Chapter 11

Violet"s heart sunk.

She did not think it could get any lower.

Thank goodness William had left so he did not have to witness this shambles any longer.

"Now, I am a genius, am I not?" Paul exclaimed while throwing his hands in the air in celebration. "I told you that you had nothing to worry about, Violet. I told you that I would sort everything, and I have. That mad is the perfect match for you. He will take wonderful care of you, and provide you with the sort of life that you want."

Violet scoffed, but he did not seem to hear it.

"I told you to trust me. You should have had more faith in me. Can you believe how perfect that man is for you and this situation? I am so pleased with myself."

All Violet could do was shake her head in horror.

Her brother really had no idea what he was doing, did he? He had no idea what a mistake this was.

There was no way that she was ever going to marry Mr. Charles Cook, however terrible a situation she found herself in.

She simply could not do it.

She would not do it.

But she was not sure how to tell Paul as much.

Especially when he was manic.

It was a little unsettling actually, to see him that way. Was he often this way? He had spent so much time abroad that she was not sure how he typically behaved these days.

That was a little worrying.

Violet knew that she was going to have to say something.

"Paul, do you not think it would be better for me to marry someone with a title? Someone who can help us with the financial situation also. Someone who can help you."

She knew that she had to make this all about Paul or he would not hear her out. That was simply his selfish nature.

"Oh, you do not need to worry about me." Paul tossed his head back and let out a laugh. "I will be just fine. Me and Mr. Cook have a deal. I am going to be just fine."

Violet sucked in a sharp breath. So, money was going to exchange hands. Interesting. How much was Paul going to get from this deal?

"Plus, as I said before, through us, Charles will have access to the ton. He will have the chance to make a lot of money for the both of you, and I am sure you will want to look after me as well."

Oh no.

This was just getting increasingly worse.

How on earth was she going to get out of this?

It seemed impossible when no match maker would work with her, when there was no other way that she would be able to find a husband for herself.

She felt foolish for thinking that Paul might have contacted a Duke or an Earl for her. How silly… of course it would be a gentleman that he met at the gambling hall, just as William suggested.

Paul did not say that, but it certainly seemed that way.

"So, we should start planning the wedding, do you not think? We do not want to waste time…"

"Paul," Violet interjected, before her brother could get too carried away with this. "I have not yet agreed to marry this man. I know it is just assumed at the moment, but I have not had my say."

Paul stared at her blankly. "What do you mean? What could there possibly be to discuss? I have sorted out a match for you, which was exactly what you wanted. Now all you need to do is get married before the month is up, so you are not kicked out of the house and forced to live destitute on the streets."

"And what of you?"

Paul smirked. "I always have places I can stay. You do not need to worry about me. I have myself sorted out, always."

Violet had no idea what she probably did not want to know, so she refused to ask.

"But I do not think that Mr. Cook is the sort of man that Father would have wanted me to marry," she argued instead.

Paul glowered. "Father is not here. I am the man of the house now, so it is my decision that you need to respect. I have made a choice, and I expect you to stick to it. Especially when I have made such an effort to find a man who is willing to marry you."

That stung.

Violet sucked in a harp breath as she tried not to get too hurt by the remark. It was probably just something that Paul said to defend himself in the heat of the moment, but it was painful to think that she was so unmarriable. That it took such a lot for any man to be interested in her.

"Father never took the time to find you a suitable husband," Paul continued, in a little softer this time as if he realized that he had been a little harsh. "So you cannot compare."

"Father was too sick to find me a husband," Violet reminded Paul, although that was probably not the only reason he had not found her a husband.

He had also spent far too long in gambling halls to worry about her.

"Well, we do not have the option of time, Violet, so this is the way that it needs to be. I do not want to argue with you about this. I thought you would be far more pleased. I think you should take some time to really think about everything that I have done for you, so you can appreciate it more."

Paul left before Violet could express herself further. Not that it was worthwhile since he was not listening to her anyway.

Everything she said, he simply talked over her, dismissing her feelings and making her feel silly and small.

How on earth was she going to spend her life married to that man?

She could not do it. It was an awful idea.

