Eloping with the Princess (Brotherhood of the Sword #3)(31)

Jason rolled his eyes. Unlike Somersby, who had married for love, Jason had done so out of duty. Despite the potential, his and Isabel’s marriage would not be one of passion. He would not produce an heir with her and rip the title yet again from the deserving party. His nephew would right the wrong, put the title in the correct bloodline. Jason refused to mess that up.

“It’s understandable that this union isn’t a love match,” Somersby said in hushed tones. “But you do know that there will still be a measure of danger to Isabel if there is any doubt to the legitimacy of the marriage.”

Jason recoiled. “Shall I produce bloodstained sheets as proof that I’ve deflowered her?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, that is unnecessary,” Somersby said. “But you know that Johnson is right. The men planning to use her will likely make another attempt. I don’t think Isabel being your wife will prevent them if she is the key to their plan.”



Two days later, Jason had returned from another meeting with the Brotherhood. He had been home for only half an hour when he was summoned by his mother to her favorite parlor. He never entered this room when his mother was not in residence, and he’d forgotten how feminine it was. It seemed as if nearly every surface was covered in lavender. Perhaps she had a report on how Isabel was doing with her lessons on how to survive in Society.

“Contrary to your opinion, Mother, I do have work to do. Can you not plan this ball on your own?” Jason teased as he walked over to the seating area.

Then he realized that Isabel also sat in the parlor with his mother.

“Family meeting?” he asked. He lowered himself onto the settee.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” his mother said. “I have something I wish to discuss with the both of you.”

Isabel said nothing, but judging from the way she chewed at her bottom lip, his mother’s request had made her nervous.

His mother leaned back into her chair and nodded as if some matter had just been settled. “Now then, I do not need to know the reasons for this spontaneous union, would that I am to be a grandmother again, but I’m assuming this marriage has nothing to do with that…” She glanced at Jason, then Isabel. When neither of them answered, she merely nodded. “As I suspected. Well, whatever your reasons for marrying, you do wish for those outside of this family to believe this is an authentic union, yes?”

“As I mentioned when we spoke earlier, the marriage is for her protection,” Jason said.

“Then the two of you have much work to do.”

“Yes, that is why we’re having the ball, so that we can announce our marriage and people will see us together,” Jason said.

“True, but as things stand between the two of you, no one is going to believe that you are actually married.”

He leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees. “Precisely what are you talking about?”

“It is painfully obvious that the two of you barely know each other,” his mother said.

“Then we shall have much in common with plenty of other marriages here in London.”

“Jason, when you entered the room, you sat as far away from Isabel as physically possible,” his mother said. She gestured with her hands to show the space between him on the settee and Isabel in the wingback chair. “You have barely acknowledged her, and aside from holding her chair out at dinner, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the two of you touch.” She smiled warmly. “You behave as if you do not even want to be in the same room.”

“That’s ridiculous, Mother. Even if it were true, there are plenty of marriages in Society where the husband and wife barely tolerate each other. Look at Lord and Lady Ellington.”

“Very true, I don’t know that there has ever been a couple to despise each other more,” his mother said.

“See, then, we shall be fine,” Jason said, leaning back into the settee.

“Not so fast, my son. There are wretched marriages in this town, but those are unions that Society understands. If an impoverished man marries a rich girl he can barely stand, everyone expects him to be cold with her. It was her money he wanted, after all.”

Jason tried to interject, but his mother held up a hand to stop him.

“However,” she continued, “that is clearly not the case here. We have plenty of money, and everyone knows it. You have plucked this girl from obscurity, this girl whom no one knows anything about, save that she’s a princess once presumed dead. Everyone will know that you have known her for only a few days. People are gossiping already and will continue to do so.”

“Yes. People gossip. What is your point?”

“My point is people will question why you have married the girl at all.”

Isabel clenched her hands on her lap, staring at them fixedly as if that would hide the blush of embarrassment creeping into her cheeks.

“Nonsense,” Jason snapped, barely able to hide his irritation at his mother’s lack of sensitivity. “Anyone who sees how stunning she is will assume I married her for her exotic beauty.”

Isabel’s gaze darted to his, her surprise obvious.

“Yes,” his mother said coolly, “but only if you convince everyone you fell madly in love with her.”

Jason dared a glance at Isabel, who had apparently found something fascinating to stare at amid the colored flowers imprinted on the rug.