Distinctly Defiant

Chapter 6 ~ Complications

Chapter 6 ~ Complications

The guards escorted Everett all the way back to the courtyard and even when they had left his side he still felt their gaze upon him. He didn’t acknowledge them. He mingled with the other guests, conversing with some of the men mostly to avoid having to deal with the single women there who tried to make small talk or make advances that he would have to reject. He had been jealous of his brother’s jobs more than one time tonight.

When it was close to the ceremony to begin Everett saw Vince Ashworth almost preening with all the attention on him, but the target for Everett’s group was nowhere to be seen. He looked up; the sun was just about to set. If things were on schedule then the bride-to-be should be here as well. He surveyed the area once more and this time noticed that his two buddies for the night where not to be seen, in fact, there were no guards around at all.

Everett locked eyes with his brother and saw him shrug. In another ten minutes the strangeness of the lack of things happening started to come to attention of the other guests and everyone was asking questions. Vince Ashworth was infuriated and stalked about to see what the matter was. Everett quickly glanced around and seeing that no one was paying attention to him followed. He made sure to stay a while behind but still close enough to hear anything said.

Vince had no trouble finding an important looking lady who seemed anxious. She had blonde hair styled in a way that must have taken hours. He didn’t understand why women put up and went through so much work to make their hair look strange. He preferred girls with simple hair styles. Not that there were many of them, or that he had actually come into contact with any that he actually liked their personalities.

“What’s happening? Where is my bride?” Vince Ashworth demanded. The woman wrung her hands but didn’t answer. “Where is she? I want the wedding to start now, get this over with.” He stepped closer to the woman invading her personal space. “Tell me.”

“We, we don’t know where she is,” the woman squeaked. “We checked her room and she appears to be wandering around the estate in her wedding dress.” As the woman went on she became more haughty and sure of herself. “Although how my daughter doesn’t see that it’s time for her to get married is beyond me and if she still belonged to my lord husband then I would make sure she is punished. But that of course is your purview now.”

“And I will see that she is, after I’ve had my fun, of course,” Vince Ashworth said without sparing another glance at the woman. “I’ll be in my chambers. I’ve been standing in the courtyard like a fool waiting for a bride that is so simpleminded that she is off on a stroll around the time she is to be married to me. Find her, and quickly. Or else I will think that she’s run off and that would make me more the fool. And you will not like to witness my displeasure.” With that he began to walk away.

“What should I tell the guests?” the bride’s mother asked.

Lord Ashworth waved a dismissive hand. “Tell them that she’s ill and that the wedding will take place tomorrow. I suppose this is partially my fault since I scheduled a wedding so soon. Oh, and when you do find her, make sure two guards are with her always. Two of my guards, your guards are probably as stupid as your daughter is.”

The woman submissively nodded and kept her face turned away. Her expression was one of pure fury, one directed entirely at her daughter for putting her in this position. Everett went back to the courtyard not wanting the bad luck to have Lady Thorn discover him eavesdropping. Once in the courtyard he flagged down his brothers, Tobias had been temporarily released from the kitchen. They crowed around him.

“They can’t find the girl. They think she’s wandering the estate but I think it’s more likely that she’s run,” Everett said in a hushed whispered. “We need to leave, see if maybe we can catch her.” He nodded at Miles, “Go warn Ezra and Felix; then remain here a while longer to see whether or not she shows up. Tobias and I will go check the town, let Griffin know of the developments.” Miles rolled his eyes and then hurried off. The sun by now had almost set so the wedding was definitely not happening now, if it was ever.