Page 20 of Haunted Hearts

“Don’t worry, Serena,” said Lillith, taking a sip of mead. “I know Blaze well enough to realize he’ll never accept this deal.”

“Don’t be so sure.” Arthur didn’t seem at all worried. He sat back with a smug look on his face and his hands on his belly, just having finished his meal. Her uncle looked much too content in their castle sitting in her father’s chair. Lillith didn’t like this.

“What does that mean?” asked Lillith suspiciously, getting the feeling there was something that her uncle was not telling her.

“Arthur, please. Tell her,” begged her mother.

“Tell me what?” asked Lillith, putting down her cup. “What is it, Uncle?”

“I received an answer back from Lord Blaze late last night.”

“You did?” asked Lillith, thinking it odd that Blaze should answer so quickly and not wait until morning. It wasn’t like him to be so unpredictable.

“He accepted the proposal,” announced Arthur, leaving Lillith lost for words. Her jaw dropped and she felt sick to her stomach. “The final papers are going to be sent this morning to be signed, and the alliance will be set in motion.”

“Nay!” cried Serena. “This can’t be happening. My life is over.”

“Hush, Serena,” scolded Lillith, looking back over to her uncle. “Can I see the proposal Blaze signed?” she asked, not willing to believe it was true until she saw Blaze’s signature on that parchment.

“Don’t you believe me, dear?” asked Arthur.

“I just want to see it, that’s all,” she answered.

“Arthur, please. Have the steward show it to her. He’s right here.”

“Sir Gunderic, bring that parchment over to my niece so she can see that I’m not the liar she thinks I am,” he growled.

“Aye, my lord.” Sir Gunderic walked to the front of the dais and handed Lillith a rolled-up piece of parchment with two hands as was proper.

With one shaking hand Lillith took it from him and slowly unrolled it to read the proposal. Her eyes moved back and forth as she read the writing on the page.

“Uncle, you only mention the betrothed as Lady Bonnel. You didn’t tell him which one of us he is marrying.” To her dismay, there at the bottom of the paper was Blaze’s signature.

“I guess it didn’t matter to him. Now give me that before something happens to it.” Arthur reached over and snatched it out of her hand.

Now it all made sense to Lillith. Blaze had thought he was signing an agreement to marry her, she was sure of it. If he had known he was being tricked into marrying Serena, he never would have been so fast to sign it.

“Now that the meal is finished, you two will pack your bags and go. Milo will take you over to Skull Manor,” Arthur told her.

“Oh, Lillith, I’m so glad you’re coming with me,” said Serena, grabbing on to her arm. “I am so scared that Lord Blaze is going to curse me or even kill me.”

“Don’t be foolish. Blaze would never hurt a lady,” she told her sister.

“Well, keep your dagger handy just in case the warlock comes for either of you in your sleep.” Arthur laughed at his ill jest, but no one else thought it was funny.

“Arthur, how can you be so cold-hearted?” asked Beatrice.

“I’m only teasing your daughters, and mean nothing by it,” said Arthur, reaching out and giving Beatrice’s hand a squeeze.

“Still, I think they truly might be in danger,” said Beatrice. “My husband always said not to trust the Bonnels. He swore they were witches.”

“And what do you want me to do about this silly fear of yours?” asked Arthur.

“Mayhap you should send someone else along with the girls.”

“You’re right,” said Arthur. He looked up and motioned across the room to the handmaid, Posy. The woman hurried over.

“Yes, my lord,” said Posy with a smile. “You summoned me?”

“Aye,” he answered. “Posy, you will accompany my nieces to Skull Manor and stay with them until the wedding. Come back and get me if you discover the Paynes are dangerous witches.”

“Me?” Posy’s eyes opened wide. “Pardon me for saying that I don’t fancy the idea, my lord. I don’t want to be anywhere near Skull Manor.”

“Lillith assures me that Lord Blaze and his family are harmless, so there is nothing to worry about now, is there?” Arthur chuckled again, causing Lillith to want to slap the smile right off his face. Her uncle cared naught about the safety of his newly acquired family. He was just in a hurry to get rid of them so he wouldn’t have opposition to his decisions now that he was Lord of Alderwood. Lillith felt sorry for her mother who had no way of escaping the despicable man.

“Get moving, ladies. I’ve already sent word to Lord Payne that you’ll be there first thing this morning,” commanded Arthur getting up from his chair and stretching.

Lillith looked over to her mother who sadly shook her head. Her mother knew how much Blaze once meant to her. Lillith had often talked with her mother about what it would be like to one day be married to him. Now, none of that even mattered. Lillith was promised to the baron, not Blaze.

The thought of marrying someone besides Blaze made Lillith feel even worse now. She didn’t want to be the one to tell him she was getting married. She also didn’t want to be present when Blaze found out he’d been tricked by Arthur and that he’d willingly signed a betrothal to marry her sister, Serena.