by Camilla Lee
He propped himself on the wall outside the house and sighed deeply, the combination of spirits and exhaustion taking their toll on his body.
He slowly inched his way down until he was sitting on the grass, his back to the wall. He closed his eyes briefly, telling himself it was only for a moment, and then he'd leave. But he fell asleep
"Royce!" He could hear a hushed voice speaking his name. Just a dream, he thought.
"Royce!" This time, a pair of hands was shaking him awake.
He suddenly opened his eyes, aware that he wasn't dreaming anymore.
In front of him was Elis, in her nightgown, frowning at him.
"Elis?" He asked, trying to chase the sleep away so he could focus better on her features. She wasn't a dream...
"Royce? What are you doing here?" She put her hands on her hips and regarded him suspiciously.
Seeing her like this, Royce suddenly had an epiphany. Was she meeting her lover? He pulled himself from the ground and grabbed her arm, bringing her closer to his body.
"Where were you going? Who were you meeting?"
"What?" Elis scrunched up her nose at him, regarding him with confusion in her eyes.
"Were you meeting the father of your baby?"
"Royce, you're hurting me." Elis whimpered, and Royce's hold on her softened. "Francis told you, didn't he?" Elis gave a forced laugh but looked away.
"Who is he? Tell me!" Royce insisted.
"You don't know him."
CHAPTER 14
"You don't know him." Elis forced the lie out of her mouth. She didn't know what to think anymore. She'd been dreadfully ill all night and had hoped that a little fresh air would help settle her stomach. Instead, she'd been greeted by the sight of Royce leaning against her house, apparently asleep. She'd had to blink twice to realize she had not somehow conjured him in her imagination. No, he was real.
What was he doing here in the middle of the night? Questioning her like this.
"Elis, you don't trust me?" The anguished tone of his voice made her pause. Yes, they were best friends. But he'd become so much more for her in the span of a few short months. And she'd sealed her own fate with her foolishness.
"There's nothing you can do, Royce." She turned her head, not bearing to look him in the eyes and lie.
"The scoundrel! He's abandoned you, hasn't he?" Elis's head whipped around, and stared at Royce. She was about to deny it, but could she? There was no other man, and that much would be soon clear. Yes, it was better for everyone if they thought she'd been ruined and abandoned. Elis was sure her parents wouldn't be too harsh on her. She supposed they might send her off somewhere to have her child.
She lowered her gaze. "Yes." She whispered and heard Royce start cursing.
"Damnation, Elis!" He started pacing in front of her. "Why couldn't you tell me? I would have helped you! I would have brought that fool to the altar at gunpoint, and I would have made sure he married you. Tell me." He stopped in front of her once more. "Tell me his name, and I swear to you he will respond for his actions."
Instantly, Elis regretted her decision. She could see that Royce was not taking this lightly and would not drop the subject. What was she to do? She wracked her brains, trying to find a more believable excuse.
"He's left the country already." The words slipped out of her mouth before she could think it through.
"Where?"
"France." The lies kept on piling up.
"God's teeth!" Royce brought his hand to his forehead in exasperation.
"You're ruined, Elis... no, we can't have that. I'll marry you." He declared, and her mouth fell open in shock. Indeed he hadn't said what she thought he said... Marry her? But of course, Royce with his honorable disposition and his loyalty. Of course, he'd think something like that.
"You can't!" She exclaimed. She couldn't do this to him. Not when she'd found out she was carrying and not when he was just trying to be his honorable self. No, Royce deserved better. He deserved to marry for love, not to save her from a decision that she'd made herself.
"Of course, I can. That way, no one will know. I'll claim the child as mine. Yes, that would work." He said, more to himself.
"But Royce! We can't. You don't love me! We don't love each other. You deserve to marry someone for love."
Just as Elis was about to continue making her case, noises coming from the house alerted them to another person's presence. She didn't even manage to turn her head towards the source of the noise as Royce swooped her in his arms.
"Royce?"
"I'm not letting you ruin yourself, Elis." He said a second before his mouth came crashing down on hers. Her hands, previously hanging in the air, now wrapped themselves around his strong arms. This was Royce, her Royce. And he was kissing her. Suddenly, she forgot about the source of the noise; she forgot about everything but the man embracing her. Elis went soft in his arms, and her mouth opened under his, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He growled in response, bringing her closer in contact with his body. Time stopped. Reality stopped. Oh, how she wished she could stay like that forever. In an ideal world, where she would have been more in tune with her own feelings and less of a spoiled brat, she could have slowly turned their friendship into romance. But she'd missed the mark. How she'd bungled everything up.
The sound of a throat being cleared tore them apart, and breathing hard, Elis turned to face the disappointed expression on her father's face.
"Papa," She started, but before she could explain further, Royce stepped in.
"My lord, it's entirely my fault. I've been meaning to come call on you to ask for Elis's hand in marriage, but it's been an entirely hectic period with my new title."
