To hell with her father's manipulation and damned was her brother who never for once ever showed her an eye lash of goodwill.
"I am sure father would find a way of selling her, his priced possession to any bidder willing to buy her off of his hand with an interest rate." Just as he did me. She walked close to him so close that she could smell of the soaps he had used and in the most threatening of voices continued "As to any other rumor, the ton has already done their worst. And in case you have already forgotten, I am lady Emilia Seymour. I have my husband protecting me." She eyed the length of his figure before pushing past him for the door.
But that didn't sop the smirk that he wore on his lips. "Yes, there is no argument that you are indeed the lady of Cornsdorf however the question remains-" He stalked to the low burning fire where he dumped the notes and letters in his hands.
"How far is Devyn willing to go to protect you? Think on that Emilia."
"I was searching for you in the hall- Emilia-"
"Devyn, Abbington was just leaving."
She stood right besides her husband as the lord walked out of the room. "I believe we have more to converse about my lady, Seymour." He bowed before turning a corner and heading down the long flights of stairs.
"What happened?" She felt the sheer fear and panic in his voice with the way he held her hands. "I believe lord Abbington came with the agenda of trying to blackmail me into something." She let out a breath and clamed her beating heart. "And what did you tell him?"
"No of course, I told him to do his worst. He is corky just like you said."
But Devyn knew that was only a dare to lord Abbington. The man was nothing but bad news which he had experienced more than a handful of times and he would indeed do his worst and what could be his worst, well the mere attention of Elizabeth being with child for him was rumor enough to not only destroy his fortune but also Emilia's name bring her reputation to sheer tatters.
"Perhaps we shouldn't attend the ball?"
"And give Abbington the satisfaction of him putting fear in me? Nonsense! I have lived a coward all my life and I am not going to allow some mere lord tell me what I can or cannot do. Damned is he if he tells the judging ton that I am not the biological daughter of the lord Berrycloth. Any sane person with eyes would have come to such conclusion quite a long time ago."
"No Emilia, it is not that." He spoke so quietly that it distracted her from her own raged breathing.
"Then what is it?"
How could he tell her that his past mistake, his mistress was under the same roof with them, carrying his child and related to Abbington.
How could he bring himself to tell her that she had threatened to expose their affair which had happened months before he realised his wife was the only person he wanted to see with his child.
How could he tell her that there was a huge possibility of her image being more than just tarnished with the mere look she gave him, the same look that he had received during the meeting at the church in town as if accusing him of doing his pleasing irrespective of her feelings or wants.
"What is it Devyn?"
"Nothing."
How could he tell her that he was going to lose her.
"You are keeping something from me Devyn and I do not like it."
"If it was worth your knowledge, you would have known Emilia, other than that there is nothing to discuss." He made his way towards the stairs but stopped when he realised she wasnt following him.
"The annulment? Is it that? You knew all this while that you were going to have me sent at a certain point? You had it planned had you not? And your mistress she would be the new lady of Cornsdof."
"That was just a rumor."
"A rumor nothing more, nothing less were the same words you told me and yet they are rumors that were started when you decided your infidelity was more important than your wife!"
"Damn it Emilia, what has gotten into you? Why must you make something big out of nothing? If Abbington didnt tell you anything then why worry yourself so much?" He raised his voice matching hers and he saw it, the small protective shell she had run off to, the same one she had hid in for so long crying herself to sleep because she had no voice.
"Emilia I didn't mean-"
"Your mother might come looking for us if we delay attending the ball any longer."
He nodded, it was all he could do.
He led her down the staircases and into the great hall that was filled to the brim with guests. Obviously, they weren't given all the attention in the room as they hadn't been announced but a few heads did turn to look at them especially at Emilia. She had on the most exquisite of gowns and his suit and coat matched hers to the finest even though he wore a colour that was a shade or two lighter than hers. Her demeanor however was one of coldness directed towards him even if he continuously brushed gentle forgiving fingers on her skin.
"If it isn't the lord Seymour himself! I was quite lucky getting an invitation, lady Seymour."
"Charles, and here I thought the women by your side would have prevented you from attending."
"Me? Of course not. I couldn't for the sake of me miss this splendor of an event especially since it is the old noose throwing a ball."
"Charles," Devyn warned. "She is still my mother."
"And that makes her a noose. The fact that she birthed a strong headed noose such as yourself makes her even a bigger noose." He took a sip of his drink, a champagne with less alcohol percentage and more sour fruity favour.
