by Bree Wolf
“You may have noticed Judith’s and my strange behaviour the night of the duke’s visit.” He nodded. “Then let me tell you that from the moment you announced that one of us would be his wife, we decided it would be me.” His eyebrows rose in surprise. “Judith has already given her heart away, and marriage to the duke would have made her miserable. But there was something we didn’t consider.” As she approached the desk, her eyes didn’t waver from his. “We thought you would be satisfied having one daughter married into the peerage. We did not consider your long-term plan.”
A smile played on his lips as he observed the seriousness of her tone.
“Needless to say, our plans are conflicting,” Anna noted. “They cannot both succeed.”
Again, he smiled, but this time with caution. “What are you saying?”
Anna shrugged. “At this point, let me remind you that I am not yet married to the duke.” With pleasure, she watched the slight widening of his eyes. “And I would only feel obligated to fulfil your promise to the duke if the future Mrs. Miller were present at said wedding.” A sweet smile came to her lips. “Did I make myself clear?”
For a long moment, her father just stared at her. Then he leaned back in his chair, and a strangely proud smile came to his face. “You truly are your father’s daughter,” he mused. “I always knew you were not as light-hearted as Judith, but today you surprised me. It took courage to do what you did, what you are willing to for your sister, and I admire that.” He laughed. “If you had only been a son, the world could have been yours.”
Anna smiled. However, hearing her father’s words, she realised that he had misjudged her. She had never wanted the world, not as he did. All she had ever wanted was to be free. Free to choose.
“Am I correct to assume that my acceptance of Mr. Miller’s proposal would ensure your continued cooperation?”
Anna nodded. “You are correct to assume that, yes. However, as you well know yourself, a word once given is not always considered binding by all parties. Therefore, I feel obligated to name my sister’s marriage a postulate to my marrying the duke.”
Her father nodded. “Well played, Anna.” He rose from his chair, holding out his hand. “We have an agreement?”
Again, Anna nodded, taking her father’s hand. “We have an agreement.”
***
Returning to Judith’s room, Anna found her mother and sister exactly where she had left them. Still clinging to each other, their eyes red-rimmed, they had been able to calm themselves to a certain degree. Only the occasional tear would spill over and leave a wet streak down their flushed cheeks. When they heard the door open, both turned, dabbing wet handkerchiefs at their eyes.
“Where have you been?” her mother asked, pinning a lock of hair that had escaped her bun back up.
“I went to speak to Father.” She lifted her chin in victory, fighting to ignore the exhaustion that threatened to engulf her. “He gave his consent to Mr. Miller’s proposal.”
Two blank stares met hers as though she had just told them the sun had fallen from the sky.
“What?” her mother breathed, coming toward her. “But how? I spoke to him myself. Nothing I said…I−”
“I threatened him.”
As flushed as it was before, now Judith’s face paled. “You threatened Father?”
Anna nodded. “I had to. It was the only way.”
While her sister’s face showed nothing but shock followed by the inclination to disagree with Anna’s reasoning, her mother’s eyes held silent approval. Gently, she cupped her hand to Anna’s cheek and nodded her head, a lingering smile playing on her lips. “I am proud of you,” she whispered.
Anna swallowed, fighting back tears at the open emotions she saw in her mother’s eyes.
“How did you threaten him?” Judith asked, sliding off the bed. “You couldn’t have. What could you have−?”
“I told him I would not marry the duke until you and John were married first,” she explained. “Now, don’t argue with me. Believe it or not, Father is not even angry with me for threatening him. He seemed strangely proud.”
“I don’t understand,” Judith breathed, shaking her head. “What am I to do?”
“You marry John as fast as you can,” Anna said, feeling a headache encroaching on her mind. “And then we’ll be done with this.”
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