Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(51)

I would confess that it sounded enticing, but the answer was still no.

“I will have to think about it,” I replied in a neutral tone. Cecilia nodded and swirled her wine in her glass. There was no use arguing with her about it; I’d get nowhere.

“Good. I know it is much to think about. If you do decide to it, I would suggest a fall wedding. The leaves will be beautiful colors. The summer will be full, with Lord Cranfield getting married and, well...you already know how I feel about that.”

I stilled.

Garrett is getting married.

That was impossible. He would have told me. He wouldn’t marry someone—well, I had hoped he wouldn’t. Not after that night at the town’s party. He wouldn’t do this to me.

But you were possibly going to marry his brother.

“You look like as though I hit you with a shock, my darling.” Cecilia had walked over to my bedside and placed a cool hand on my arm. “Didn’t you know?” No words left my mouth. It went dry and tears threatened to wash over my eyes.

“I didn’t think he was the marrying type,” I finally ground out, and Cecilia sat down.

“Any man is the marrying type when there are things that could benefit him.”

I couldn’t help it. I had to know.

“What would those be for him?”

“I believe Edward said more money. His Majesty said that Garrett wanted to build that little group of men up and he needed the funds to do so. Between us, Lady Chitwood is a little wench. There wouldn’t be any other reason to marry her but for the money.”

I knew how much the Elite Eight meant to him, but to marry for money? I didn’t know much about his financials, but this seemed superficial for him.

“Are you sure?”

Cecilia faked sincerity in her voice. “Oh, Ava. Yes, I am sure. You look ill, darling.”

“I’m just very tired. I haven’t regained all my strength back yet.”

“And here I am, talking your ear off. We will discuss more of it later. Rest, my dear.” She placed a small kiss on my forehead. “I will send your girls in to tend to you.”

She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I settled in my bed and pulled the white cotton sheets over my head. I didn’t want to be disturbed, and when Lucy and Miranda entered the room minutes later, I asked them to leave, saying I wanted to rest and take a nap. I also demanded no one enter my room; I knew Garrett would come to see me early afternoon.

I couldn’t see him. I couldn’t bear to hear his deep voice and watch the way his blue eyes pierced my soul. My head was right in keeping a strong distance from him. I needed to keep my head together. I wasn’t going to lose the only thing I had to another enemy.

The man trying to steal my heart.

Whether he knew it or not.





Ava





Chapter 21





I knew I was acting like a coward, but I let myself wallow in self-pity. From the pacing back and forth, I’d made a visible wear mark on the carpet in my bedroom. I was being so stupid, letting myself get worked up over a man who clearly had other plans, and was only stringing me along, like a naive girl. This wasn’t me, someone who submitted to wallowing, but I didn’t have the courage to face him yet. Thankfully, Lucy and Miranda kept him at bay, each the eight times he came to see me in the last three days. My curiosity was directed to the outside of my room at what people were saying about the pity gatherings between Garrett and me. It was hard to miss, the connection we had, the way he looked at me; it made me cringe.

Sitting at my vanity, Miranda braided my hair while Lucy was going on about how some Lady Samantha was caught kissing a man in a closet, when knuckles rapped on my bedroom door. I rolled my eyes; it being the most familiar sound over the last few days, and the one that made my stomach twist from just the thought of him outside my door.

“Same answer,” I told Miranda as she handed Lucy the hairbrush. Looking in the mirror, I pinched my cheeks. My eyes were sunken from lack of sleep and my skin was pasty from shortage of sunlight.

“Lady Ava,” Miranda said. “A Lady Hara Cranfield is here to see you.”

Excitement leapt within me as I jumped from the chair.

“Send her in!” I clapped my hands.

Hara rounded the corner, her willowy arms extended in the air, and she smiled. “Oh Ava, darling!” She beamed. Running up to her, I embraced her in a hug. “I’ve missed you so!”

“I can’t believe it’s you!” I replied, squeezing her little frame. I moved her to arm’s length and stared at her. Standing at about my height, she still had her perfectly straight nose, cinnamon skin, and chestnut eyes. “You are so beautiful!”

She let out a small laugh. “Oh, my dear, you as well. But you still look fragile and pale. Should you be out of bed?” She looked over my shoulder at Miranda and Lucy.

“I feel much better, Hara. Don’t worry about me.” I linked her arm through mine, taking her to a sofa near the fireplace. “Tell me about you. I want to hear everything you’ve been doing.”

Hara placed her hand on mine. “Oh, Mama took me traveling for a year, and then we went back home for two months. Now we’re here, only because I wanted to see Garr. But it’s such a culture shock. Telliva is so outdated with their decorum, where everywhere else I’ve traveled is more light and free.”