panic these days. "Leticia, nothing is going to happen to me."

"I beg to differ and I won't let you carry yourself like some lamb to the slaughter," Leticia cried out.

I fumbled with edge of my sheet, desperate for a distraction. "What do you suggest I do then?"

"I suggest you leave this place."

"I'm already leading Ludlow soon, Leticia. There's no point in leaving prematurely."

"No, I mean leave the kingdom for a spell."

I stared at her, eyes wide in incredulity. "And go where?"

"I'm a princesses with residences across the world. You can stay in one of them."

"Leticia, I laughed, that is impossible."

"Why?"

"Because..." I trailed off, struggling to face such a ridiculous suggestion. "You're a princess. I'm sure I'm not allowed to stay at any of your castles."

"Not all of the places I own are grand castles, Rose. Besides, even if they were, anyone can stay at a palace with a royal's permission. Well, not anyone. But you surely can."

"And you think my uncle won't track me down there?"

"It doesn't matter if he does. There is more than enough staff to ward him off."

"And what about my purse? My uncle will still have access to all my funds."

"I won't be giving you any money. Your needs will be met of course—dresses, food, entertainment, good spirits," Leticia winked. "But I won't be supplying you with any money."

I resisted the urge to smile. It was, indeed, the perfect revenge against my uncle. I would be living in greater luxury than I had as a Whitfield and he wouldn't be able to do a thing. But I only allowed myself to relish this thought for a moment. "I cannot allow you to do this."

Leticia's eyebrows furrowed in irritation. "Why not?"

"It's too much. I only met you some weeks ago, Leticia. I can't ask you to grant me such a gracious favor."

"You're not asking me to do anything," she said dismissively. "All of this was my idea."

"Still...I really can't let you do that."

"Then I will command you, Rose. If I have to solicit the aid of my father-in-law, I will. But this is happening. I won't let you kill yourself."

I couldn't resist grinning at this. "You wouldn't really disturb the King with this, would you?"

My friend shrugged, as if I said something that could easily be accomplished. "I would, so I suggest you comply with my request, Rose. He won't like being disturbed over something so trivial."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"Very sure."

"So, how do you suppose we do this? Are you going to have the carriage take me to the residence of your choice?"

"And have your uncle try to hijack it? I think not. I feel it would only work if I was there the day of the divorce signing, and then we'll leave together."

"You don't think he'll try and accost us if you're there?"

"Not if he knows that I'm a princess."

I nodded. Uncle Hector would be quite humiliated when he learned who Leticia was. "Alright."

Leticia smiled. "Alright."

I decidedly threw back my covers and stood up. The two of us should probably take lunch. "He wouldn't kill me, you know. My uncle would make my life a living hell, but he wouldn't kill me."

"As far as I'm concerned, he probably killed your mother. And if he believes there is no one in your corner, he'll kill you too."

🥀

Matthew was back at the watering hole. It didn't seem possible, but he felt more miserable than he was the day before. And it all concerned Victoria's damned surprise.

"We're having a wedding Matthew," she'd said. "Right outside in the garden."

"What do you mean we're having a wedding?" he said, appetite gone.

Victoria smiled sweetly. "Have you lose your hearing dear?"

"Don't 'dear' me, Victoria. We agreed on a small ceremony at the chapel. How are we having a wedding?"

"I sent invitations yesterday for a ceremony at Whitfield mansion in two weeks. All your friends and family. They'll be arriving in a couple days. I thought you should know."

"You thought I should know?" Matthew echoed.

"Yes." Victoria stirred some sugar in her teacup. "You know, seeing as how you'll be the groom at the wedding."

"Why would you plan something like that without telling me?"

"Because you'd say no," Victoria answered easily.

"I don't want a wedding. Cancel it."

"And embarrass myself right before I become Mrs. Whitfield? I think not."

They argued for a little while, but Matthew knew there was no point. Recalling the invitations and then proceeding to marry Victoria would do more than just embarrass her, it would insult everyone around him. He couldn't risk that over some discomfort. That thought did little to comfort him, though. After that conversation, Matthew couldn't stand to be in the same walls as her. So, he saddled his favorite horse and took a ride around the property. Somehow, by sundown, he found himself leaving Whitfield's acres and in the lot of a tavern.

