Bartered Bride Romance Collection

by Cathy Marie Hake

  She sneaked a peek at her husband—her husband!—to find him staring bleakly out the window, resignation dulling his gaze, tension tightening his strong jaw and forcing his posture to be rigid. He had the look of a man on his way to the gallows. And the same noose he faced threatened to strangle her as well.

  “Cap—Gregory?” she ventured, her voice sounding small and hesitant to her own ears. “I was wondering …” Her boldness abandoned her and left the question unspoken. Would he elect to have a wedding night, after all? And how could she tell him she’d had no motherly advice … that their aunt had passed down marital wisdom solely to Tabitha. Libby had no idea what she was supposed to say to her husband, and her heart broke at the thought he might bed her while wishing for her sister instead—as he’d done during their wedding that day. Would she ever be more than a weak shadow of her sister to the man she loved?

  “Yes?” He turned to her, inclining his head as though encouraging her to speak. As though grateful she was making an attempt to ease the horrible weight of their mutual silence.

  “I wondered if”—her courage fled immediately, leaving a spineless heap on the carriage seat—“if there was anything you wanted to tell me about the house. Servants’ names, the way you want things run, your favorite dishes, and so on.” She finished her question too brightly, striving to push aside her discomfort.

  Of all the things … I know his favorite dishes. I ask Cook to make at least one of them whenever I know Captain Royce is coming to dinner. After all this time, it was a foolish question. Just look at that gleam in his eye … the faraway glint that says more clearly than words that he’s drawing away. The regret painting his features as he sees the bride he’s bought.

  “Jenson is the butler, Mrs. Farley the housekeeper, Mrs. Rowins the cook. There are three maids—Daisy, Rachel, and Grace.” He rattled off the names by rote, obviously uninterested, while Libby struggled to remember them. It might not be important to him, but it was imperative she, as new mistress of the house, get on well with the staff. “Larken is the stable master, and Mr. Barnett is overseeing the construction of the additions. That should be about all you need to know.”

  “The additions?” She closed her eyes, suddenly remembering Gregory’s long, enthusiastic descriptions of the house he was building for Tabitha. She’d forgotten in the press of the wedding and the prospect of marriage itself that she’d be living not only with a man who loved her sister, but also in the house he’d designed and built for her. She’d stepped into Tabitha’s life.

  “The house is not finished, yet.” If his terse answer hadn’t conveyed the message clearly enough, his pointed return to staring out the window of the carriage certainly did. The conversation was closed … and so, Libby imagined, was his heart.

  Stop it, stop it, stop it! She chastened herself. You decided to marry him so you could make his life as good as possible—to make up for Tabitha’s desertion, to show your own love of him. You can’t go thinking maudlin thoughts and being selfish. Someone has to be strong enough to work at this marriage, and it’s only fair that that someone be you!

  Having given herself that encouraging, albeit silent, speech, Libby straightened her spine and resolved to make Gregory’s house … no, their house—a showplace of her love. She would give it her time, her attention, and her focus, and as she worked to make his life comfortable, he’d become comfortable with her. He’d come to appreciate her efforts, and in time, maybe he’d look on her with something more….

  Please, God, she prayed. I know I’ve no reason to expect it, perhaps no right to ask that he return my feelings in some small measure as time passes, but I have to try. After my selfishness, my envy of my sister’s fiancé, and the way it’s all turned out, it’s the least I can do.

  Gregory sucked in a breath as Cranberry Hill came into view, his chest tightening—not with pride, but regret. Tonight he brought his bride home … but it wasn’t the bride he’d planned on, and without Tabitha, Cranberry Hill would never be the home he’d envisioned either.

  As they ascended the hill, Gregory’s heart sank. There, its Greek Revival architecture silhouetted by the pale moon, Cranberry Hill waited. What had seemed full of promise—a foundation for the future—now seemed stark and bare, cold and forbidding. The glassless windows he’d planned to fill with stained glass chosen with Tabitha now gaped as blind eyes. The sharp corners of the house, which he’d hoped to soften with wraparound porches where he and his bride could sit together in the evening, now gleamed with warning. The house seemed exposed as no more than dangerous angles and barren edges by the lack of trees and flowers, hedges and garden paths he’d thought Tabitha would love to create.

