Page 29 of Hooked

9

Falstone and I went together to deliver the message to Sir James and Princess Marilee, who took their time talking things over with me, leaving Captain Huckley to bide his time until they decided to hear him out.

Sir James had me recount what Huckley had said, the threats he had made. I told him what I knew of the contract, which was very little.

“He is a liar and a manipulator, so I don’t know if anything he says is true,” I admitted.

“What would you have us do, Cecily?” Marilee asked.

I just shook my head, unable to think or act as ice seemed to course through my veins. “I don’t know. I cannot ask you to—“

“If you are going to suggest that I should not do my utmost to keep you from that man,” Marilee said with a stern look, “you might as well save your breath.”

Tears crowded my eyes, making me feel like a weakling. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what is right. I can’t even think.”

Marilee crossed to me and wrapped me in her arms. “It will be all right. Leave everything to me. Emeline?”

I turned to see that Emeline had been there in the corner of the room, waiting to be needed, I supposed.

Marilee brought Emeline over to me, effectively handing my care over to the young girl. “You stay with Cecily. James, Falstone, come with me.”

Emeline took my hands and we sank onto a couch as Her Royal Highness led the two men from the room with all the confidence of the family she had been born to.

Emeline did her best to calm me, but her quivering strength was not enough to contain my disquiet. I stood, sat, then stood again. I paced and wrung my hands. Sat again. After waiting there for several minutes, I couldn’t stand it anymore, so Emeline followed me out into the corridor, where we waited down the hall as Sir James and Princess Marilee met once again with the man who wished to tear my life apart. Even though Emeline held my hands, they seemed to grow colder and my stomach soured more each minute.

Finally, the door opened and Captain Huckley came out, red with suppressed anger, followed by Princess Marilee and Sir James. Marilee kept him in conversation and as they spoke, Falstone slipped from the room, his stride determined, his face set. His eyes fell on mine almost immediately, easily finding me where Emeline and I stood half-hidden behind a pillar.

I stayed there, awaiting his arrival, wondering if he would tell me what had been said in that room. Had my fate been decided? Was there any way I could avoid it without calling down ruin upon my own mother?

Falstone reached me, grabbing my hand and towing me along behind him as he continued down the corridor. I looked back at Emeline, sharing a confused glance with her, but I went willingly. The corridor was long, but we walked nearly to the end of it, Falstone’s strides long and sure. I had to nearly run to keep up, and each step made my heart pound harder, the terror of Captain Huckley pressing down upon me, squeezing my lungs until I could barely breathe.

Falstone pulled me into a recessed doorway where we would be almost out of sight, but not quite.

I let my back fall against the wall and looked at him, desperate for him to say something.

His gaze, the one that saw and understood so much more than anyone else, took in my face and he hesitated for only a moment before speaking. “The princess has put him off for now.”

My breath came a little easier. “How?”

“Originally they simply offered to pay back the money that he paid to your family. But he refused. He said he would accept only the conditions of the contract. Namely you.”

“So then how…?”

Another moment of hesitation. “She told Huckley that his refusal was a shame since there was no way he can have you…because you’ve already been affianced to someone else.”

I blanched. I had not thought Marilee would tell such a blatant lie. “But…who?”

“Me.”

I opened my mouth, but there were no words for his revelation. Only a squeaking sound of confusion escaped.

One corner of his mouth pulled up. “Yes, it turns out that our princess is quite the liar.”

A breathy laugh escaped me. “I should not be surprised.”

He glanced over his shoulder, taking in details most people would miss, I was sure. “And now,” he said as he turned back to me, his eyes soft. “I think it’s best if I kiss you.”

I pulled my chin back. “I beg your pardon?”