"I assume you have lost a bet of some sort. Judging by the drinking, half your fortune I would say?" Emilia was on his arm and he swore not to let her go no matter what even if she sent him daggering stares.
"Far worse actually." Charles drained another glass, and it was only when he felt the sour burn at the back of his throat did he stop. "I believe I shall be attending a wedding soon."
"Oh really?" Emilia's far less excited voice questioned. "Whose?" "Mine of course." Charles had dark circles about his eyes. His hair was a mess and not in the usual fine style he always wore. He had a wrong shade of colour on his skin and two golden rings short.
The man picked up another tall flute from one of the passing servers and Emilia was fast enough to swap it away from his grip. "As it turns out, I have gotten the daughter of one a very prominent figure with child. And it is my responsibility to make sure I do right by her." "That must be so awful." Emilia's voice came just a moment later though Devyn could have sworn she couldnt have cared less about his ill fate.
"The only problem here is, is that she is someone I cannot for some unexplainable reason stand. For the life of me. How does such a woman outspoken, stubborn, bent with every inch on terrorizing my world fall with my child?"
"The question we should be asking is how you fell into her bed." Charles sighed and took another glass from the passing trey and this time Emilia didn't bother stopping him, as a matter of fact she took a glass of her own and swallowed down its contents in the most ungodly manner possible. "If only I was able to explain it all and now the, she, I, damned! I am damned!"
Devyn got himself a short glass. "Well then I look forward to a wedding and a little one to call me uncle." But Charles seemed not to pay attention.
"If It Is a male child, it is quite understandable. I would teach him things of the estates, give him a finer education and he would take after me, having learned all skill and knowledge that is. But god forbid she bares me a girl." He shook his head and a giggle almost escaped Emilia's lip. "A girl after her kind, I wouldnt be able to stand her."
"Well at least you will be getting a child would you not? Unlike some unfortunate souls such as myself that seem so incompetent with birthing that even our husbands settle their affairs out in saloons or with chamber maids."
"Emilia." Devyn warned.
"We shouldn't be discussing these matters in public."
"You think?" Emilia's sarcastic voice questioned back bitter anger clouding her voice. "Oh, you poor dear. Think on the bright side, you would be married with a child and hopefully you wouldn't have to find peace in another woman while on your many unannounced trips."
"Emilia, I beg of you control yourself." Devyn whispered in her ears. "Please, I am not in the mood for an argument with you right now."
"I didn't think we are arguing, rather I was only giving your friend here something sort of helpful words of advise."
"Er, was this the wrong time then?"
"What do you think? Was it the right?" She snapped back and that made Charles turn to Devyn with a questionable look. "Any who, I still feel I am not ready for it, for a child or even marriage at least not with her that is."
And neither was Devyn in the beginning and yet look where he was. He had fallen with the woman he had married, at least grown to have affections for her and he knew those affections would only deepen as the years went by.
Lust.
There were curves of her body which were like sweet temptations to him calling out his name and answering to him with just the simplest of touches. It felt all unreal but it wasn't exactly what drove him to her.
"You might find her tolerable at some certain point." Tolerable? Had he found Emilia tolerable? No, lady Clara Leavening was tolerable, lady Elizabeth Ives Dinsmore was tolerable, his mother well she couldn't be tolerated but Emilia she wasn't tolerable she was just right for him.
".....I would have to do right by her." The words floated through his head and he watched Emilia closely, and whether he had failed to notice it or not, there was a soft longing in her eyes and a companion towards Charles as he spoke of his troubles.
"It is not as if I can ask her to rid herself of the babe, that is me asking her to kill herself." Her eyes lit up with bewilderment and even he knew Charles was incapable of such drastic decisions.
"He wouldn't do it would he?" She asked.
"No, he wouldn't." The man was too deep in his cup to think straight.
The news of a gambling table caught his attention and Charles was off to the next room to if hopefully will away his current platter of problems with either a loss or win.
"Did lord Abbington hurt you while he was with you in your chambers?"
"He had a pistol with him."
"But he didn't try to touch you, or anything did he? Emilia look at me please."
"No, he did not my lord." Devyn nodded and he was just about to head out and have lord Abbington searched and thrown out when a presence made the hairs of his neck stand on edge.
"Mily?"
The soft tone of voice caught not only Emilia but him off guard.
"Goodness gracious!"
She was in his arms before the blink of an eye. Although she did attract some sort of attention, she seemed not to care one bit.