Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Bennett watched Delphine as she fled from the room and he resisted the urge to follow after her. To comfort her. But it wasn't his place. Not anymore. She was a married woman.

As his eyes remained fixated on the empty doorway, he heard Miss Eden say, "Excuse me. I will go see to Delphine."

Miss Eden hurried out of the room, leaving him alone with Mr. Simpkin. Which is the last place he wanted to be.

Mr. Simpkin cleared his throat. "I want to thank you for taking such good care of my wife."

My wife .

Those words cut him deeply.

Bennett turned his head to meet Mr. Simpkin's gaze. "How was it again that you came to lose Lady Dunrobin?" he asked, his words curt.

Mr. Simpkin gave him an apologetic look. "There was a carriage accident and we were all rather disoriented."

"Disoriented enough to leave your wife to die in the woodlands?" Now his words were accusatory.

"We looked for her?—"

"Not hard enough, if you ask me. "

Mr. Simpkin stiffened. "I didn't ask you, my lord," he said. "Once my wife has collected herself, we will be on our way."

Bennett knew it wasn't his place to keep Delphine here, but he wasn't ready to say goodbye either. He didn't trust Mr. Simpkin and he needed time to see if anything could be done to help Delphine.

"You might wish to speak to Lady Dunrobin, considering my mother is holding a soiree in her honor tomorrow evening," Bennett said.

Mr. Simpkin looked displeased by what he had just revealed. "I shall speak to her at once. I do not wish to offend Lady Dallington, especially since she has bestowed such kindness upon my wife."

"I think that is wise," Bennett said. "Now if you will excuse me, I am needed elsewhere."

Not bothering to wait for a response, Bennett walked purposefully out of the drawing room and ran right into Elodie.

His hands went out to steady her as she fell backwards. "You are terrible at eavesdropping," he remarked.

Elodie looked up at him with wide eyes. "Is it true?" she asked. "Is Delphine married?"

"Apparently so," he replied, his jaw clenched.

"What are we to do?"

Bennett shrugged. "I don't know, but I am going to speak to Winston. He might have an idea or two on what to do."

"I'll come with you."

With a shake of his head, Bennett said, "No, I do not need your help on this."

Elodie placed a hand on her hip. "What am I to do then?"

Bennett placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are a clever young woman. I am sure you will find something to occupy your time."

"If you don't allow me to come with you, I will just eavesdrop outside of the door," Elodie said .

"Fine," Bennett said, dropping his hands to his sides. "I am not in the mood to continue to debate this with you."

Elodie smiled triumphantly. "If it helps, I have confirmed that Winston is in his bedchamber."

"That does help," Bennett said before he started heading towards the grand staircase. He couldn't quite believe that Delphine was married, a fact she seemed neither eager about nor able to recall.

He could just accept the fact that Delphine was married and move on, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He had to find a way to assist her, and that is where Winston came in. With his extensive knowledge of the law, he was their best hope.

Bennett reached Winston's door and knocked.

"Enter," Winston ordered.

Opening the door, Bennett gestured for Elodie to enter first before following her into the room. His gaze fell upon an empty whiskey bottle on the desk, and he raised a questioning eyebrow at his brother.

Winston leaned forward in his seat, disposing of the bottle in the dustbin. "What is it that you want?" he asked.

"I need your help," Bennett said.

"With what, exactly?" Winston asked.

Running a hand through his hair, Bennett attempted to quiet the flurry of thoughts racing through his mind. He needed to keep his wits about him, especially in this moment. Delphine needed him more now than ever.

In the calmest voice that he could muster up, Bennett revealed, "Delphine is married and her husband just showed up."

Winston kept his face expressionless as he asked, "What do you want me to do about that?"

Bennett walked across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Delphine doesn't remember getting married and is rather distressed at the moment. "

"Did she want the marriage?" Winston asked.

Elodie spoke up. "It does not appear so," she replied.

Winston leaned back in his seat. "Tell me everything that you know," he said.

"Mr. Simpkin claims they were married in Gretna Green and they suffered a carriage accident when they were returning home, which is how she ended up in the woodlands on our property," Bennett said.

"Does Mr. Simpkin have a marriage license?" Winston asked.

Bennett nodded. "He does."

