A Girl Who Can Dream

Chapter the Ninth

Grayson's arbitrary visit left me with a giddy, cheerful feeling that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. He'd left almost immediately after when there'd been a rude knock on the door interrupting us.

Now I was left alone with an unfamiliar feeling and I felt light enough to fly. My eyes closed as a grin took hold of my face. It felt weird to be smiling at something and nothing at the same time, yet I couldn't stop myself.

Well, until the sound of the self-important footsteps made their way closer to my door and I straightened, the smile hiding itself. The door unlocked itself and swung open, revealing the man of my nightmares. He closed the door behind him and stood in front of me, staring at me impersonally. Finally he sighed. "I knew there was something wrong with that 'messenger' as soon as he stepped inside."

I looked at him with my best blank look, hoping that he wouldn't see the anxiety and surprise on my face. "Lord Grayson may not be my father's biological son, but he is a part of our household just the same. My father would've asked him to send you a message and he would've gladly done so, as he would've for his own father, Lord Charles."

"He said as much, but there was something different about him, cocky. And I could feel it right away." Sir Victor stared at me again, as if searching for answers in my eyes. "Now, what did that boy tell you so privately?"

I refrained from blushing, putting my entire focus on the lie that I was about to tell to keep him safe. "He told me about the letter that you've sent to my father. He told me of the excitement in which my father received it. He told me that I must listen to you and Father. He told me that it will be best if I marry you." I took a deep breath. "And I don't believe any of it. I told him so directly. I told him that I would wed anyone but that monstrous beast, but he didn't listen to me."

Sir Victor chuckled politely. "Monstrous beast, am I? You have no idea, dear Lady Cavendish, of the things in play, everything at risk. Now, if you will excuse me, I have an important meeting with the duke. We've already decided on the wedding taking place tomorrow, but I shall just convince him of the small size that I want it to be."

"Wait!" He turned around and I took a deep breath. Even with my feelings for Grayson now uncovered, I still felt the same sense of doom and depression as before and I felt attached to my fate of wedding this baronet. "If we get married, you shall have everything you wanted, correct? The money, the title, the inheriting rights to the land, and the house. You don't need me. Please, let me return to Garner Hall. I won't get a divorce, I just want to be in my home again. What will you do with me here anyway?"

The baronet laughed, cold and hard, sending a spike of fear through me. I watched him as he blinked his black eyes at me for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Lady Cavendish, you are one funny young woman. I thought you were an intelligent lady, I believed wrong. Why would I part from you after our marriage? You would only tell everyone about your kidnapping, and it would raise some questions from the authorities." I opened my mouth to protest, but he waved me off. "Ah, you'll promise not to tell, then something silly will slip from your mouth and you'll be sorry for it. Instead of going through this mess, it is much easier to get rid of you."

"I thought of sending you to an insane asylum for a little bit, it would be such a pity to waste the lively energy that you possess, but I realized the costs of that and decided against it. It will be much simpler for both you and I to just end your life. I have a few friends who are well educated doctors and they will lie to your father for me. Some disease, they'll say. Yes, it shall be much easier." Sir Victor closed the door, locking it behind him, before I could even speak.

My blood turned cold as I thought of my real fate. I wasn't just being tied to this horrid man for life, I was also going to get murdered by him. Murder. I should've seen it coming from the beginning. What use did a man such as him have with a woman such as I? Nothing could've prepared me for the blow though. You're going to be gone in two days. This is the end.