"From what I can see, you two have already done enough. There's no need for permission anymore." The marquis closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't know how long this has been going on with you two, but I won't have that in my house and under my roof. You, boy," He turned towards Royce. "I expect you to marry her as soon as possible."
"Yes, my lord. I'll procure a special license. We'll be wed by the end of the week." Royce promised.
The Marquis seemed satisfied with this pronouncement, and he nodded. "And you, young lady, go to your room now. You'll have enough time for that when you're married."
"But papa. This is..." Royce interrupted her again.
"We are extremely pleased that you're not opposed to our match."
"You've always been close." The Marquis grunted. "I know that my little girl will be in safe hands with you. That's not to say that I forgive you for going behind my back like that." He admonished, and Royce lowered his head in respect.
"Yes, my lord. I know we should not have sneaked around like this. It's entirely my fault."
"Good, good. Now off you go, the both of you."
Elis was so stunned she could only let herself be led inside the house. What had just happened? Royce had just backed her into a corner.
Once she was in her room, she sat down on her bed and tried to understand everything that had happened. She would get married to Royce.
Lord, but it was a dream come true. And yet, she could not be happy about it. Not when she knew Royce was sacrificing his own happiness for hers.
CHAPTER 15
Not a week later, they were married by special license. As the new Countess of Nottingfield, Elis was forced to move into her new husband's house and away from her family.
She was still seething at Royce's behavior. How dare he make the decision for her? On the one hand, she was quite happy with the turn of events, her selfish heart rejoicing in having Royce all for herself. But her other half, the one that wanted more for Royce, couldn't help but weep at the circumstances. She'd done what she'd wanted to avoid in the first place - trap him.
Royce had distanced himself from Elis. The ceremony had been relatively short, and only family had been present. Once they'd been proclaimed husband and wife, they'd gotten inside the coach and had gone straight to Nottingfield, the
ir new home.
Royce could see from the corner of his eye how unhappy Elis was, and his heart was breaking. He knew how stubborn she was, and she was likely angry that he'd forced her hand. But how could he let her be shunned for being pregnant and unmarried? He couldn't in good faith do that, more so given how much he loved her. Royce was aware that his intention had not been entirely selfless. He'd have done anything to have Elis, and when the opportunity presented itself, he grasped it with both hands.
That didn't mean he was happy at the turn of events. He wondered whether Elis was heartbroken after that fellow that abandoned her. He didn't want to think about it, though, because that would make him go crazy, wondering about everything that had occurred between them...
When they arrived at the Nottingfield house, they each headed to their own rooms and refused to talk to one another.
It was only towards the evening that they bumped into each other, quite by accident. Elis had demanded to have her meals sent to her room, while Royce had spent the rest of the day in his library with a bottle of brandy. He'd been staring at his empty glass when the sound of the door opening had jolted him.
He noted the startled expression on Elis's face as well upon seeing him. With a mumbled apology, she made to close the door and retreat. But Royce decided he could not have that.
"Elis!" He called out to her. Her shoulders stiffened for a second before she turned.
"What?" She snapped at him.
"We should talk this out," Royce suggested, not being able to bear the silent treatment anymore.
"Talk out what?" She came inside the library, closing the door behind her. She took another few steps until she was in front of him, her hands on her hips in a determined stance. "How you bullied me into marrying you?"
"I didn't bully you." Royce felt compelled to correct her, but he didn't sound that convincing even to his ears.
"Really?" Elis raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you call compromising me in front of my own father? Or later telling them I am already expecting your child? You had no right, Royce!" Her hands clenched around the material of her skirts in frustration.
"I couldn't just leave you like that, Elis! Try to see it from my perspective. You're my dearest friend..." He started, but Elis interrupted him.
"That's exactly it, Royce. I'm your friend, nothing more. I'm not your responsibility."
"That's where you're wrong." Royce stood up and went to her, taking her hands in his. "You're very much my responsibility. But don't confuse that with burden, Elis!"
Elis scoffed at his words but did not move her hands out of his.
"We can still get this annulled." Her eyes brightened at the idea. "And then you can go on with your life," Elis suggested.
Royce's hands tightened on hers.
"No! Out of discussion. We're not getting an annulment. Don't you get it? You're my life. I don't care if we're just friends... for now. But maybe with time... maybe you'll forget that man that has your heart."
Elis's eyes widened at his words, her mouth forming a small O.
"You want to be more than friends?" She whispered, and immediately Royce got scared.
He didn't want her to think that he would pressure her into anything before she was ready; least of all demand she share his bed.
"No. I mean, yes, eventually. We could build our own family. I swear I will treat the babe in your belly as my own." He tried to assure her, but her eyes turned glossy. The sight of unshed tears made him still.
"Elis?" He asked, suddenly unsure of himself.
"But you don't love me. And now you won't be able to find a woman to love... to fall in love with." She started crying, tears falling down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"Shh, sweet. I don't need anyone else." He tugged her to his chest, resting his chin on her head. His arms came around her and held her tight. "Don't worry about that." He whispered in her hair. But all his words of comfort only made her cry even harder.