Winston grew thoughtful. The only sound echoing through the room was the steady ticking of the mantel clock. "The good news is that marriages in Scotland can be voided but only for a few reasons, such as insanity, adultery or abandonment. Perhaps we can argue to the Court that Delphine doesn't remember entering into the marriage."

"Do you think that would work?" Elodie asked.

"If Delphine wishes to go down this path, it is not an easy one. It will be expensive and could take years to get her marriage voided," Winston said. "And there is no guarantee that the Court will side with her."

"But there is a chance?" Bennett asked.

Winston tipped his head. "It is possible, considering Delphine is a countess in her own right. She does wield some influence."

Bennett rose from the bed and clasped his hands together. "I shall go tell Delphine at once!" he exclaimed. "She will be overjoyed to hear this."

Putting his hand up, Winston asked, "Are you sure this is what she wants, and not just you?"

"Of course she would want this," Bennett asserted. "She doesn't want to be married to Mr. Simpkin. Not that I blame her. He is not a man to be trusted."

"She said this to you?" Winston asked .

Bennett shifted uncomfortably in his stance under his brother's critical eye. "Not in so many words, but I know Delphine. Mr. Simpkin could never make her happy."

Winston pressed his lips together before asking, "And you could?"

"This isn't about me!" he exclaimed. "A man showed up here claiming to be Delphine's husband. A man who is entirely below her station."

Winston rose from his seat. "All right, but you must be pragmatic about this," he said. "Just because Delphine doesn't remember getting married, that doesn't mean she didn't do so of her own free will."

"Why would she marry that blackguard?" Bennett asked.

"How do you know he is a blackguard?" Winston countered.

Bennett scoffed. "He left Delphine in the woodlands to die," he said, his voice rising. "What kind of man does that to his wife?"

Elodie bobbed her head in agreement. "I agree with Bennett."

"Regardless, he didn't do anything criminal," Winston said. "Carriage accidents happen all the time and people die as a result of it."

Bennett felt his anger start to rise. How could Winston justify Mr. Simpkin's cowardly behavior?

Winston must have sensed the tension in the room because he gave Bennett a knowing look. "You are letting your emotions get ahead of you."

"My emotions have nothing to do with this," Bennett grumbled.

His brother was not easily fooled. "Just promise me that you aren't going to go off half-cocked until we attempt to resolve this amicably."

Bennett knew he needed to be rational about this, but he found he didn't want to be. He was angry. Hurt. The thought of Delphine being married to anyone but him was excruciatingly painful.

What if they couldn't void the marriage? Could he stand by and let Delphine be miserable for the remainder of her days? Did he even have a choice?

Elodie's voice came from next to him. "Do not give up hope."

"You didn't see Delphine's face when she looked at the marriage license. She looked defeated," Bennett said. "I know she doesn't love him."

"Marriage isn't always about love," Winston attempted. "Many people in her position use it to elevate their status in Society."

"And there is the rub! Mr. Simpkin is just a landowner, and Delphine is a countess. This marriage did nothing to elevate her status," Bennett stated.

In a calm voice, Winston responded, "Yes, but we still need to speak to Delphine. This decision lies with her and her alone."

Bennett narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours, always," Winston replied. "I'm just trying to be pragmatic about this."

"How are we going to speak to her without Mr. Simpkin knowing?" Bennett asked.

Elodie smiled. "Leave that to me," she said as she walked towards the door. "Meet me in the kitchen in thirty minutes."

"What do you intend to do?" Bennett pressed.

"Just trust me," Elodie remarked before opening the door.

After his sister departed, Bennett sank back onto the bed, feeling the weight of the situation press down on his shoulders. It was hard to comprehend that this was actually happening. Poor Delphie. He had to remind himself that this wasn't about him. It was about her .

Winston stepped closer to him. "Do you think Mr. Simpkin forced Delphine into a marriage?"

"Meaning?"

"It isn't uncommon for men to abduct heiresses and force them to elope to Gretna Green," Winston responded.

Bennett clenched his jaw so tightly that he felt a muscle pulsating at the base of his ear. "It is entirely possible," he stated. "If I had my way, I would have already had him removed from our home."

Winston sat next to him on the bed. "I know you care for Delphine, but she is a married woman… for now. You will need to use some restraint when you are around her."

"Do not remind me," he muttered.

"You must take your heart out of this and apply logic to the situation," Winston advised.