  Gregory turned away from the sight of the house he’d loved, seeking solace from the crowding thoughts of loss. He looked up only to be confronted once again with the visage of his bride. No matter where he looked, all he could see was what he was missing. Everything had become a dark reminder of Tabitha’s betrayal and the mockery she’d made of Cranberry Hill—of him.

  Libby barely had time to nod at the servants assembled in the great hall before the housekeeper whisked her up to her suite of rooms. As she passed through the corridors, Libby managed to register how, though the house stood empty for the most part, its construction had been seen to with loving detail. Every glance showed luxurious spaces, large windows that would allow daylight to pour into the house. It was a house waiting for its mistress to fill it with warmth and family—waiting for her to make it a home.

  And I will, she promised herself. Carpets, furnishings, draperies, windows, trees outside…. There’s much to be done. And every project I accomplish, every little thing I add, will proclaim that this house belongs to Gregory and me. I will make my mark on this house as I will make my mark in his life. With God’s help and a little determination, I can make this marriage work.

  “This is the master bedroom,” Mrs. Farley declared proudly, making a sweeping motion to encompass the impressive sight.

  “Oh,” Libby breathed. This room was a dream sprung to vivid life, and she was careful to take in only portions of it at once lest she be overwhelmed. Gregory had seen to every detail, from the silk wall hangings in rich cream to the plush carpeting in deep blue and the heavy oak armoire claiming the corner near a cozy stone fireplace. Before the fireplace sat two wingback chairs, turned toward one another as though inviting the master and lady of the house to relax beside the fire. Libby’s gaze followed the graceful lines of the tall chairs and beyond … and she caught her breath. There, against the back wall, protruding into the middle of the room, stood the bed. Mammoth, hewn of the same beautiful oak as the armoire and sporting a carved headboard and four posts, it seemed to fill the entire room, though Libby could see a settee in the rounded corner beyond. The blue silk canopy matched the cream-and-blue patterned coverlet and plump pillows. Without a doubt, the bed was the focus of the room … and it rapidly became the focus of her thoughts as well.

  The master bedroom—his bedroom. The room I’m to share with him. Tonight. Libby closed her eyes against a surge of apprehension. When she opened them, she realized that Mrs. Farley had begun speaking once more.

  “The master bath is through the door beside the armoire, here.” She pushed open the door to give Libby a glimpse inside.

  She caught the impression of sparkling white tiles and gold-finished fixtures as Mrs. Farley turned a knob and added fresh water to the already steaming claw-foot tub.

  “We thought you might like a bath.” The housekeeper’s ears turned red. “A nice, warm soak to relax you and make you comfortable-like. Master Royce went to the study, so you’ll have some time to yourself….”

  “Thank you.” Libby gave a short nod, and the woman bustled out of the bathroom.

  “Daisy put your things in the armoire and dresser when they was sent over, so you should have all you need. And if you want anything, just use the bellpull and one of us will come straightaway.” The woman folded her hands in front o
f her apron. “And when you and the master ring for breakfast in the morning, we’ll bring in a tray of fruit and muffins and eggs and such. Master Royce prefers coffee, but do you have a liking for chocolate instead?”

  “Yes, please.” And with that, the woman left Libby to prepare for the night ahead.

  Chapter 3

  With nothing better to do, Libby gave in to the lure of the hot bath, luxuriating in the water until it finally began to cool. She pulled the drain, wrapped herself in a fluffy blue towel, and peeked around the door to see whether or not Gregory had come to her. What she’d do if he had, she couldn’t say. He hadn’t, so she tiptoed to the dresser, searching through the drawers until she came to one filled with familiar, soft flannel nightdresses. She donned one, dismayed to find it was not loose or comfortable, as a nightdress should be, but close-fitting, stretched across her chest and hips in a way that left her feeling exposed. Libby drew it off, quickly grabbing another only to encounter the same problem. The truth of the situation hit her.

