Love your Enemy (Ruby Rose fanfic)

NINETEEN (Iselen POV)

Innis,

I can't do it, my love, I won't do it... I don't care about what our parents have decided: I can't get married to your brother. How could I live with you, seeing you every day and knowing I can't touch you or kiss you? I can't swear before God that I'll obey James Lindsay, honouring and cherishing him... when the only thing I want is to make love to his sister. How can I live there knowing that your father will force you to marry a stupid noble who could take you to the other side of the country? Far away from me...

I know you're scared, my love, I know you're afraid of your brother and pastor Edward, they could catch us but we must try. We deserve to be happy and I wouldn't be if I obey my father's orders. I'll wait for you at Alloa's clearing the evening before the ceremony, everybody will be too busy and you'll only have to tell them you want to go to bed early to be ready for the for the big day, remember to carry a bag with a couple of plain dresses and all your jewels. They'll look for us on the southern roads but we'll travel west and will embark for Ireland, my great aunt can help us to hide for a few weeks there and later we'll choose... France or Italy... anyplace will be a paradise with you.

I love you,

Lyall.

"Well, this changes everything..." I mumble shaking my head while rereading the first paragraph. "I have to tell Bruce Kendric that he was wrong: the Lindsay heir got engaged with the Murray girl but she didn't run away because she was in love with a stable boy or a distant cousin... She was in love with her soon-to-be sister-in-law... Poor girls... what a mess."

I drop the letter on the table on top of the others with a grimace on my face, reluctant to keep reading because I know how this will end and I'm not in the mood for more drama... I have enough in my life. The bishop understood the subliminal message in my letter as Ruby predicted and has written back to explain me he'll look for a new post for pastor Todt but there are none available right now and I'll have to deal with him for a few more weeks, which means he'll keep plotting behind my back and telling who knows what about my ideas to our enemy. I explained the situation to my employees and most trusted neighbours and they've promised me they'll keep their mouths shut concerning my plans if the pastor is around listening... the truth is that no one likes him except for a handful of sanctimonious ladies.

Williamson is proceeding with his plans and will get approval from the Environment Protection Agency in a few days although it's true that he's been very busy trying to keep his company afloat after the malicious rumours we spread caused it to dip sharply on the stock market. I don't know what he promised to his business partners but some of them spoke out on his behalf and the company has already recovered its investments thanks to some bank loans, in addition to that most of his investors are foreign and he doesn't care if the high society in Scotland believes our gossip about his shady deals... In fact, most of them already knew or at least they suspected it and only a few are desperate enough to give their fortune to such an asshole. So, since Scottish businessmen don't work with Williamson, he hasn't lost that much money and the only think at risk is his reputation but he doesn't seem to care and keeps threatening with bringing the pollutant waste to my precious duchy.

I can't allow him to do that, damn it, but don't know what else I can do. The map room looks almost normal after two weeks of hard work but we haven't found the damned document. I know Ruby has been searching her library too helped by her mother and cousin and she's starting to feel pretty anxious even if she tries to hide it joking nonstop when she's in public. Mrs. Dunn was the first one who noticed that she hardly eats and doesn't pay attention to the delicious cake my cook bakes for her when she comes for tea. I've also noticed that something weird is going on: the promiscuous and shameless girl that only cares about having fun has turned into a worried and grumpy woman who seals herself off and growls at me when I try to get closer. I know her feelings for me haven't changed, although I don't know how deep they are, and I think I understand her... In fact, if it weren't for my training that helps me to remain calmed even in the most stressful situations, I'd behave exactly like her, barking like a furious dog.