Now he sat somewhat sadly at an empty table, nursing a glass of beer. He didn't particularly like the stuff, but it was light, and he couldn't afford another headache tomorrow. The glass was half-empty when a man approached his table. He looked slightly drunk and sort of familiar, though Matthew couldn't place were he'd ever seen him. "Mr. Whitfield," he slurred.

"Do I know you?"

"Only a little, sir. I'm the doctor for your wife."

That did not explain why the man was in front of him slurring his words, Matthew thought. "Right, that's where I've seen you. It's Farrington, isn't it?"

"Farmington," the doctor corrected.

"Farmington, sorry." Matthew stared at the man, quizzically. "Can I...help you with something?"

"I believe it is I who can help you," Farmington said. "Before I begin, I just want to say that I'm sorry."

Matthew felt a pricking sensation at the back of his neck. "Sorry about what?"

"The first time I saw Victoria was around four months to this date to confirm a possible pregnancy."

Matthew almost toppled his drink. "You must be mistaken. She's three months along." It couldn't work. Victoria couldn't possibly be three months pregnant. He'd been away on business four months ago.

"I am not, sir. She called me to Whitfield, four months to date."

"And you confirmed the pregnancy?"

"I did, sir."

Matthew gripped the handle of his glass cup. He was dizzy with anger. "But this entire time...she told me it was thirteen weeks. And you never refuted her."

"Yes, sir."

Matthew's eyes narrowed. "Why wasn't I made aware of this earlier? How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You could ruin my life. I wouldn't risk telling you if it wasn't true."

"I'll make sure you never practice medicine again," Matthew seethed. It took everything in him not to lunge forward and beat the living daylights out of him.

The doctor looked at him guiltily. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just...I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't tell the truth."

"If you don't walk away this very minute, you won't live at all."

The doctor wisely took the warning and stumbled away. Matthew decidedly rose from his seat and ran to his horse. He had only one destination in mind. Matthew galloped with no respite until he finally reached Ludlow House. His fists thundered upon the door. After a brief moment, a servant girl let him in. Rose was already in the drawing room when he arrived. She was dressed in a light blue nightgown with no veil to speak of. The sight of her warmed Matthew's heart, he loved when she didn't wear a veil.

"Good God Matthew, it's midnight. The servants and I thought you might be my uncle up to no good," she said. Rose eyed him nervously. "Why are you here?"

Matthew was so excited, he ignored the comment about her uncle. "I love you, Rose."

Her eyes grew even more nervous. She gave a tired exhale. "Given our circumstances, Matthew, I wish you wouldn't have said that."

"Our circumstances have changed." He closed the distance between the two of them, so that he was already a breath away. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you."

A confused face looked up at him. "You're marrying Victoria."

"That woman is leaving Whitfield first thing tomorrow. It's over."

Elation was creeping into her features, but he could tell Rose was doing her best to suppress it. "May I ask why?"

"Her doctor just approached me at a tavern. Apparently, I'm not the father of her child," he breathed. He carefully picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to each knuckle. "I don't love her, Rose. I haven't loved ever since I've known you—really known you. It's you that I love, you're the person I can't stop thinking about. I'm in love with you."

There were tears in Rose's eyes. "Matthew," she whispered. Her lips trembled slightly, and Matthew quieted the quake with a kiss. He tasted unbelief in her mouth, which he gladly licked away. "Matthew," she whispered again, pulling away.

"What's wrong?"

Two twin pools of beautiful, black-brown looked at him with an indescribable emotion. "I love you." He grinned at the confession and thanked her with another kiss, this one hungrier than the first. Matthew greedily snaked a hand down her dress, eager to touch naked skin. Rose tried to break away again, but Matthew growled possessively. "Bed," she whispered.

His fingers impatiently tugged on the strings of her nightgown. "Bed," he agreed.

