Chapter 3: The Reason for Marriage (3)

“He accepted. The date’s been set for May. Better to hurry it along anyway.”

“Grayson said that?”

“Yes, Lillian. When His Majesty first raised the matter, I doubted it would come to pass, but the Duke of Myers was surprisingly enthusiastic about the marriage. It seems he’s quite taken with her looks.”

‘That can’t be.’

She had seen Grayson once before at a party.

Their eyes had met for the briefest of moments, and he had turned away as indifferently as if she were nothing more than a passing tree.

In those haughty blue eyes there had been no trace of affection or interest.

‘What’s the reason? Why would the Duke of Myers accept marriage with me?’

Watching Lillian make a scene was amusing, but deep inside, unease began to stir.

Leaving this house by way of a young, handsome man from a noble family might look like fortune from the outside, but—

‘My life will become hell.’

She knew all too well what results could come from a marriage between people of such unequal standing—her mother’s life had taught her that lesson well.

Her mother, Eliana, had not wanted to marry the Marquis of Reynolds.

Yet people blamed only her.

A witch who had abandoned her husband for money and power.

A temptress who had bewitched the kindly, respectable Marquis into elevating her beyond her station.

A shameless woman who dared to enter the Reynolds household as though she belonged, parading as a marchioness even with a daughter from her previous marriage.

After marrying into the family, Eliana lived a lonely life, respected by no one.

Not even the servants of the household acknowledged her as the rightful marchioness.

And now Edith was to marry the Duke of Myers—the third prince of the realm, adored by all, young and old alike.

Compared to him, Edith was the daughter of Eliana, the witch of Mould, and some country baron.

Worse still, she was now known far and wide as a woman who had gone mad.

When news of the marriage spread, she knew all too well how the people, who loved the Duke so dearly, would revile her.

‘And the Riley royal family will despise me as well.’

Whether this marriage had been conceived by the king or the duke, Edith was certain not everyone in House Riley approved.

Aside from those few who stood to benefit, the rest would be opposed.

A life under constant criticism and hostility was easy enough to picture.

‘But that’s fine.’

Edith clenched her fists tightly under the table.

At last, she had a chance to leave this house.

And not just to leave—through a family no less powerful than the Reynolds.

“Grayson knows what that girl’s mother was like and still agreed to this marriage? Father, you did tell him exactly who he’s marrying, didn’t you?”

So Edith endured Lillian’s insolence with a strangely light heart.

If it meant escaping this mansion, she could endure people’s scorn, hatred, whatever they chose to throw at her.

After all, enduring and surviving such things was what she had been doing every single day of her life since childhood.

“Yes, Lillian. He knows it all and accepted regardless. No matter how noble the Duke of Myers pretends to be, in the end he’s just another man bewitched by a woman’s beauty. But he’s not a complete fool, Edith. Be careful with your conduct. If you do something to change his mind, it will be disastrous.”

Of course.

Edith herself had no wish for the duke’s mind to change.

Whatever his reasons for accepting the marriage, this was an opportunity she could not afford to lose.

‘Mother always dreamed of avenging Father.’

But she’d had no power.

And Edith, her daughter, was no different.

‘I can’t do anything to them now either.’

But things would change once she became a duchess.

Not merely a duchess, but part of the royal House of Riley.

‘It’s possible the Duke of Myers could turn out to be like the marquis—treating me as he treated my mother. But that’s all right. I’m not my mother. I can act differently.’

She had watched her mother live her life as nothing more than a beautiful ornament of the Marquis of Reynolds.

Edith had sworn never to live like that.

‘I’ll win the duke’s heart. I’ll seize the rightful authority that comes with being the Duchess of Myers.’

Lillian was still whining at the marquis, and Mateo was pressing for details.

Edith, meanwhile, lifted her spoon with perfect composure and sipped her soup.

It was delicious.

***

As always, the Reynolds family dinner ended on a sour note.

The only ones pleased were the marquis and Edith.

Back in her room, Edith didn’t bother to remove her dress.

She sat on the sofa and began counting.

‘One. Two. Three. Four…’

When she reached fifteen, there was a knock, and the door burst open.

Of course. Lillian.

“I don’t recall telling you to come in.”

At her words, Lillian’s eyes flashed.

She glared openly at Edith, then stepped inside and slammed the door behind her.

“Refuse it, Edith.”

“What?”

“This engagement. You know as well as I do it’s absurd.”

“Is it? If both sides agree, that’s all a betrothal needs.”

“That’s true when the match is equal. But this is the Duke of Myers. He’s a prince of the realm. Do you really think you can handle Grayson and his family?”

“Whether I can or not isn’t your concern. That’s for me and the duke to decide.”

“The parties involved,” Lillian scoffed.

“You’ve never even spoken to Grayson once, yet you act as though you’re already a duchess. Do you know how cheap and ridiculous you look?”

“Less cheap than a countess who can’t keep her mouth shut about someone else’s marriage.”

Smack!

Lillian’s hand landed across her cheek.

The sharp pain was all too familiar.

Edith pressed her lips together, then met Lillian’s gaze unflinching and finished her words.

“Less cheap than you, Lillian.”

“You mean ‘Lady Lillian,’ Edith.”

“That was long ago.”

Though Edith was legally the marquis’s daughter, she had always addressed Lillian as ‘Lady.’

Lillian had never once acknowledged Edith or her mother as part of the family, and she made no attempt to hide it.

She had treated Eliana and Edith worse than servants, and yet in public she played the victim, shedding crocodile tears.

In Lillian’s stories, Eliana became the wicked stepmother who tormented the late marchioness’s children, and Edith the ungrateful, wayward daughter.

Most of the rumors that spread outside had been fabricated through Lillian’s efforts.

Edith had known this, yet while Eliana was alive, she endured it all in silence.

To avoid stirring the ire of the Reynolds family, she behaved meekly, addressing them as they wished: Master, Young Master, Lady.

But she had no intention of being their scapegoat any longer.

Edith seized Lillian’s raised wrist in a tight grip.

Then she stepped closer, brought her face near hers, and spoke in a low voice.

“I still don’t believe my mother’s death was an accident, Lillian.”

Lillian gave a derisive laugh.

“So you think someone in our family killed her? What would we possibly gain from killing a woman like that?”

“Exactly. And yet… wasn’t there a reason you forced her to stay in this house when she wanted to leave?”

“Because she was pitiful, Edith. Our father has a generous heart. What else could a woman like your mother have done if she’d divorced him? Sell her body? You’d have ended up just like her.”

Lillian yanked her wrist free with force.

“So perhaps you should be a little more grateful to our family.”

“I’d say I already am. After all, when news spread that you were infatuated with the Duke of Myers, and that a decapitated cat’s head was sent by that dancer you scorned, I kept my mouth shut.”

The color drained from Lillian’s face.

She stared at Edith, as if unable to comprehend how she could know such a thing.

Edith smiled sweetly at her.

“So maybe you ought to show me a little more respect?”

“Enjoy yourself while you can, Edith. Savor it. If you’re lucky, you might even make it to the wedding. But you’ll never be able to handle Grayson. Because of you, the reputation he’s built will come crashing down. Everyone will pity him—everyone will think so!”

“And that’s hardly any of your—”

Bang!

Lillian stormed out before Edith could finish.

Edith’s smile vanished as she stared at the closed door.

Memories resurfaced—how, as a child, she’d believed she’d found a good sister in Lillian, followed her words… and nearly died for it.

‘And Mother truly did die.’