The Lady Who Stay

smatch a

f the entire country. Their bloodline had been among the luckiest until Calan and his brothers were born, in Cressida's honest opinion. The brothers

ny balls or gatherings the Haverston brothers may decide to grace with their presence. And most often than not, they would pass u

down. Not only was she subjected to most of the ladies' ire and envy, she was also the favorite example of the mamas as

Lord of Easton, an opportunity most ladies as her standing would grab for a chance to brush their gloved fingers over a nobleman as their

of Belverst doubled her dowry, in case the Lord of Haverston changed his mind, and her mother, Lady Eloise, promised Cressida could sire the

, she could make a few gentlemen turn to give her a second look-but she surrounded herself with an air of confidence that most men would not want for a wife. She spoke her mind on too many occasions than warranted, much to her mother's mortification. And when the poor woman would leave her for a few minutes in the presence of a satisfactory marital candidate, her daughter would always be alone when she gets back, having scared t

terpiece into pieces, she had always been Cressida, the scandalous girl. Or maybe it was that time she had joked about kissing Lord Preston's oily face to have a delectable gloss on her lips. Or

as a lady eligible for marriage, Cressida was a

e bachelor. Well, no longer elusive because he had just been caught. And he unwillingly at that. With that knowledge in mind, Cressida was almost

d you manage to walk around the streets without a corset?!" she hissed at her daughter. Before Cressida could a

d hundreds of feet below the earth and breathing without a corset is already a struggle as it is." Her mother was behind her, having dismissed Me

s not proper for a lady, especially one who is

about me walking alone with a chaperone." She reached the door to her room and added under her breath, "The

t permitted to go out of the

did not reach her eyes and said, "And I w

you mean

"Nothing, mother." She opened her door. "I am really tired. And if my

everything is in order before dinner." With that, the l

hed and ente

*

went on, else she would faint in the middle of the meal's courses. She w

lightly turned to see if her parents and his father took notice of his question. It seem

lier after having heard an earful from her mother for letting Cressida out of the house without a corset. Calan raised one th

r held a party for his birthday when they were barely out of the schoolroom. She had the opportunity to meet him after her mother almost literally pushed her in his direction, telling Cressida that Calan could very well be her future husband. At that time, Cressida, still full of fairytale stories, believed her mot

he didn't have to attempt to know him more after that unfortunate afternoon in the pond where she w

head to see if their parents were still engaged in a conversation,

started, her eyes anxiously looking over her parents, "but I w

ing Cressida even more uncomfortable. It was hard to read the man. And if she was to s

ised her brows higher and leaned ov

moment before he fin

sk him to help with her plan and if things went accord

*

itting room having tea. He would have given anything to not be where he was right now and since that

t is not improper, I'd like to get some air out in the garden." He turned to Cressida who wa

r and with glee said, "Oh, how marvel

e task and stood up when Calan stood bef

ns. And the moment they were out of eyesight, Cressida retrieved her hand and walked faster, far away from earshot. Cala

fake greenery, she turned to him and s

the words and Calan fought the urge to laugh. "I

well know we don't like each other. You don

e had enough physical attributes that would do. If she could only behave like other ladies in their circle, she

then, what good would that do? Even if they were about to be married, Calan already had plans on how to get away with it. None was good as of the momen

he

wedding to happen, you

ked by a woman to help her escape a marri

proved to Calan why she was still unmarried at twenty-four. "Don't be too arrogant about it, My Lor

er name and he saw that she was not at all pleased to be addres

ers and said, "I want

d when he realized she was very serious about it, his bro

. "Yes. And I don't

it is im

," she corrected. "Not t

ere my help com

will help

"You know you can run to the other side of The Town, escape and hid

ut not with my help, he thought. He mentally shook the idea out of his head. He had vowed to keep his

to risk getting out of The Town?" he asked, his vo

I will find it up there." So she had lost hope, Calan

ed. "I know that you are desperate to get out of this marriage, but I am not a fool to help you and get myself trapped in the same mess again. I'd r

wouldn't have to marry another if your current bride is missing. That will bu

rstood it. But the problem w

usly, Cressida squared her shoulders and said, "Fine. If you cannot help me, I will do it on my own. And I am telling you, My

plans played inside his mind, he couldn't find a reason why he couldn't help her. Her disappearance would mean two things: One, people would give him years as he attempted to find his bride until his father died and he wouldn't be forced to sire an heir,

ida escape The Town help him at all? Beca

out to her and said, "Wait. I'll help you." Cressida turned, her