  These aren’t mine. Everything in the room belonged to Tabby. When Mrs. Farley said the maids had put away the clothes she’d sent over, she assumed her things had been brought. Instead, she found the garments she’d lovingly packed and sent for her sister two days ago—before everything changed.

  Libby carefully folded the first nightgown and laid it back in the drawer before wandering toward the fire and collapsing into one of the overstuffed wingback chairs. Here I am, in Tabby’s nightdress, in the room Gregory decorated for my sister, in the home he built for her, and all I can do is wait. And so, she sat and tried to distract her thoughts from why Gregory wasn’t with her yet.

  And she waited.

  Gregory glowered at the ledger spread before him on the desk in his study. He stared, unseeing, but knowing what it said by memory alone. Neat columns listed dates, prices paid, and shipping arrangements for lumber, tile, railing, cement, windowpanes, shutters, columns, cornices, bricks, and stone—everything required to build the house in which he now sat. A record of how he’d spent his time and money for the past year, preparing for what would never be.

  Lord, rage burns in my belly, the weight of betrayal presses upon my chest.

  How could Tabitha have done this to him?

  Worse still, how did he not see that she had not returned his regard? Had he been so blinded by her beauty that he missed her selfish nature? She had made a fool of him! A mockery of all he offered her—everything she accepted. Now Libby waited in his chamber—no, their chamber—where he should be on his wedding night. But he could not go to her. Not when he’d thought so long about marrying her sister! So here he sat, a prisoner in the jail he’d constructed for himself, bit by bit. Never had an architect constructed such a fine goal. Never had Gregory dreamed his dreams would fail.

  What am I to do with this bride who should be no wife of mine? Father, I seek Your peace but find it obscured by the cloud of my new marriage. Help me know what to do, Lord.

  No matter how hard he tried to find an avenue of escape, he found nothing. Tabitha had eloped with Donald Lyte, leaving Gregory to wed her sister or be made a laughingstock.

  Maybe, he mused as he thought of the strange woman upstairs, it would have been better to be a laughingstock.

  Gregory fisted his hands in the hair at his temples and groaned. No. More was at stake than just his pride. That would have ruined his business, too. Clients needed to know he was a man who delivered on his promises, who had everything under control. If they lost their belief in his ability to do that, it would all be over. And after the money he’d paid to help William Collier and to build Cranberry Hill … he couldn’t afford that. None of them could.

  That’s it! Abruptly, Gregory knew what he’d do to avoid this sham of a marriage without losing face. Dipping his pen in an uncapped bottle of ink, he began to scratch out a message.

  Libby awoke the next morning to find herself inside the enormous canopied bed, snuggled under the covers. Alone, she could find no memory of having left the chair before the fire.

  I must have fallen asleep, she deduced. But she must have drifted off while sitting before the fire. There wasn’t a chance Libby would have climbed into his bed to wait for him! She knew she hadn’t.

  Gregory wasn’t in the room now—he must have come in and found her sleeping then carried her to the bed. Why must she be such a sound sleeper? Had he even tried to awaken her? She sat bolt upright at her next thought.

  Did he think I was trying to avoid him? Did he spend the night beside me? She could feel the heat of her blush creep up her neck and into her cheeks.

  Desperate to know, she looked at the pillow beside her, intending to search for anything that would show he’d slept there. An indentation in the pillow, something … but all she found was a folded sheet of paper with her name written on it, resting on a pristine and undisturbed pillowslip.

  “Libby,” it read. Not “Dear Libby” or “My Darling Bride,” but simply her nickname. She bit back a sigh at the stark beginning and tried to focus on the few lines scrawled across the page. Maybe he’d tell her what he planned for the day or how he hoped to make the marriage work …

  Libby,

  I’ve been called away on business and will leave early this morning to oversee a paddleboat run. I should be able to return in a fortnight.

  I’ve already made arrangements with the bank, so you may furnish the place as you see fit. Mrs. Farley should be of great assistance.

