Becoming Lady Dalton (London Scandals Book 2) by Carrie Lomax

Author:Carrie Lomax [Lomax, Carrie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance, Women's Fiction, Regency & Victorian Romance, London Society, England & Britain, 19th Century, Forever Love, Bachelor, Single Woman, Love Possibility, Hearts Desire, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Beautiful & Feisty, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Sensual Story Theme, London Scandals Series
Publisher: Carrie Lomax
Published: 2019-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“Viola.”

The sound of her name growled in a hoarse rasp brought Viola to an abrupt halt.

“Samuel,” she replied evenly. The bustling world around her fell away as if it had been a dream. Viola had walked scarcely three blocks before he’d lunged out of a doorway. He must have followed her from Bow Street.

Her husband was so changed, she wouldn’t have recognized the speaker at all if not for the menace in his tone. She hadn’t heard her name spoken in that loathing hiss for a year now. Not since the final time she’d made the long journey to see him in debtors' prison. Viola watched him, warily entranced, as if waiting for a cobra to strike.

“You’ve come up in the world,” he commented, dragging his rheumy eyes up and down her body. Viola flinched. Memories of his hands on her body sent a shudder through her.

“I suppose you’re here to put an end to it,” Viola snapped. “Come to pick my soul clean of hope, dear husband?”

He would tear her away from this life she’d quickly come to love. Viola swallowed. More than fine linens or silk gowns or wool stockings or plentiful, delicious food, the greatest luxury of her life was freedom. For the first time in her life, Viola had the right to choose how she passed her days, unencumbered by her parents’ or Sam’s mistakes, responsible only for her own and Matthew’s. To decide when and how and whether she loved another person, or when to let go. Everything she held dearest had crumbled instantly with the arrival of this black-eyed vulture who called her his wife.

“No. I want you to acknowledge your rightful husband,” he said.

Rightful husband. How could it be true, when everything about their marriage had been so wrong? Yet it was.

“Publicly,” Samuel added. “I want to sleep on fine linens and sip tea with two lumps of sugar.”

The busy street came to life again as Viola shook her head. “I will leave this place first,” she said loudly.

“You will stay, girl.” Samuel’s threat ended in a sharp, painful-sounding cough. “You’ll do as you’re told, for once. It may have been eight years since we’ve lain together, since Matthew’s birth, but you’ll honor me for the rest of my days on earth and make me comfortable. I don’t expect it to be long.”

“Nine years,” Viola corrected hoarsely. “It’s been nine years, Sam. You were in the gaol for six, and I visited you every month for all that time.”

The street before her blurred as tears flooded her eyes. Viola’s chest was tight with hot regret.

Piers.

A kiss had been too much license to grant him. Her lips were not hers to command. At fifteen, she had promised until death do us part, never imagining that she would be manacled to this fate.

“Nine years, then. Nine years of lonely abandonment, Viola.” Sam stumbled closer. The stink of his breath forced Viola to jerk her head away. She glimpsed the way his mouth caved in and realized he’d lost several teeth since she’d last seen him.

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