She had stars in her eyes. This was every mother’s dream, for her daughter to marry a wealthy, aristocratic man. She seemed to genuinely believe that this was going to be my fairytale.
“He won’t even like me,” I told her. “This whole thing is ridiculous.”
“He’ll adore you, just like everyone else who meets you.”
“If that was the case, I wouldn’t need to be set up. I would have a husband already.” I was letting my bitterness over Adam creep into the conversation, and I’d have to be careful or she’d start asking questions.
My mother leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Some flowers just take a little longer to blossom, that’s all,” she told me. I knew she was only trying to make me feel better, but it was a simpering, pathetic statement that made me feel stupid.
That night, I laid in bed, just staring at the wall as I had the morning after my night with Adam. My mind was racing. I alternated between crying so hard I was sick to my stomach to just staring at the wall, numb. I hadn’t come down for dinner, and my mother had brought me food, although she probably hadn’t told my dad. I didn’t want to see any of them, especially not my brother, who was a bachelor at twenty-five and no one gave a damn.
What on earth had happened between August and now? Stupid girl, I should have known. Should have been smarter. Adam didn’t really love me, he just wanted to sleep with me and use me. He had seemed so sincere that night in the woods, and I had never known him to be a liar. He had shown his true colors today, though.
I wanted to scream at him, yell at him, give him a piece of my mind. He needed to understand that he hurt me, and I needed to know why. I wasn’t going to see him until next week, though, and I didn’t want to wait that long, bottle everything up, only to explode in front of the carriage driver.
Before I fully realized what I was doing, I had thrown the blankets back and sat up. Damn propriety, I wasn’t going to let him walk over me like this.
It was spring, and still a bit cold, so I snatched my wool coat out of my closet and buttoned it over my nightgown. I grabbed the first pair of shoes I laid my hands on and pulled them on my feet.
The moon was almost full, just like it had been the night we had slept together. This time, we weren’t looking forward to the full moon, but it had already passed. The moon was still so full that I didn’t need a lantern, and for that I was thankful. It meant that I didn’t need to gather anything else, I could just sneak down the back staircase and out of the house.
The air was crisp and cool and humid, as it often was even as summer was just around the corner. I pulled my coat tighter around me and crossed the yard, praying that no one would see me. I could finally breath again once I had ducked into the woods.
Despite no one using it since the snow had melted, the path was still packed and well worn. I scurried through the trees, trying not to remember what had happened last time I was in this forest. I moved my feet as quickly as I could without running.
After several minutes, I broke free of the trees and into Adam’s courtyard. The massive stone house was brightly illuminated in the moonlight as I crossed to Adam’s home. I briefly debated whether to use the front or back door. I decided on the front. Apparently, we weren’t close enough for me to use anything else.
Before I lost my nerve, I stormed up to the front door and knocked as loudly as I was capable. I didn’t stop until the door swung open and Adam looked at me sleepily.
“Hazel?” He muttered. “What are you doing here?”
“The bloody hell do you think I’m doing here?” I hissed, pushing past him into the entry hall.
“You’re mad at me?” It came out as a sort of a question, and I turned on him.
“Of course I’m mad at you!”
“I don’t understand.”
“Stop it, Adam, you’re not stupid.”
“No, but I’m confused.”
“You’re confused? That’s a laugh.”
He rubbed at his eyes. “Sit down, please.”
I stayed standing. He looked at me and sighed. “Can you tell me why you’re mad?”
“Perhaps you are stupid,” I spat.
He rubbed his temple. “Is this because of that night in the woods?”
“Of course it bloody is! I haven’t seen you since then! It’s been eight months!”
“I got you in for the opportunity to marry the duke.”
“I never said I wanted that!”
“Hazel, it’s for your own good.”
“Stop saying that! Why is everyone saying that? Why can’t I decide what’s for my own good?”
“Hazel, please,” he said in the same placating voice that everyone else had used on me that day.
“No.” I crossed my arms, standing firm. “You don’t get to say anything to me unless it’s an apology.”
“I’m not apologizing for anything except the night in the woods. It was a mistake.”
Even though his actions of the day had shown it, it was still a punch to the gut to hear it spoken out loud.
“What?” I whispered.
“It shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry. I’m trying to make it up to you.”
“I never asked you to do that!”
He put his arm on my shoulder, but I shoved him away. “Hazel, don’t you realize what I’m giving you? You have the chance to become a duchess. That’s better than anything I could give you.”
“I didn’t ask for this!”
“You didn’t need to. This will set you up for a future of happiness.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. And besides, you’re assuming he’s going to choose me.”
Adam cocked his head to the side. “Why wouldn’t he?”
“Because no one else has!”
I had said the words out loud, and the silence between us became suffocating.
Finally, Adam spoke. “He will fall in love with you, Hazel. There’s no way he won’t, barring something incredible.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I snapped.
“I’m sorry you feel that way.”
I pressed my lips into a tight line. I had said everything I wanted to say, and I hadn’t gotten any sort of response that I’d wanted. I had closure, but not in the way I had hoped.