But what other choice did she have?

Not knowing what else she should do with herself, Volet headed to the sanctuary in the house. The library.

It was not even like she wanted to lose herself in the magic of a story today, much as she would have loved to take herself away from all of this.

No, she simply needed a place to think.

Maybe a place to come up with a solution.

Now she had three pressures weighing down on her. The time constraints set by William when she originally concocted this plan. The fact that she was on her own with this because no match maker would work with her. Now Mr. Cook and his desires to be her husband.

She shuddered at the thought.

It was so unfair.

No one would force Paul to marry someone that he did not want to. Violet had not heard of one instant of a man being forced in to marriage.

Perhaps there were whispers and gossip of gentlemen being found in compromising positions, but even then, they married to protect the reputation of the lady involved.

Or they chose not to, and the lady was left to ruin.

It was all so terrible.

With a deep sigh, Violet closed herself in the library, inhaling the all too familiar smell of the books. But they brought her little comfort.

There was nothing that could make her feel better right now, she was sure of it.

"Miss Lambourne."

She jumped, shocked as her name whispered through the room.

"Sorry, I did not mean to startle you, you just did not seem aware of my presence."

William stepped out from behind one of the book cases, emerging from the shadows in to the light.

It was hard not to get caught up in his strikingly handsome features and that sly smile playing on his lips. Especially when she was still a little horrified by the older, strange looking gentleman that her brother had set her up with.

She sucked in a sharp breath and did what she could to push all of that to one side. There was no point in thinking that way about William. Not now. Not when she had so many other issues to contend with.

If she wasted more time day dreaming about him, then she was never going to get anywhere.

"I do apologize, I thought I was alone," Violet replied in a strained voice. "I just needed some time, to think."

"Did the chat with your brother not go too well?"

She bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt to stop the tears from falling and shook her head sadly.

"Not exactly, no. Paul has never been the easiest to talk to. Once he gets an idea in his head, it is hard to take that from him."

"I see."

What was William doing?

All of a sudden, it felt like he was circling her, devouring her with his eyes. Maybe even trying to picture what she looked like underneath the fine gown that she had excitedly donned, thinking that she was about to meet her future husband.

Violet had despised it when Mr. Cook looked at her in a similar manner. She felt small and disgusted by his hungry eyes. He made her skin crawl and discomfort flood her every pore.

But as William"s eyes examined her, she felt oddly emboldened. She liked the desire flooding his gaze. It made her whole body ache for more.

She yearned for William to close the distance between them and to touch her. She wanted the sparks to ignite and for the sort of passion that she had only read about in books before to consume this whole room.

Violet knew she should not desire this, but how could she help herself?

"You know, I can just see it," William mused as mystery danced in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Violet tried to follow his gaze, but she was being left behind. Something had shifted and she could not keep up however much she wanted to. "See what?"

"You, barefoot and pregnant in Mr. Cook"s home, which I am just sure is adorable. I bet you will love padding around his small kitchen as little children scream at your feet, demanding your attention while you attempt to cook for your hard working traveling salesman of a husband."

He let out a laugh as horror struck Violet.

Here she was thinking that there was something blooming and growing between them, but all William wanted to do was tease her.

Again.

Even on her very worst day.

Would this nightmare never end?

She stopped looking at him, turning her gaze to the window instead. Unfortunately, she could not calm down the intense racing of her heart which gave her away.

"Oh, you are just full of wit, Your Grace," she spat out, venom lacing her tone. "I am so grateful that I get to hear your jokes every single day. It shall be such a shame when we are not in one another"s lives anymore, and I do not get to endure your charm."

With that, she spun on her heel, needing an escape from the room which had always been a wonderful hiding spot for her.

William had ruined it.

Just like he ruined everything.

Angry and frustrated tears pricked Violet"s eyes as she raced to her bed chambers where she could finally be alone.

All the men in her life right now were terrible people who simply did not care about how she was feeling. To them, she was nothing more than a joke, a source of mirth for them.

While they were all laughing at her and making plans for her future behind her back, Violet"s life was slowly being torn apart and ruined, and in her opinion, there was nothing funny about that at all.