White Roses a.b

chapter 38

Ashley barely managed to smother her grin as she was coaxed back to the house – for her safety, they told her – while the King was ushered into a carriage and carted away and the guards set up a method for searching the perimeter and recapturing Andy.

‘He will be found,’ the Marquess said, again and again, as Ash was loaded into the foyer of their home. ‘You needn’t worry. I know he will be found.’

‘No, he won’t,’ she said, gliding up the steps. ‘And I’m glad for it. You’re all wrong about him.’

‘Halt right there, young miss,’ her mother barked, and Ash’s obedient feet halted on the first landing. She turned back to her parents. Their relief had settled into some sort of frazzled frustration. There was a shadow on her father’s brow, and a twitch at the corner of her mother’s mouth. ‘I don’t know what that boy has done to you,’ she said, planting her hands on her hips, ‘but it’s over now and we are never to speak of him again. We shall go on as if none of this has happened, and you are to start showing some appreciation for all we’ve done for you, and some gratitude towards His Majesty!’

‘Gratitude! What has he done to be grateful for?’

‘He has preserved your honour, that’s what! Any other man would have called off the courtship immediately after hearing that you were carried off, twice, in the arms of another man. His Majesty is doing you a great kindness, Ashley. You will respect that, and when you see him tomorrow, I expect you to reward such generosity.’

‘I do not want his generosity, or his kindness, or any other favours!’

Her mother sneered. ‘Then you are a fool.’

‘Good. I’ve become rather fond of fools.’

‘That is enough!’ roared the Marquess.

Ashley clamped shut her lips, silenced by the rarity of her father’s temper. His face had gone flaming red, and though he was in the foyer looking up at Ashley, the look made her feel as inconsequential as a stomped bug.

He spoke slowly, each word carefully measured. ‘You will not disgrace this family any more than you already have.’

Tears stung at Ashley’s eyes, fierce with shame and guilt. Never had her father looked at her like that, spoken to her like that.

Never had she seen such disappointment.

‘You will do as your mother says,’ he continued. ‘You will do your duty as our only daughter. You will not embarrass us again. And should His Majesty ask for your hand, you will accept.’

She started to shake her head. ‘You can’t force me to.’

‘Force you?’ her mother cried. ‘What is wrong with you, child? This is a gift! Though you’ve done nothing to deserve it.’

‘You don’t understand,’ Ash cried. ‘If you’d only met Andy under different circumstances . . . if you talked to him, you would see that he isn’t—’

Her father threw up his hands. ‘I will not listen to this. That boy has done enough harm for one night, and until you are thinking clearly and can begin to behave like the lady we raised you to be, this conversation is ended.’ The Marquess tore off his coat and draped it on the rack beside the door. ‘You will do as we say, Ashley, or you will consider yourself no longer a member of this household.’

Ashley clenched her jaw, tears pooling. Her thoughts were thrashing inside her head, clawing at the inside of her skull, but she kept her mouth shut tight.

Andy's confession had destroyed any credibility she might have had. There was nothing she could say to them now, no argument she could make to persuade them she was not under some enchantment – that Andy was not a villain.