Post by Meomi on May 3, 2012 18:42:26 GMT -7
A WICKED PROPOSITION
..::Chapter 2::..
Years after in London...
Lilly: ...
Lilly: What is it, Dunstan?
Dunstan: It is a young woman, Lady Iverleigh. She was quite adamant to see you. Shall I send her away?
Lilly: Did she give you her name, Dunstan?
Dunstan: She may have mentioned her name. It was an irish name, I'm certain of it.
Lilly became alert. Her visitor was expected months ago.
Lilly: Show her to the temple. I will be there shortly.
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The Earl of Iverleigh was never informed her father & stepmother died recently. He wasn't aware his wife even had siblings much less, he was now their guardian. Lord Iverleigh had no desire to learn more about his wife after those disastrous months of their marriage. The had not lived under the same roof in nearly a decade.
Lilly received guardianship papers for her siblings months before. She didn't give them to her husband. They were burned in her fireplace. Her sister was now here to force her guardian's hand. The game Lilly plotted was underway.
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Catherine: You look well, Lilly. Did you receive my letter? I wrote that I would be arriving on the tenth.
Lilly: No, I received no letters! Who are you? Why are you here?
Catherine: Please, you must hear me out! I'm your sister. Our father and my mother are dead. I have written letters to Lord Iverleigh, surely you knew of this?
Lilly: Catherine, is it really you? What do you mean our father is dead? How can this be? Surely this cannot be true.
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Edward Thornton had been James man of affairs for nearly thirty years. Edward wrote to tell Catherine the matter would be handled by him personally. When she failed to hear from Edward or their guardian, she was forced to go to London. Catherine felt panic to know her half-sister knew none of this. Now she discovered her guardian knew of their plight and did nothing. Catherine was furious. Catherine had been responsible for her two younger brothers, Jaime & Cullen.
Thomas Sullivan, Edward's assistant helped her sell off was was left to pay the debts. There was nothing when it was done. The only thing they retained was Dunleavy Hall.
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Catherine: I wrote to the Earl many times. I had nowhere else to turn. Arrangements must be made to have the boyes brought here.
Lilly: Brought here? The cannot be brought here, Catherine. I may not have a home very long myself.
Catherine: What do you mean?
Lilly: My marriage has never been a happy one. Lord Iverleigh requests permission for a writ of divorcement. He will do nothing for you or our brothers. He did not even tell me my Father was gone!
Catherine: What can you do, Lilly? Surely he can be reasoned with?
Lilly: You do not know him, Catherine. He cannot be reasoned with.
Catherine: You cannot mean to sit back and allow him to do this to you, Lilly! Why is he doing this to you?
Lilly: I cannot have children, Catherine. He needs his heir.
Catherine: He could not be so cruel to you.
Lilly: Catherine, I don't know what to say to you. This is a dreadful situation for us all. There is another matter you must consider before you go. He is your guardian now, Catherine. This does not change if he manages to divorce me. Gabriel will make your life intolerable now because of me. For that I am truly sorry. Iverleigh has met a woman, if you must know. She is a widow. She has been his mistress for months. Edward said Gabriel intends to marry her when he is free of me.
Catherine: We will just see about that! What if Lord Iverleigh was lured away from this widow, what then?
Lilly: You wish to lure my husband away from his mistress? Absolutely not, Catherine. He would chew you up and leave you remains upon the floor. It would not work.
To be continued...
Click for Chapter 3