🥀

They woke up in each other's arms the next morning. There would be no sorrow in their parting soon, and Matthew was glad for it. A servant girl entered the room.

"A missive from a Mr. Crawford," she said, pretending not to see her naked masters in bed.

"Thank you," Matthew said, intercepting the letter. He tore open the seal.

"Is that the divorce contract?" Rose asked.

Matthew tore a sheaf off papers to shreds. "Yes."

Rose laughed, the puff of warm air tingled his neck. "You should probably go soon and have words with your whore."

"Not before your uncle arrives," Matthew said. They'd spoken about Hector's ugly behavior the night before.

Rose sighed happily. "I can't believe it worked."

"The doctor unloading his guilty conscience? You thought I wouldn't believe him?"

"Not him, exactly. I just can't believe that your mother's plan worked."

Matthew looked down at her with pinched eyes. "My mother?"

"Yes," his wife continued. "What do you think convinced the doctor to tell the truth? It certainly wasn't his conscience."

"How did she know that the doctor needed to be convinced of anything?"

There was a long pause. "I'm sure she had her suspicions."

"And how did you know?" Matthew asked pointedly. "How did you know this was her plan?"

"What do you mean, Matthew?"

"You said, 'I can't believed it worked.' As if you knew of the plan beforehand," Matthew said. As soon as he said the words, he knew them to be true. Rose grew stiff in his arms. "You knew," he whispered. "You knew Victoria's child wasn't mine." He gently untangled himself from their embrace.

"Matthew...let me explain."

Matthew stared at her in shock. "You knew...and you were still going to let me marry her."

"I had a strong suspicious, Matthew." She looked at him pleadingly. "You never would've believed me."

"That's your reason? You neglected to tell me that I wasn't the father because you doubted I would believe you?"

"I looked you in your eye and told you Victoria was going to be murderer me and you call me a beast. So, yes, I had some reservations about your faith in me."

"So what?" Matthew thundered. "You didn't think to at least try to inform me of the truth?"

Rose shook her head. Tears, Matthew couldn't tell if they were sad or angry, were beginning to collect in her eyes. "It would've hurt us Matthew. If you were to disregard everything I said, you would've accused me of being vindictive and a liar. I wanted to cherish the few moments with you that I had left."

"That's the most selfish thing I ever heard," Matthew seethed.

"There is no way that is most selfish thing you ever heard," Rose rebutted.

"You would've had me father a child that was wasn't mine! In a marriage that was only designed to facilitate said child!"

Rose shook her head. "You've said time and time again you had to marry Victoria because you love her. How was I to know it was only because of the baby?"

Matthew's entire body was buzzing with anger and betrayal. "I cannot believe you, Rose," he whispered. "I cannot believe you would do this to me." There was a hurried knock on the door followed by a Hector Axel. His face fell when he saw his niece and nephew-in-law in the same bed. Matthew turned to him. "There will be no divorce."

"But..." the odious man began.

"The contract has been torn and disposed of. My reasons for a dissolved marriage have been extinguished."

Hector struggled to maintain a composed face. "I gather that you've gotten rid of your mistress? One who, must I remind you, still carries your child?"

"Not his," Rose snapped. "Most likely yours, actually."

Matthew's head swiveled at Rose before turning back to Hector. Without a second thought, he rushed from the bed and crashed his fist against Hector's skull. The old man was wise enough not to return the blow. "Your business at Ludlow is finished. You will leave Rose alone for good. If I even hear a whisper that you decided to grace these halls again, I'll have you gutted. Understood?"

Hector nodded without making eye contact, and quietly left the room. Matthew immediately began to put on his clothes.

"When am I to return to Whitfield, Matthew?"

"Return to Whitfield?" Matthew's voice cracked. "Certainly not now. I can't even look at you."

He looked up from buttoning his trousers to see tears spilling on Rose's cheeks. It ached his heart to see her so sad, but it couldn't be helped. She was his beloved, but she'd still betrayed him.

"When do you think you'll be able to look upon me?" Rose sobbed.

"I don't know."