Bound by Deception

12.1 The Beginning of a Lie

For some inexplicable reason, Lord Edward James was in a particularly good mood that day. He had no idea why. His morning had given him nothing but trouble. Oh, what an earful he'd gotten from the good father. He was vexed at the fines he had to pay - he had been serving his country and that was the thanks he got?

Of course, from what one has just read, it seems improbable that Lord James would be in a good mood, but his day began to turn bright when he was welcomed by a flock of young men and women - his classmates from earlier years. They all eagerly questioned him of his plight in prison, and he was more than willing to tell them of the treacherous living conditions, beatings, and other horrible instances that he had suffered through. They wouldn't notice if he embellished the truth a little. No, they were all Class 10 students - the lowest at the academy. They wouldn't know any better.

The girls were especially horrified and all promised him a good meal and some entertainment at their respective homes. Edward was inclined to agree, but the pointed tip of a nearby home prevented him from doing so. The towering, crystal-like mansion of the Kumar family paralyzed his voice, and he found himself politely declining their invitations. Their pouts made his heart melt, but Edward realized that he didn't want their company. It would have bored him to no end to have mindless conversations with the girls who knew nothing but what their mothers told them.

Aria was never like that. She was just as intelligent as he was - perhaps even more so, though Edward would never admit it out loud. She had a beauty that was unparalleled and an air of confidence that Edward could only dream of achieving. She'd changed since he last saw her, but who hadn't? He was delighted to discover that she was unmarried. Aria, although she may not have looked the part, was a dreamy romantic in their youth. Witnessing the loving relationship between her aunt and uncle had made her so, and even though nearly all the girls her age were thinking of their future prospects, Edward found none but Aria appealing.

He was surprised when she told him she'd gotten a job. Quite honestly, he'd planned to marry her after their schooling was finished, but Aria had indirectly made it clear that she had other goals. The dreamy schoolgirl was gone, and in her place was a determined young lady. Aria had a goal to be the complete opposite of her aunt, and Edward couldn't blame her. The gossiping, frivolous older lady got on his nerves.

Edward had hoped that Aria would be ready to settle down and marry by the time he'd returned, but she seemed to have no intention of doing so. He should have expected as much; she was never the type. She should have been born during the time of the Amazons - the fierce, all-female warrior tribe. Yes, she would have liked that.

But Edward was determined to make her his wife. He had no expectations of her apart from giving him a few children. He knew early on that he could never contain Aria, but that wasn't his intention, to begin with. If she were to be his wife, he'd encourage her to work and create a name for herself, as every household Lady should. Unfortunately, many still had the older mindset of a woman's role, so he was glad the Kumars were different. Times were changing and they were one of the few families that accepted that.

Anyway, his day became better when he met the butler of the Kumar family. The gentlemen requested his aid in the garden, as there seemed to be a stump that wouldn't budge, and Edward was more than happy to oblige. He was looking to get his hands dirty, and perhaps people would see that he wasn't the vagabond the government had made him out to be.

The stump was easy to remove, what with the tools he had acquired from his time in the army. It helped that Lord Kumar noticed him once the stump was fully removed from the ground. He invited Edward inside for a cup of tea, calling his wife and niece down as well. Edward's heart leaped at the mention of Aria's name. She was home? Now? Dear Lord, he couldn't wait to see her. 

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A short chapter, but we get an inside look into Edward's thoughts. What will happen to him and Aria? What does he plan to do? 

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