Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup

Author:Jill Bearup [Bearup, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, novel, Meta
ISBN: 9781739431914
Publisher: Sword Lady Books
Published: 2024-02-05T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

Caroline was forced to break in. ‘Wait, what?’

Rosamund scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve. ‘I’m getting married.’

‘No, you’re getting fake married, it’s right here in the outline! I mean, first you’re supposed to agonise over the choice of who you get fake-married to, but eventually you pick Leo!’ Caroline fought to keep the panic out of her voice.

Rosamund glowered in exasperation. ‘I can see how a fake wedding might — might — help to solve the immediate problem of getting over the bridge. But actually marrying Leo’ — she stared at the ground — ‘assuming he’ll have me, is better.’

Caroline wrung her hands. ‘But your Hot Childhood B — Robin is right here! He’s a Bevorian citizen too! You’ve known him since you were at boarding school together! Why aren’t you asking him to marry you?’

Rosamund stared at her, swaying slightly. ‘Robin doesn’t know the bridge guards. Leo is my best chance of getting across and home, now.’

‘Yes, but — ’

‘Robin is an aristocrat with sufficient political connections that he can probably get out of trouble without my help. Leo . . . can’t, and it’s my fault he’s in this mess in the first place.’

‘Yes, but — ’

‘Also — ’ Rosamund looked more than a little confused now. ‘Robin is rich, personable, and attractive — ’

‘He is, isn’t he — ’

‘ — I was under the impression that he was already married, but every time I try to think about it, I get the vague impression of the name “Elinor” and a headache.’

Caroline put her head in her hands and groaned.

Elinor.

This was the problem with using previously conceived characters in a new book. You sometimes forgot important details about them. Like their wives, with whom they had a superbly adventurous courtship and an action-packed marriage, most likely in more ways than one. Caroline watched in despair as the last chance of a love triangle faded rapidly over the horizon — probably sailing off in the trading ship she’d just remembered Elinor owned — and tried not to sigh.

Maybe it was for the best. Robin had barely featured in the narrative, Rosamund and Robin had refused to be even the slightest bit attracted to each other, and Caroline was tired of fighting them on it. She was still concerned about Rosamund’s mental state, however. ‘You’d really marry someone you’ve known less than a month?’

Rosamund shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t be my first political marriage. Besides’ — her smile had teeth in it, but no humour — ‘we both know you’d have found some way to make this fake wedding into a real one.’

Caroline made an uncomfortable noise.

Rosamund squared her shoulders. ‘At least this way, I chose it.’

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