Pricing The Heart

Chapter 38

David's limbs weakened with the woman's announcement, causing the glass to slip from his grip and shatter on the wooden floor. Edith jumped in her seat, a small yelp escaping her lips as a result of her fright. The butler hurried across the room and bent to his knees to gather the broken shards. But David barely noticed either of them, for he was too busy fighting to process the information that was only now handed to him. If truly James had married twice, then one marriage invalidated the other, depending on which came first. Eloise had been a naïve seventeen-year-old when she married James a little over two years ago.

"How long?!" he muttered, turning to Edith. She raised her gaze from the broken shards to him, her fear visible in her eyes.

"I beg your pardon–"

"How long have you been married to James... Steve?"

She shook her head. "Five years."

David was both relieved and infuriated by her words. Relieved, for he was grateful to know Eloise could be freed from the shackles of her vile marriage. Infuriated, for he understood James had used Eloise. Not only did the bastard use her for her dowry, he abused her, then humiliated her by putting her up for sale. David was certain that if James was the one seated across from him right now, he wouldn't hesitate to put an end to him.

He would deal with James on a later date. For now, he needed to speak with Eloise. He thought she deserved to know her marriage was a sham that could be broken, and that she was free to live her life however she pleased. She could even remarry. The thought made him frown. He didn't wish to imagine Eloise in the arms of another, but he knew it wasn't up to him to decide. It would be cruel to ask her to stay with him, bound to a man who might cause greater harm than James ever did. 

He turned to the butler, who remained on his knees, struggling to gather the broken shards in one hand.

"Leave it," he said. "A maid shall take care to clean it."

The butler appeared relieved as he emptied his hands of the glass and straightened. "Very well, my lord."

"Mrs Taylor passed the night in her old bedchamber last evening. You must go now and inform her I shall like a word with her."

"I don't believe she's still in residence, my lord. I haven't seen her the entire day."

"Perhaps she's with Adam."

"The young master spent the day alone in the nursery," he said.

Perhaps Eloise left early that morning. David was unsurprised by her decision to slip out without the slightest farewell. As a matter of fact, he thought he deserved her cruelty. But he couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that filled his heart.

"If she's not found in her bedchamber, you must summon the footman. He must take the carriage to her home immediately and bring her to me. The matter for which I must speak to her cannot be delayed."

When the butler left the room, he turned to Edith. "I'm afraid our meeting must come to an abrupt end tonight. A maid shall usher you to the dining room, where you'll be served the rest of your dinner," he said, and she nodded her understanding. It was for Eloise's sake he needed to dismiss Edith; not only to afford them both the luxury of privacy while he broke the news of the fraudulent nature of her marriage to James, but also because he did not wish for her to see him like this, alone in his bedchamber with a woman of Edith's... profession.

He staggered to his feet. Biting down on his lower lip at the pain that hissed through his abdomen, he stumbled across the room and tugged on the bellpull. A maid appeared almost immediately, and he sent her off with Edith. Ten minutes passed before the butler returned without Eloise.