pleaded. “I am an Earl now, I am richer than Croesus, and I can protect you.” Emmaline was still shaking her head.
“I was too young before to help, but I will protect you now.” Gabriel pleaded. “I will help you seek a divorce, anything you want.” Emmaline was still shaking her head, and Gabriel felt his anger explode.
“God Damn it Emmaline, I need you to be my sister right now. I need your help to win the woman I love. You owe me that much. I was a child then, but I can protect you now and I am sorry, but if I have to I will tie you up and drag you there myself. I cannot allow her to go through what happened to you.” Gabriel’s chest was heaving with emotion when he finished. His sister blinked and stared at him stunned.
“She means this much to you?” She asked tentatively, her entire body shaking.
“She is my heart Emmaline, without her I will die.” Emmaline nodded her head slowly, though she was pale and looked ill at the idea of returning.
“Then I will help you…”
Alexis felt sick as she watched the Marquis standing opposite her, repeating after the priest. He had insisted that the wedding to be held immedeiently, and so one week after he had threatened Alexis with blackmail; they stood together at the altar. It was a small affair this time held in her parents sitting room. Alexis kept glancing for the door, hoping that Gabriel would burst through it as he had done the first time and rescue her, but of course, he would not for she had sent him away.
When it was her turn to repeat the vows, bile rose in her throat nearly choking her as she said the words. She had been ill so many times the past week that she was beginning to think it was more than the thought of marrying Blakely, that was making her sick. The ring slid over her finger like a death sentence and the minister announced them husband and wife. Delacourt tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away and his kiss landed on her cheek instead. It was done she had knowingly married herself to a monster. She could no longer contain herself, she was glancing around looking for a chamber pot when a great commotion began outside the door. Swearing and yelling suddenly erupted into the room as Gabriel burst through the door, dragging two footmen behind him, that were red faced with exertion from trying to stop him.
Alexis glanced out into the hall and saw that three more footmen lay prone on the ground. Gabriel had a nasty looking bruise on his face and was bleeding from a cut on his lip, but his clear blue eyes never left Alexis’ face. Alexis wanted to weep at the injustice of it. Her parents were stunned by the display before them, but the Marquis only laughed at the hilarity of it all.
“You are too late Adderly, it is done.” The Marquis crowed in evil delight as he held up her hand that bore his ring. It felt like a brand. Alexis was startled when Gabriel in turn began to laugh.
“This man has committed bigamy” Gabriel declared and watched as Alexis looked puzzled and her parents looked uneasily at the Marquis. The Marquis only laughed that much harder.
“And who is it that you are claiming I am wed to?” He taunted.
“You are legally wed to my sister, Delacourt.” Gabriel said his gaze murderous, never once leaving the Marquis face. The Marquis actually guffawed at his words and Alexis felt her heart sink, had Gabriel gone mad?
“That bitch is long dead and buried Adderly” The Marquis hurled the vicious insult, causing Alexis and her parent’s to gasp at his cruel words. Gabriel looked ready to lunge at Delacourt when a feminine voice from the doorway rang out.
“Are you so certain of that Dante?” Alexis nearly fainted when she saw the woman from the painting, Gabriel’s sister, step into the room. Delacourt took one look at his dead wife and paled as though he was seeing a ghost.
“It cannot be” He muttered. “You are
“I was too young before to help, but I will protect you now.” Gabriel pleaded. “I will help you seek a divorce, anything you want.” Emmaline was still shaking her head, and Gabriel felt his anger explode.
“God Damn it Emmaline, I need you to be my sister right now. I need your help to win the woman I love. You owe me that much. I was a child then, but I can protect you now and I am sorry, but if I have to I will tie you up and drag you there myself. I cannot allow her to go through what happened to you.” Gabriel’s chest was heaving with emotion when he finished. His sister blinked and stared at him stunned.
“She means this much to you?” She asked tentatively, her entire body shaking.
“She is my heart Emmaline, without her I will die.” Emmaline nodded her head slowly, though she was pale and looked ill at the idea of returning.
“Then I will help you…”
Alexis felt sick as she watched the Marquis standing opposite her, repeating after the priest. He had insisted that the wedding to be held immedeiently, and so one week after he had threatened Alexis with blackmail; they stood together at the altar. It was a small affair this time held in her parents sitting room. Alexis kept glancing for the door, hoping that Gabriel would burst through it as he had done the first time and rescue her, but of course, he would not for she had sent him away.
When it was her turn to repeat the vows, bile rose in her throat nearly choking her as she said the words. She had been ill so many times the past week that she was beginning to think it was more than the thought of marrying Blakely, that was making her sick. The ring slid over her finger like a death sentence and the minister announced them husband and wife. Delacourt tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away and his kiss landed on her cheek instead. It was done she had knowingly married herself to a monster. She could no longer contain herself, she was glancing around looking for a chamber pot when a great commotion began outside the door. Swearing and yelling suddenly erupted into the room as Gabriel burst through the door, dragging two footmen behind him, that were red faced with exertion from trying to stop him.
Alexis glanced out into the hall and saw that three more footmen lay prone on the ground. Gabriel had a nasty looking bruise on his face and was bleeding from a cut on his lip, but his clear blue eyes never left Alexis’ face. Alexis wanted to weep at the injustice of it. Her parents were stunned by the display before them, but the Marquis only laughed at the hilarity of it all.
“You are too late Adderly, it is done.” The Marquis crowed in evil delight as he held up her hand that bore his ring. It felt like a brand. Alexis was startled when Gabriel in turn began to laugh.
“This man has committed bigamy” Gabriel declared and watched as Alexis looked puzzled and her parents looked uneasily at the Marquis. The Marquis only laughed that much harder.
“And who is it that you are claiming I am wed to?” He taunted.
“You are legally wed to my sister, Delacourt.” Gabriel said his gaze murderous, never once leaving the Marquis face. The Marquis actually guffawed at his words and Alexis felt her heart sink, had Gabriel gone mad?
“That bitch is long dead and buried Adderly” The Marquis hurled the vicious insult, causing Alexis and her parent’s to gasp at his cruel words. Gabriel looked ready to lunge at Delacourt when a feminine voice from the doorway rang out.
“Are you so certain of that Dante?” Alexis nearly fainted when she saw the woman from the painting, Gabriel’s sister, step into the room. Delacourt took one look at his dead wife and paled as though he was seeing a ghost.
“It cannot be” He muttered. “You are
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