So he let her. She cried until she was spent, and he could feel the exhaustion claiming her as she became pliable in his arms.
Royce put his arm under her knee and swooped her in his arms, taking her to her room.
She'd been so stressed that she'd simply collapsed from crying too much. Reaching the room, he carefully placed her on the bed. He took a moment to regard her. His Elis, even with her tear-stained face, was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
She sighed softly in her sleep, and he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. Bending down, he kissed her forehead.
"Sleep sweet. I promise I'll treat you like a princess. I'll make you forget that fellow of yours. I promise you." He whispered, knowing fully well she couldn't hear him.
He carefully tucked her in, making sure every inch was covered so she wouldn't catch a chill.
With one last glance, he went to his own room.
CHAPTER 16
A month passed in which Elis and Royce slowly rebuilt their friendship and their trust. Although they were not as open as they had once been, they were heading towards a pleasant partnership.
At least that's what Elis thought. Neither of them had brought up the circumstances of the marriage or their personal objections to the situation at hand. Instead, Royce was ever so attentive to her when she was feeling under the weather or when her pregnancy was troubling her. He'd even taken to carpentry, as he'd told her that he wanted their babe to have something special from him - a hand-made baby bed. She'd often noticed him gazing wistfully at her belly, and regret had started churning inside her stomach.
She needed to tell him the truth. What was the point of hiding it now? She'd become wholly focused on that issue, and the stress that she'd acquired from worrying too much about it had resulted in even worse morning sickness.
She knew it wasn't fair to keep it a secret, especially since she'd noticed how excited Royce was about the baby. He thought it wasn't his, and he already loved it so much. Elis didn't think there ever was a better man than Royce. He'd just been so supportive and so kind... She couldn't hide it anymore. He might end up hating her, but it was a risk she was willing to take.
That day, she'd decided to meet with him and tell him everything. But her plans were interrupted by a certain someone.
She was taking the tea in the day room when the footman had announced Francis.
"See him in." She directed, frowning a little at this impromptu visit. Ever since she'd refused his suit, she had not seen Francis or talked to him. She assumed Royce would have let him know about their nuptials. Oh my, what if he didn't know. That would be quite the situation.
She was ready for such a scenario when Francis came in, looking better than she'd seen him in years.
"Francis." She gave him a soft smile, still unsure how the meeting would proceed.
"Countess," He beamed at her, and at once, her worries were alleviated.
"What brings you here?" She asked. She motioned for him to take a seat and asked for some more tea and sandwiches to be brought over.
"I wanted to personally apologize to you." He took a seat.
Elis frowned. "Apologize to me? Why? I should be the one apologizing." She said with half a laugh, taking a sip of her tea to mask her nervousness. She had really bungled up things with Francis.
"No, it's entirely my fault. I courted you with hidden intentions. You see, my financial situation was extremely dire, and I needed some funds with express urgency."
"So, you thought my dowry would do," Elis added.
Francis grimaced at her frankness but nodded.
"I'm sorry. I led you to believe I had romantic feelings for you."
"Psh!" Elis waved her hand dismissively. "I did the same, when in fact, I had feelings for someone else."
"Then, I am glad we did not end up marrying. We would have been miserable together."
"Indeed." She agreed with a smile.
"I have to say I was taken aback by your marriage to Royce. But then, I should have expected he would ste
p in. He's always had a soft spot for you."
The tea arrived, and Francis helped himself to some sandwiches.
"Yes, Royce has been wonderful to me. I don't like it, though, that he married me out of his sense of duty. I can't help but feel like I trapped him." Elis confided, turning her face away so that Francis wouldn't see the depth of feelings likely mirrored in her gaze.
"Really, Elis?" Francis laughed. She slowly turned to see him sporting an amused expression. "You think you trapped him?" Francis shook his head. "I've never seen Royce do anything that he didn't want to. He bought a commission when everyone told him not to, for God's sake. And for you? I doubt there's anything he would not do."
"What do you mean?"
"Elis, you can't be that blind. Royce loves you; he always has. And I was an arse for not taking his feelings into consideration. I was too desperate for money to care about that." Francis's expression looks pained, but Elis wasn't convinced.
"Yes, I know he loves me. As a brother. That's not a foundation for marriage." Elis sighed.
"You're a fool if you think that." Francis was about to continue when Royce entered the room.
Francis stood up to shake his hand.
"Now that you're both here, I can tell you the initial purpose of my visit." Francis started.
"I've married." Both Royce and Elis looked shocked at his declaration.
"Say that again?" Royce asked.
"You know I needed money. And fast. Well..." His smile turned sheepish. "I found an heiress. One thing led to another, and now we are happily married."
"By happily, you mean..." Royce narrowed his eyes at him.
"Happily in love."
Royce drew Francis into a hug and congratulated him. Elis followed suit.
They spent some more time catching up, and Francis told them all about his adventure with his heiress and how he'd helped her run away from her sadistic uncle. A few hours later, he excused himself, saying that his lovely wife is awaiting him.
