Chapter Seven

E lizabeth hadn't left her bedchamber for three days, and she was so hungry she could think of little else but food. Her plan had been to stay here until she was dead, but apparently, when a lady was hungry enough, she would do anything for food. And anything, in this case, meant risking an encounter with Felix.

She rose early that day from her bed. She hadn't bothered brushing her hair or changing her clothes since her wedding day. Her plan had been for people to find her dead in the clothes she'd been married in. It was to be a symbol of what this marriage meant to her. She had hoped that all of London would learn about it. As silly as it was, she had even entertained fantasies of how other ladies would lament her passing. Only a lady could understand how terrible it was to be forced to marry someone against her will. Gentlemen had all the luck. They could decide their fate. Had she been a gentleman, she would never have been forced into marriage. No one cared if gentlemen went from one lady's bed to another. Certainly, no one ever forced a rake to marry.

It was just her luck that she had been born a lady. Her stomach growled, and she grew dizzy. She stumbled over to the wall and leaned against it. She couldn't fight this hunger anymore. It was too powerful. She needed something to eat.

The sun was just peeking out over the horizon. With any luck, Felix was still asleep. She might be able to get away with having a meal without seeing him. Once the dizzy spell passed, she opened the door. She wobbled in the hallway. She had to go over to the wall and use her hand to steady herself. She took a deep breath and proceeded toward the stairs.

Her steps slowed as she passed the closed door that was next to her bedchamber. No doubt, this was Felix's room. She could only pray that he was a heavy sleeper. She kept her footsteps soft as she passed his room. Thankfully, he didn't come out.

Once she was safely out of earshot, she hurried to the staircase. The surge in activity caused nausea to rise up her throat, and she immediately regretted acting in such haste. She had gone without food before, but she had never done that for longer than one day. She grasped the railing of the staircase. She was weaker than she'd expected. She waited for the nausea to pass then proceeded down the stairs, careful lest she fall and break her neck. She tried not to think of the irony. She'd just spent the past three days praying death would take her, and now she was trying to avoid it. It was a good thing no one could read her thoughts. They would laugh at her if they could.

She made her way to the drawing room. It was empty. Good. Felix wasn't going to have a chance to bother her. She collapsed into a chair and released her breath. As soon as she could manage it, she would summon a servant to bring her something to eat.

As it turned out, however, she didn't have to do that since a maid entered the room. Dusting rag in hand, she stopped when she noticed Elizabeth. "My lady, forgive me. I didn't know you were here. May I get something for you?"

Elizabeth had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. "I'll have something to eat."

The maid didn't hide her surprise. "Wouldn't you rather do that in the dining room?"

"The dining room? At this time of day?"

The maid seemed hesitant but nodded. "Lord Roland doesn't like for anyone to eat food outside the dining room, so everyone has to eat in there."

"Everyone? Even the servants?"

"Yes, but we are to eat after he's done."

That was the strangest thing Elizabeth had ever heard. "Why does he have such a ridiculous rule?"

The maid shrugged. "I only started here a month ago. I don't know why he wants it that way, but it's my position to obey his orders. Please don't be upset with me, my lady."

Elizabeth gave up. Apparently, if she wanted to eat, she would have to go to the dining room. "I'm not upset with you. You're not the one running this place." She braced herself then gingerly rose from the chair. "All right. I will eat in the other room."

The maid offered her a relieved nod and showed Elizabeth the way to the dining room. Elizabeth briefly recalled where it was, but she was so hungry that she was having trouble concentrating. From the smell of it, the cook had already prepared something. And that made her mouth water in anticipation. She couldn't wait to sink her teeth into a pastry. No aroma had ever been so tempting.

To her dismay, as soon as she reached the dining room, she saw Felix and Oscar sitting at the dining table, already eating. Her own family had never gotten up this early. So why did Felix and Oscar have to defy her expectations? She narrowed her eyes at Felix. Was this his doing? Had he been so determined to see her as soon as she came down from her bedchamber that he got up with the rising of the sun?