“Goodnight, Adam,” I said, pushing past him and out to the lawn. Tonight, he didn’t offer to walk back with me.
I was glad, walking alone allowed me to stew.
Adam hadn’t just broken my heart, he had ripped it from my chest and stomped on it. He didn’t love me? Fine. I was going to take care of myself now.
I heard a rustle in the trees. I turned in the direction of the sound, but didn’t see anything. Probably either my imagination or a woodland creature.
Adam and my family wanted me to marry the duke? Then I would. I’d read all the books on flirtation and I’d charm him and enchant him. I’d practically hypnotize him into marrying me. And when I did? I’d cut off contact with everyone who had pushed me into it. They wouldn’t see a single benefit from my marriage into regency.
One way or another, I’d be the duke’s choice.
Chapter Three
I had packed my nicest dresses for my trip to Wolf’s Peak, including the blue one I had worn on the day Adam came over. It had taken me days to determine what to bring with me, and I think my mum was surprised by how much effort I was putting into preparing for the interviews. I hadn’t said anything to her, but she could tell that my resolve had changed.
The afternoon that Adam came to pick me up, I wore a mauve dress with my hair twisted back, ringlets curled around my face. I waited in the parlor for Adam to arrive, my luggage by my feet. When the carriage pulled up outside, I hugged my mum goodbye. As Tubbins brought my luggage outside, I followed behind him.
Adam stepped out of the carriage and took my hand. My heart raced as our hands touched through my lace gloves, but I kept my expression aloof, even though I was sure he could hear it. He kept ahold of my hand
as I stepped into the carriage and sat down on one of the plush seats. Adam shut the door behind him and sat down on the opposite side.
The carriage started off, away from my home and toward Wolf’s Peak. It would only be perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes until we arrived. Initially I had planned on staying quiet on the carriage ride, freezing him out, but earlier in the day I had come up with a better plan, a plan that might actually serve to make him jealous.
I shifted in the carriage seat, turning my gaze away from the window toward Adam. He was looking down at his lap like a guilty dog, and I had to smirk.
“So,” I said, “tell me about the duke.”
He looked up at me. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
“Um—” He seemed at a loss. I sat patiently, an innocent smile on my face.
“Well, he’s been married once before.”
“Right, to Cecilia Armstrong.”
“Yes, but she passed about five years ago.”
“Right, childbirth, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, the baby passed too.”
“I know all this, Adam,” I sighed. “Tell me about the duke. What does he like?”
He looked at me in surprise. “Why do you want to know?”
“Don’t you think I should, if I’m to try to win his affection?”
He blinked a few times. “I suppose so.”
“So? What does he like?”
“Well, he’s very scholarly. He enjoys reading.”
“That might work,” I mused. “I enjoy reading.”
“What might work? What are you talking about?”
I rolled my eyes. “If I want any hope of being chosen to marry him, shouldn’t I try to find some common ground? I mean, I’ve never really met the man, so the sooner I can connect with him, the better.”
“I thought you were opposed to this.”
“What good would that do? It seemed I didn’t have a choice. And my parents were right. I’m not going to do better than the duke.”
Adam winced, and for a moment I felt guilty. But really, it was his fault I was in this situation. He had rejected me, and I was simply letting him know that I’d moved on.
“You clearly thought we’d be a good match,” I said, trying not to let my voice veer into bitter sarcasm. “Why is that?” I kept the stupid, simpering smile on my face so I would continue to look innocent.
“I thought he’d find you enchanting. I certainly did.”
That startled me, but I wasn’t going to let it throw me for a loop. “Well, let’s hope his affections last a bit longer than yours did.”
Adam’s jaw dropped. “Hazel—”
The carriage came to a stop, and immediately I moved toward the door before Adam could get the last word. The carriage driver opened the door and I stepped out, not waiting for Adam to escort me. My feet hit the ground and I looked up at Wolf’s Peak.
The building was massive, a stone monstrosity stretching up toward the sky. From where I stood, it was impossible to take it all in. A door twice as tall as me with large brass knockers stood just a few feet away, centered in the middle of points and turrets. The home took my breath away. Could I see myself living here, in a manor four times as large as my own? In all honesty, not really, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try my hardest to win the duke over. If I couldn’t have Adam, then I was going to give myself the best life possible. I had been in love once and it had ended badly. I didn’t need to be in love again.
Adam opened the door and a rotund butler greeted us in the hall. The entry of the mansion was just as spacious as the outside of the home seemed to indicate. A tall ceiling stretched higher than the second level with a sweeping staircase that was split in two on either side of the room, meeting on the landing of the second floor. Hanging from the ceiling was a chandelier that sparkled more than the sun on dewdrops.
“Hello, Lord Wellington. This must be Miss Ackerman,” he said.
I heard giggling and snickering in the room through the arch to my right, but I wasn’t at quite the right angle to see who it was. Instead, I only nodded at the butler as the carriage driver handed over my luggage.
“Yes,” Adam said, glancing at me. I kept my eyes straight ahead as I continued to attempt to take in the sights of the manor. As I tried to escape Adam’s gaze, I noticed the intricate carving of the banister, the gold weaving in the rug, and the delicate tapestries.