  Gregory Alan Royce

  She flipped the paper over to make sure nothing more was written on the back. Blank. A few curt words, a handful of sentences, and no apology or endearment whatsoever. Libby felt her shoulders slump, and she drew her knees to her chest, scanning the lines once more to be sure. It was the letter of a man happy to get away.

  From me. She pressed the back of her hand against her lips to suppress the powerful swell of emotion. Gregory had never wanted her before, and she’d been a fool to hope that a ceremony would change his feelings. How could she have ever thought he’d soften toward her so soon? Her husband was a strong man who had known what he wanted, but he had been cheated out of it. Expecting Tabitha and ending up with herself instead—it wasn’t too difficult to imagine his bitter disappointment.

  When Tabitha became engaged, I feared I’d never be wed, that I’d be the lonely spinster for the rest of my days. All my prayers, all my dreams of having a love of my own, a home and family outside of my father’s … and I inherit Tabitha’s castoffs. Tears slid down her cheeks as she shut her eyes. How was I to know that marriage to the man I wanted would leave me more alone than ever? At home I had Papa and the servants I’ve known my entire life. Here I have nothing.

  Wrong. A small but powerful voice shook her from her self-pity with its conviction. She considered for a moment, dropping her head in shame and relief.

  Lord, how could I have thought for a moment I had nothing when I have You? You will neither leave me nor forsake me, and with the power of Your love and the force of Your will, anything is possible. Thank You. Her tears were of gratitude now.

  How foolish of her to wallow in pity when she’d been given so much for which to be thankful. Papa’s business was saved, Tabitha was safely wed to the man she loved, and although it wasn’t the way Libby had dreamed it, so was she. Of course, Gregory was struggling with the situation. Who could blame him?

  It was up to Libby to be the best wife she could be, make his house a home and this marriage a family. She, for one, had meant every word of her marriage vows. Now was the time to live them out.

  She pushed aside the covers and sank into the thick cushion of carpet beneath her bare feet. Libby rifled through the delicate dresses made for her petite sister until she found a shapeless brown piece that accommodated her more generous frame. One of the first things she needed to do was have her own things sent over. She cast another glance at the bursting wardrobe and reminded herself to have the maids pack up Tabitha’s things and return them.
They had no place here, and Tabitha, no doubt, needed them.

  Fully dressed, her hair pulled back in a loose chignon, Libby threw open the door.

  “Oh!” A startled maid, her hand raised as though to rap on the door, quickly recovered and bobbed a curtsy. “Mrs. Royce is waiting in the parlor, ma’am. We tried to say you wasn’t at home, but she insisted I fetch you immediately.”

  “Ah. I’ll see her straightaway.” Libby pushed her thoughts of exploring the house to the back of her mind and made her way to the parlor with a quick prayer for strength. Surely Gregory’s mother would have questions about … everything.

  Chapter 4

  Mrs. Royce.” Libby stepped into the room and politely acknowledged her new mother-in-law. “Elizabeth,” the woman returned. As she perused Libby unabashedly, Libby did the same.

  Mrs. Royce’s black hair, so like her son’s, bore streaks of white. Age had stolen none of her handsome looks, for hers was no soft prettiness but rather the attraction of lively intelligence and inner strength.

  “Daisy will bring us some refreshments shortly.” Libby made small talk as she sat on the settee opposite the other woman. “I’d imagine it’s a good time for us to get better acquainted. Gregory should be pleased to return and find us … companionable.” She finished with a slight smile, hoping Mrs. Royce would feel the same way rather than blame Libby for the unfortunate situation they had to deal with.

  “So he has left, then?” Mrs. Royce huffed in disbelief. “I could scarce credit it when I read his short note. Inexcusable behavior.” Her gaze warmed as it rested on Libby. “I assure you I did raise him with manners, my dear.” The warmth in her eyes fled as she set her jaw. “Though he’s every right to his anger after the cruel trick your sister played upon him. My son deserves better than that type of treatment.”