Page 96 of The Darkland

“Godspeed, Kirk.” He felt sick inside. Sick and full of sadness. “I sincerely hope you are in time.”

And time was running out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Nine days.

It had been nine long and horrific days since Lionel had told Mara of her marital fate. Nine days of tears, of frustration and despair, and nine long days of plotting how to escape the man. She had to break free or die trying.

Lionel knew of her desperation. For the past several days, he had locked her in her room to prevent her from doing anything foolish but Lily had always released her. Still, Lily wasn’t entirely oblivious as to why her father had locked Mara in; she kept Mara with her at all times for much the same reason her father kept her locked in her chamber. Neither one of them wanted to see any harm befall Mara her because the woman was so distraught that they were afraid she very well might do something to hurt herself. She was in agony.

The only person Lionel could speak with about the situation was Lily because Spencer had kept a distance from him, but even Lily was somewhat unsympathetic. She made it very clear that she didn’t agree with what her father was doing. Her lack of support disturbed him but he wouldn’t let it dissuade him. It all came to a head one afternoon when Lionel came to visit Mara and, as usual, found Lily sitting with her.

The day had been unusually cold, a heavy breeze blowing in from the sea ten miles to the west. In Mara’s chamber, the same chamber she had shared with Kirk, a fire blazed and the ladies were warmly wrapped. Lionel entered politely, he gazed on Mara as she sat near the fire with Lily. He knew Mara had heard him enter but she would not look at him. She hadn’t looked at him in nine days.

“Greetings, ladies,” he said pleasantly. “I have come to tell you that supper will be early tonight. A group of traveling musicians have taken shelter with us and have promised to perform tonight. I thought you both might enjoy the entertainment.”

Mara didn’t move. Her gaze was on the fire. Lily’s gaze lingered on Mara a moment before turning to her father.

“I do not believe we will be joining you for supper, Father,” she said. “Mara and I will take our meal in her room.”

Lionel struggled not to lose his patience. It seemed to him that both women were being unreasonable and that both of them were taking a stand against him. It hurt him that Lily would side with a new friend overher own father. Moreover, after nine days of tension, he was ready to crack. He was tired of it.

“Nonsense,” he said. “You have supped every night in your rooms for over a week. You will both come down to sup in the hall tonight, do you hear? We will have a grand celebration this night with music and wine and food.”

“Nay, Father,” Lily said firmly. “Mara will not go to the hall and I will not leave her. We will eat here.”

So much for keeping his temper. Lionel grunted with frustration, turning away from the pair as he struggled to think of something to say that wouldn’t set them off. He ended up stomping across the floor towards the chamber door but stopped short of exiting. He turned to them.

“I am at an end with this foolishness,” he said flatly. “I realize that Lady Mara is upset by all of this and I realize you are attempting to comfort her. I am grateful for your compassion, Lily. But the time has come for Lady Mara to accept her destiny. All of the weeping and moping is not going to change things. We shall be married very soon and that will be the end of it.”

Mara, having been fairly numb and distant for the past several days, suddenly came to life.

“It isnotthe end of it,” she snapped. “It is only the beginning, my lord, for if you force me into this sham of a marriage, you will have wed a bitter woman who hates the very sight of you. You have condemned yourself to a life of misery by forcing yourself on a woman who wants nothing to do with you.”

Lionel’s jaw ticked as he jabbed a finger at her. “If misery is what you want, then that is your choice,” he said. “I do not care what you think of me so long as you provide me with a son.”

Mara shot to her feet. “There is already a child in my belly that is not of your loins,” she fired back. “It is Kirk’s son and he will kill you in order to claim what is rightfully his. Is that clear enough for you?”

Both Lionel and Lily stared at her, shocked. The room was taut with silence, a painful sensation as Mara’s words hung heavy in the air. Lionel’s stunned expression transformed into something peculiar.

“So he has bedded you,” he muttered.

It was a statement more than a question. Mara, seething with fury, clenched and unclenched her fists.

“Of course he has,” she snarled. “I love him and he will be my husband.”

Lionel stared at her a moment longer before emitting a heavy sigh. Furious moments before, he lost all of his fire rather quickly. Confrontation wasn’t in his nature.

“It is of no matter,” he said quietly. “I will claim the child as my own. Hopefully it is a son to carry on the le Vay name.”

“Is that all you care about?” Mara threw up her hands. “A son? Look at me, Lionel; I am a woman of flesh and blood and feeling. I am not a brood mare whose only purpose in life is to provide you with an all-precious son to carry on the le Vay name.”

“You serve no other purpose,” Lionel bellowed. “You are a bereft woman from an insignificant family and you should consider yourself extremely fortunate.”

“Father, you are beastly!” Lily shushed him, turning to Mara with pain in her expression. “Please, Mara, do not listen to him.Please, darling.”

Mara was beyond rational thought. She turned away from Lily and Lionel, wandering aimlessly to the other end of the room, as far away as she could get from either of them. She struggled to calm herself; oddly, she was reflecting back to the times when she and Kirk had argued. The angrier she became, the cooler he grew. She had never truly known anyone outside of her family or home until he came around, and his very presence caused her to grow up and mature with astonishing speed.