Bennett glanced at his brother. "My heart isn't involved," he lied. "I am just merely concerned about Delphine."

Winston smirked. "My apologies, but your actions suggest otherwise."

"I just want what is best for Delphine," Bennett admitted. Which was the truth. He only wanted her to be happy. She deserved that much.

"We both do," Winston said.

Bennett sighed. Winston was right. He loved Delphine. And he would fight for her, even if it looked impossible for them to be together.

Delphine felt the tears form in her eyes as she rushed to her bedchamber on the second level. She didn't want anyone to see her cry. If they did, they would feel pity for her. And she didn't want anyone's pity.

Nothing seemed to make sense. Why had she married Mr. Simpkin? He said it was her father's wish, but that meant nothing to her. Her father had no control over her now that he was dead.

If Mr. Simpkin hadn't had the marriage license in his hand, she wouldn't have believed it. It just seemed so far-fetched that she married a man that she hardly knew. A man who was so far below her station.

Delphine arrived at her bedchamber and opened the door. She started pacing in the room, not knowing what she could do to help herself. She was a married woman and every freedom she had enjoyed was now gone.

She belonged to Mr. Simpkin.

No.

She could not accept this. There had to be a way out of this precarious situation that she found herself in.

A soft knock came at the door before it opened, revealing Charlotte.

With a concerned look on her face, Charlotte asked, "May I come in?"

Delphine stopped pacing. "Yes, please do." She was most grateful that her friend was here since she needed her now more than ever.

Charlotte closed the door behind her and approached Delphine. "How are you?" she asked.

"My whole life is over!" Delphine exclaimed as she tossed up her hands. "What was I thinking when I married Mr. Simpkin?"

"It was a logical choice on your part," Charlotte said.

Delphine shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense," she asserted. "I didn't want to marry anyone at this stage in my life."

"That is true, but by marrying Mr. Simpkin, you are now one of the largest landowners in all of England."

"I care little about that," she declared .

Charlotte sat down on the settee and patted the seat next to her. "Come sit," she encouraged.

Delphine begrudgingly walked over to the settee and sat down.

"To begin with you should stop calling your husband ‘Mr. Simpkin.' His given name is George," Charlotte said. "He is a good man and has always treated you with kindness."

"Kindness, yes, but he never once attempted to court me, which makes this all the more confusing," Delphine admitted.

Charlotte's eyes held compassion. "Let's start at the beginning," she suggested. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Bringing a hand to her forehead, Delphine said, "I was in the drawing room with you and we were discussing the upcoming Season. But I have no recollection of marrying Mr. Simpkin or how I ended up in the woodlands."

"George," Charlotte corrected.

She shook her head. "No, he is not George to me. I do not know him well enough to call him by his given name."

"You have known him most of your life," Charlotte pointed out. "He may be many years older than you, but you have always been neighbors."

Delphine jumped up from her seat. "Yes, and not once did my father tell me that I was to marry him."

"Your father wanted to wait until you reached your majority before he informed you of his intentions."

"But, why?" Delphine asked as she started pacing.

Charlotte shrugged. "I cannot speak on that, but you did decide it was in your best interest to marry Mr. Simpkin. By doing so, you had the protection of his name and you didn't have to endure the marriage mart."

"But I am a countess. I didn't need the protection of his name," Delphine insisted. Why couldn't she remember any of this? As she tried to force herself to recall these memories, all she was met with was darkness .

Her friend moved to the edge of her seat. "It will be all right," Charlotte assured her.

"How can you be so calm about this?" Delphine asked, her voice coming out much louder than she had intended. "My life is over."

"Aren't you being a tad bit dramatic?" Charlotte asked.

Delphine stopped and turned to face her friend. "I eloped to Gretna Green and I don't remember any of it. I think I have earned the right to be dramatic."

Charlotte tipped her head. "Good point, but what is done is done," she said. "And Mr. Simpkin is here to take you home."

"Home?" she repeated. "Where is home? Are we to reside at his country estate or mine?"

"Does it matter?"

Delphine blinked, bewildered by how calm her friend appeared while her entire world seemed to be crumbling around her. "Of course it matters! I don't want to leave my home to live with…" Her words came to an abrupt stop. "Have we been… intimate?"

"I cannot say," Charlotte replied.

"How would I know?" Delphine asked. "I don't feel any different so that must mean I'm still an innocent."