“Let me take you into the parlor,” the butler said, motioning to the room off to my right. I turned and stepped inside, Adam right behind me.
My heart sank as I looked at the other girls who would be vying for the duke’s affections. I knew all of them from around town, and they were all a much higher station than I was. Crowded together on the couch was Stella Darby, Hattie Thorn, and Lillian Hilton. I’d attended school with all three of them, and they’d constantly gone out of their way to make my life a living hell.
Stella was nice enough—though a bit dim—when she was alone, but when she was paired with the other girls, the three became a nightmare. Hattie had deep auburn hair and blue eyes brought out by her dress, while Lillian’s blonde hair was perfectly coiffed over her pink gown. All three of them wore clothes that cost at least twice as much as mine did, and my parents were considered wealthy. These women had been raised in aristocracy, and enjoyed lording it over the rest of us.
They would, by far, be my toughest competition, though I wasn’t about to count out the others either. I was surprised to see Susie Whittemore sitting near the fireplace; she had to have been at least ten years older than me. If I recalled correctly, she was a widow, having lost her first husband to influenza.
As I stepped inside, Mabel Honeysett smiled at me. Mabel had been a year below me in school, but she’d always shown her kind spirit. She brushed back her golden hair as I sat down in the chair next to her.
“Well, look at this collection of vagrants,” Hattie sneered as the trio looked at us. “A widow, a mouse, and a miss.”
“Is that the best you’ve got?” I asked mildly.
“I don’t need anything better,” she said. “You do realize that this is a chance to marry the duke, right? Do you even think he’ll consider someone who doesn’t already have a title?”
“The way I see it, any of us would be moving up by marrying the duke. Why should it matter how far up we’re moving?”
“The duke might be marrying beneath him, but he’s not digging rock bottom,” Lillian said, rolling her eyes.
“Then I suppose you’re out,” I told her.
“God, Hazel, that’s so crass,” Hattie said loudly, hoping to catch the attention of one of the duke’s men. I hadn’t seen any of them since we’d arrived, and I doubted they were paying much attention to what we were saying.
“I learned it from you,” I said with a smirk.
“Is your brother still single?” Stella asked. I blinked at her a few times, not expecting the sudden change in conversation.
“Stella!” Hattie hissed, elbowing her friend in the ribs.
“What? If this doesn’t work out, I want to have a backup.”
Hattie narrowed her eyes. “It’s not going to work out for you, because I’m going to marry the duke. Even so, why would you want to marry beneath you?”
“Oh, right,” Stella said, remembering her company. “I wouldn’t want to marry a pauper like him.”
I bristled. I didn’t really care what they said about me; I’d heard it all before in school. I didn’t, however, appreciate them insulting my family.
“Stella, how is Henrick?” I asked.
“Who?”
“Henrick Covington? You know, you guys were, um, spending quality time together at Adam’s birthday party last year?”
Hattie’s jaw dropped. “What? I was trying to get him to court me! Stella, how could you?”
“Well, isn’t it good that I did?” Stella asked. “Now you might get to marry the duke.”
I thought I’
d thrown the conversation away from me, but Lillian looked at me with narrowed eyes. “You were at Adam’s birthday?”
I swallowed. “Just for a bit.”
“Yeah, she got bored and Adam had to walk her home,” Stella sneered.
“It was getting late,” I said, trying to defend myself.
“Wait,” Hattie said. “I heard Adam didn’t come home that night. What were you two up to?”
I should have known word would travel fast in a town like Weylyn. I should have kept my mouth shut. Stupid girl.
“I don’t know anything about that. He walked me home and last I saw him he was in the woods.” That part was technically true.
Hattie giggled. “I think she’s lying, ladies, don’t you? Look how her face is turning red.” She lowered her voice to a mock whisper. “Hazel, do you like Adam?”
“He’s a lovely person,” I said, praying my face wasn’t getting any redder.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it. Oh, ladies, how comical! She’s in love with Adam, and instead he sets her up to marry the duke. What a laugh!”
The girls cackled, but I rolled my eyes, not having to feign my annoyance. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No, I’ve seen the way you look at him,” Lillian said. “You’re like a puppy in love! It’s pathetic, really.”
“Lillian, I’ve hardly seen you since we graduated,” I pointed out.
“Now, that’s not true. I see you at church, and at the races. Oh, I saw you at the holiday ball the Randolfs threw last year. You’d hardly leave Adam alone.”
“Because he’s a friend.”
“Clearly that’s all you are to him.”
She was right, but I wasn’t going to let her know that. “And that’s all he is to me. We’re friends.”
“No,” she insisted. “You love him, and he couldn’t care less about you! After all, why would he set you up to marry the duke? He’s just brought you here to humiliate you. He knows that you won’t stand a chance against us. He brought you here to show you that he doesn’t love you, then to have a laugh at your expense. Brilliant!” She cackled, but the other girls stayed silent, looking at her with a mix of confusion and horror.
The Wolf's Choice (The Wolf's Peak Saga Book 4) Page 3