Oscar was the first to notice her. His eyes grew wide, and he stopped eating his waffle. "You look terrible," he told her.

The maid let out a small gasp but hurried out of the room, lest the two gentlemen reprimand her for reacting to Oscar's blunt comment.

Felix's gaze shot over to her, and he blinked in shock. He quickly glanced at his brother then said, "Oscar, I demand you apologize at once. I will not tolerate you speaking to your sister-in-law that way."

Elizabeth couldn't help but notice that Felix hadn't addressed her as his wife. She was ‘Oscar's sister-in-law'. Given how much he tarnished her reputation, she wondered why he should think of her in such a dismissive way. His goal had been to secure her hand in marriage by spreading those rumors about her, hadn't it?

Oscar gave her another startled look before saying, "My apologies, Elizabeth." He turned his attention back to the food in front of him and resumed eating.

Glad Felix hadn't insisted on staring at her, Elizabeth smoothed the unbrushed hair from her face. She supposed she should have taken care of her appearance before coming down here. She would have if she had known these two dolts were going to be here.

She sat in a chair further down the table so she wouldn't have to be near them. The butler hurried to bring her a plate, utensils, and a glass. After she told him what she wanted to eat and drink, he rushed to get her order. She ran her hands along the wrinkles on her gown. She was sure that servants were not allowed to discuss the appearance of the people they served. Surely, no one would speak about her unkempt appearance this morning. What an absurd thought. Even if word of this went out across London, would it be any worse than what people were already saying about her?

As soon as the food was in front of her, she began to eat. She did consider slowing down. She'd been taught, after all, to eat like a bird. Small and dainty bites, Elizabeth. But as she'd concluded, nothing could be worse than being called a witch who lifted her skirts for half of London. So what did it matter if she was eating like she hadn't had a meal in three days?

At one point, she glanced down the table and saw that Felix and Oscar were watching her, disbelief on their faces. She glowered at them, and they quickly looked away from her.

After a few seconds, Felix cleared his throat. "Oscar, I implore you not to proceed with this ridiculous experiment. Adam doesn't know what he's talking about. There is no such thing as a love potion."

She slowed in eating. Felix better not be thinking they could make her fall in love with him. Hell would freeze first.

"We don't know that," Oscar told Felix. "We are only beginning to understand how the human brain works and how chemicals play a part in it."

"Maybe, but really, Oscar...love potions? I thought you were more intelligent than this."

"Adam thinks it's possible."

"Adam is an imbecile," Felix insisted. "Some things are just not possible. Creating a love potion is one of them."

She relaxed. Good. As long as Felix didn't harbor some nonsense about her loving him, then she had a reprieve in this marriage. It was a small reprieve, but she would take any reprieve she could get.

"I can't believe you called Adam an imbecile," Oscar told his brother.

"I would call anyone who is trying to make a love potion an imbecile," Felix replied.

"But Adam is one of the few gentlemen in London who is supporting you."

Felix shushed Oscar.

Narrowing her eyes, she looked at Felix. What was Adam saying? Was he applauding Felix for finding a way to trap her in this marriage?

Felix's face turned as red as his hair. "Oscar, you need to learn when it's appropriate to talk and when it's best to keep quiet." He retrieved the napkin from his lap, folded it, and placed it gently on his plate. "I'll take my leave." Then he left the room.

Elizabeth's gaze went to Oscar.

Oscar jerked. Then he threw his napkin toward the plate, but it fell to the floor. Instead of picking it up, he grabbed the last piece of waffle, shoved it into his mouth, and hurried out of the room.

Well, that was fine. She didn't mind that they chose to hightail it out of here as if something poisonous was chasing them. She released her breath, at once feeling released from the burden of having to share a room with Felix. Starving to death was out of the question. She didn't have it in her to suffer to such a great extent. She was just going to have to deal with the torment of spending the rest of her life in this townhouse. She wasn't sure how she was going to do it. But somehow, someway, she was going to manage it.