Angst

Prologue

It was his wedding day, the happiest day of his life. In a few hours, the girl whom he loved with his whole life would be his. Lady Charlotte Stirling would become Lady Lancaster. Charles Beaufort, the Duke of Lancaster grinned broadly at the thought. He had been dreaming of this golden day ever since he set his eyes on the beautiful daughter of the Earl of Northesk two years ago. He had planned everything to the last detail. They would go a long honeymoon to one of his estates. He would love her so much that she wouldn't have any option but to love him in return. He knew that she didn't love him yet, but - he grinned again- she would. 

The wedding was to be one of the most lavish affairs seen by London. It had taken almost two months to prepare it, but everything was worth the effort, Charles mused as he made his way to the altar to wait for his bride. The chapel had been turned into a beautiful fairy tale stuff setting. A total of two hundred fifty people had been invited to the wedding. Everything was perfect for the perfect bride, thought Charles ready to burst with pride. Anytime now, his Lottie will come down the aisle and be forever his. Then he frowned. What was taking her so long? He would never allow her to be late to come to him after marriage, he thought wickedly. 

An ear splitting cry was heard. There was commotion everywhere as everyone wanted to know what happened. Northesk approached Charles- alone. He showed Charles a paper, a letter written by Charlotte. Charles grew pale as he read the letter. 

"Charles, what happened?" asked a concerned voice which belonged to his mother, Lady Sara Beaufort.

Charles thrust the offending paper into the hands of his mother and with his head held high, walked out of the chapel. 

Lady Beaufort read the letter with pursed lips. 
It ran-

Dear Charles,
                        I am sorry. You must have known that I never loved you. I only agreed to marry you due to pressure from my parents. I never meant to betray you in this way. I had honestly thought that I may come to love you. But fate has a way to disrupt even perfectly laid plans. I fell in love, Charles. It was not voluntary. It was as if a lightning struck me, when I saw him. I can't throw away a life of love and laughter in exchange of being a duchess. I am truly sorry to humiliate you in this way Charles. I hope you may find it in your heart to forgive me.
Charlotte

Lady Beaufort raised her head and looked sharply at Northesk. "What is the meaning of all this, Northesk?"

The earl bowed his head in shame and said, "I had no idea that she would disgrace all of us in this way, Lady Beaufort. I... I would tell everyone the wedding is off, if it is alright for you, Lady Beaufort."

Lady Beaufort nodded. She didn't give him a piece of her mind as she could see that he was very upset. She sighed. She had never liked the Stirling girl. She had always thought that she was a fickle creature. She was only worried about how Charles would take it. 

                                                                           ***

Charles had taken it badly, very badly. He was broken. All his dreams and hopes had come crashing to the ground. He blamed Charlotte, her family, himself, everyone. He drank and drank. He wanted to forget this searing pain in his chest, forget that treacherous and beautiful face of Charlotte. Forget everything by drinking himself to oblivion. As his head crashed the table in his study, his last coherent thought was 'I would never love or trust a woman again'