Charlotte grinned. "I am not sure if it works that way."

With a groan, Delphine sat down next to her friend. "What am I to do?"

"Why don't you go speak to Mr. Simpkin?" Charlotte suggested. "You might feel better once you do so."

"And if I feel worse?"

Charlotte gave her an understanding look. "When Mr. Simpkin received word that you were still alive, he promptly came to retrieve me because he was worried you might react this way," she said. "His first thought- and his only thought- was your wellbeing. "

Delphine reached for her friend's hand. "I am grateful that you are here."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Charlotte said. "You are my dearest friend and I was devastated when Mr. Simpkin informed me of the carriage accident. He even started planning your funeral."

"How morbid," Delphine said.

"But that is all behind us," Charlotte said. "Now that you are alive, Mr. Simpkin wishes to host me for the Season. Just think of the fun that we shall have."

Delphine pressed her lips together. "What of your mother?"

"My mother thinks it is a grand idea since it saves her the expense of traveling to London," Charlotte said. "You are a married woman so it is more than acceptable."

"Yes, but, if I am indeed a married woman…"

"You are."

"… then what is the point of going for the Season?" Delphine asked.

Charlotte looked at her in disbelief. "There are so many things to do in London and just think of the social events. We shall have a grand time. Trust me!"

"I do trust you, but I would rather be at home, ensuring that my estate and business are thriving," Delphine said.

Charlotte waved a hand in front of her. "You do not need to worry about that anymore. Mr. Simpkin will see to all of that."

With a frown, Delphine said, "I doubt that Mr. Simpkin knows anything about goat cheese or the other specifics about the business."

Charlotte gave her a chiding look. "Why are you insistent on calling him ‘Mr. Simpkin'?" she asked.

"Because that is how I think of him."

"He is your husband."

Her frown deepened. "Do not remind me. "

A knock came at the door, interrupting their conversation.

"Enter," Delphine ordered.

The door opened and Elodie stepped into the room with a smile on her face. "I am sorry for disturbing you, but the cook has a few questions for you about the menu for the soiree. I'm afraid it is rather urgent."

Delphine thought it was rather odd that the cook was asking to speak to her, but she suspected that Elodie was up to something. "Very well," she said, rising. "I shall be down in a moment."

Knowing that introductions were in order, Delphine turned towards her friend. "Allow me to introduce you to Lady Elodie. She has been most attentive to me during my stay at Brockhall Manor."

Charlotte tipped her head at Elodie. "My lady," she greeted. "I am Miss Charlotte Eden. I grew up with Delphine."

"You are most welcome here," Elodie said before shifting her gaze back to Delphine. "Shall we?"

"You are accompanying me?" Delphine asked.

"Yes, my mother insisted since the menu for the soiree is of the utmost priority," Elodie replied.

It was now evident that Elodie had a plan of some sort because the menu for the soiree had already been planned by Lady Dallington days ago. But why was Elodie trying to get her to go down to the kitchen? Regardless, she had every intention of finding out.

Turning towards Charlotte, Delphine said, "I shall be back shortly. If you would like, a maid can show you to the library."

Charlotte perked up. "The library?"

"Yes, and it is quite exquisite," Delphine shared, knowing her friend shared in her love of books.

"Then I shall not miss you one bit," Charlotte joked.

Delphine laughed before she followed Elodie out of the room .

Once they were walking down the corridor, Elodie lowered her voice and shared, "Winston and Bennett want a word with you."

"Then why not just send a servant to fetch me?" Delphine asked, wondering what all the secrecy was about.

Elodie glanced over at her. "This is not a conversation that we want to be overheard."

Delphine furrowed her brow. "Why is that?"

"You will see," Elodie murmured as she came to a stop by a door. She opened it up, revealing the servants' staircase. "Be careful."

As Delphine descended the creaky stairs, she wondered what Winston and Bennett wished to discuss with her. Perhaps they had devised a plan to get her out of her predicament. Was that even possible?

Reaching the bottom step, she found Bennett standing in the kitchen. Their eyes locked, and her heart skipped a beat. How she loved this man. But she could do nothing about it. She was bound to Mr. Simpkin.

Was her fate sealed?

No.

She refused to give up. Not now. She had once thought it was a wishful fantasy to fall in love, but now she knew different. She had changed. And it was all because of Bennett.