Page 129 of An Inconvenient Vow

“Because, your enterprising sister dragged me to a priest at Ganford Church and had her faithful Samuel act as witness,” he explained. “It was all part of her revenge plan. Did she not tell you the second part of it?”

“No, she did not!” Sabina rasped hotly. “I never would have allowed such a thing to happen! How could Isemay have been so rash?” She sank into a chair with a moan. “This is dreadful. A disaster!” Leland’s dark eyes dwelt on her with amusement. “Tell me,” Sabina asked with sudden suspicion. “Had your wits returned to you when she carted you off to be wed?”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Of course, though it was true, I scarcely recognized her at first. I had to wait for the swelling to go down around my eyes, and when it finally did, I took her for a peasant girl. She looked so different out of all her bridal finery, and we were in a tumbledown shack, after all.”

“And when you did recognize her?” Sabina prompted as he lapsed into silence.

“It sort of came on gradually, then all at once,” he answered thoughtfully. “I was put on my guard then, of course,” he admitted, “but so defenseless and weak, I was just grateful her vengeance did not include slipping a knife between my ribs as I lay incapacitated at her feet. I was feeling damnably sorry for myself,” he sighed. “At some point, I just wanted to roll over and die. But recognizing Isemay gave me the kick up the arse I needed. I started paying attention to something other than my own self-pity.”

He smiled as though one recalling a fond memory. “She spoke sweet words, but the expression on her face when she thought I was not looking spoke of murderous intent.” His smile broadened. “I realized she meant to be revenged on me and decided I did not want to die after all but to find out what she intended to do to me.”

Sabina watched him speechlessly. “Am I to understand that you exchanged wedding vows quite willingly with my sister?”

“Oh yes. I knew what I was doing alright.”

“Yet you have not told this to Isemay?” Sabina asked him, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, certainly not. Why spoil her fun?”

Sabina stared at him long and hard. “You will tell her though, at some point?”

“It depends.”

“On what pray?”

Leland hesitated. “The usual things: expedience, convenience.”

“You are so selfish!” Sabina burst out.

“But I am honest, you must give me that.”

“You are not even remotely honest!”

He laughed again. “No, no, you must not say so.”

“You lie, you cheat at cards…” Sabina started wrathfully, only to find the door bursting open.

“Sabina!” her sister reproached her. “Why are you flinging accusations at his poor head when you know how ill he has been?” Isemay hurried forward purposefully. “He is pale as milk from all your haranguing!”

“My love, I am quite well,” Leland protested feebly, raising a hand to his brow and adopting a die-away air.

“You are horribly fatigued!” Isemay tutted, pressing him back onto his cushions with solicitous but heavy-handed care. Leland inhaled sharply though he voiced no complaint.

Sabina rose from her chair. “Isemay—” she started, but her sister rounded on her ferociously.

“He must be left in peace and absolute quiet for the next hour at least and then he can take his next dose.”

Leland groaned faintly and Sabina allowed herself to be bustled out of the room. It occurred to her that the cruelest course of action would be leaving Leland to Isemay’s not-so-tender ministrations. Her sister was evidently trying her best, but gentle she was not.

“I will be back shortly,” Isemay promised Leland before shutting the door firmly behind them and ushering her sister into the bedchamber next door.

“Married?” Sabina squawked as soon as they were alone together and the door closed. “Are you mad sister? To such a man? To the man that wronged you so grievously?”

Isemay lifted a finger to her lips. “Quiet down sister!” she hissed. “Do you want Mother to come running?”

Sabina glanced over her shoulder nervously. “Does Sir Charles yet know his son has been found alive and well?” she asked hoarsely.

Isemay shook her head. “No one knows outside our family and Leland is not yet well. I am nursing him back to health and he is growing touchingly reliant upon me.”