Chapter Ten

 

Daniel had but one regret in life - asking Juliet never to return to see him. His reasons for speaking those hurtful words had been to attempt to ease her pain at the inevitable death he would face once his trial was complete. Yet, now as he sat in his cell alone, he wished he had not spoken them.

He longed to see his wife again, to hold her in his arms, to breathe in her sweet fragrance, to bask in her beauty. To whisper in her ear how beautiful she was and taste the sweetness of her lips. To hear her voice and experience her laughter one last time.

Would she honor his request and never return, or would the stubborn defiance he loved so much bring her to him again?

This was not his only concern, however. Lord Parsons had offered her marriage in exchange for his life, yet Daniel knew his wife all too well. Would there be a line she would not cross? He had forbidden her from doing anything that would bring trouble upon her, but would she heed him?

Keys scraped in the lock to his cell, and the door opened to a guard staring down at Daniel. “You’ve a guest,” the man said.

Daniel stood. Had Juliet defied him and returned? Then he took a step back when Lord Parsons entered. Why had that man come?

“Leave us,” Lord Parsons commanded the guard, who hesitated. “The boy may be a fool, but what can he do to me here?”

The guard mumbled something Daniel could not hear and closed the cell door, leaving him and the viscount alone. Lord Parsons was a head taller than Daniel, and broader. In such a confined space, Daniel was uncertain if he could defend himself if the man attacked; he was already pushed up against the wall as it was.

Lord Parsons removed a handkerchief from his breast pocket and placed it over his nose. “I imagine you are accustomed to living in such filth,” he said with a grimace as he looked around the tiny room.

“Have you come only to insult me?” Daniel demanded, refusing to be cowed by this man. “If so, you’re wasting your time. There’s nothing more you can do to me.”

The larger man chuckled. “I believe you will want to hear what I have to say, for it concerns a lovely young lady in whom we both have an interest.”

Red hot anger filled Daniel, and he clenched his fists as he remembered the bruise that marred the otherwise flawless skin on Juliet’s arm. How he wished he could pummel this oaf right here and now! “If you have hurt her in any way, I’ll kill you where you stand.”

“Oh, sit down, boy,” the viscount said. Boy? The man was all that much older than Daniel! “You are in no position to make threats.” When Daniel refused to obey, he added, “Sit or I will leave, and you will never know why I came to see you. And trust me, if you wish to see Juliet remains safe, you will do as I request.”

Daniel lowered himself to the ground, but he retained as much of a glower as he could summon. Lord Parsons may be able to order him about, but he could not stop him from expressing the rage that coursed through him!

“Go on,” Daniel said through clenched teeth.

“Juliet called over to my house yesterday, seeking my mercy for your life. I have decided to extend it.”

Daniel snorted in contempt. “I heard about your idea of ‘mercy’,” he said, scowling. “You won’t marry her, do you hear me? I’ve told her I will not allow it!”

Lord Parsons chuckled. “Your words mean nothing to me. Nor her.” He went to lean against the wall but then pulled away, brushing moisture from his coat with a snarl. “Soon, you will be dead, or rotting in prison for the rest of your pathetic life. Either outcome is not what a lady desires. Yet, I will say this; Juliet desires me.”

Daniel bolted to a standing position. “You lie!” he shouted, the echo of his voice loud even to his ears. “What you offer her she doesn’t want. She never did.”

The viscount reached into his breast pocket and produced a document. “Allow me to read something to you.”

“I can read,” Daniel said, defiance building in him.

Lord Parsons laughed. “Truly? Then allow me to say that I am impressed.” He handed the papers to Daniel. “You will see that that is a request for a divorce.” Pointing at the bottom of the document, he added, “And that is Juliet’s signature.”

Daniel scanned the paper, and panic filled him. Lord Parsons had not lied! The signature was indeed Juliet’s; he would recognize it anywhere. “This cannot be,” he whispered.

“It is what it appears to be,” the viscount said, grabbing the papers from Daniel’s hand and returning them to his pocket. “Not only did Juliet agree, but she calls on me daily. She also wears a gold chain with a sapphire pendant that I gifted her. I have yet to see her without it.”

Daniel shook his head. No! This could not be! Had she found solace in the arms of the very man who had ruined their marriage? “You’re only saying this as a way to hurt me,” Daniel spat. “Juliet loves me and would never agree to any of this! Your lies can’t hurt me.”

“Perhaps you are right,” Lord Parsons said with a sigh. “Perhaps I am lying. It is not as if I have not lied to you, or about you, in the past. Your present circumstance speaks to that.” His booming laughter caused Daniel’s ears to ache. “In the following week, Juliet will come to tell you herself the decision she has made. If you truly care for her as you have proclaimed, you will give her your blessing.”

“Never!” Daniel shouted. “She’s my wife and I’d rather die than see her with you!”

Lord Parsons shrugged. “Then, by all means, die. Regardless, she will become my wife.” He placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, but Daniel shrugged it off. “Think on what I have said.” He wiped his hand on the handkerchief. “Make it easy for the woman when she comes to speak to you.”

Daniel raised himself to his full height. “She’ll never accept your offer,” he said firmly. “I’m sure of it.”

Rapping his knuckles on the door, Lord Parsons called out to the guard before turning back to face Daniel once more. “If I intervene with the courts, you may live and one day walk free. Or you can die. Either way makes little difference to me. But I would suggest you consider Juliet rather than yourself.”

The man walked past the guard, and the door banged closed. With a shriek of anger, Daniel rushed to the door and pounded his fist against it until the side of his hand bled. He placed his back to the door, gasping for air as he cradled his mangled hand in the crook of his arm. Surely Lord Parsons was lying! Juliet would not come to tell him of such a decision. Had he, Daniel, not already told her not to follow through with such lunacy?

Then he was reminded that he had also told Juliet not to return to see him. Had he angered her to the point that she would choose to defy him?

Daniel’s legs grew weak and he slid to the floor. Had Juliet gone to Lord Parson’s bed? Was she indeed wearing new jewelry, taken in exchange for her acceptance of the man’s proposal?

Although Daniel did not want to believe any of it, the document Lord Parsons had shown him caused the worry in his stomach to grow. Had he failed to make her happy and only now she realized her mistake in marrying him?

Before they had run away together, she lived for beautiful things, wanting to flaunt her new dresses, hats, hairpins, jewelry – all the things he could not provide for her.

As he considered this, he came to the realization that he had indeed failed. Yet, he could do nothing from inside a jail cell to change it.

“Perhaps my death will be the best thing for her,” he mumbled as he placed his head in his hands.

The thought chilled his blood, and he shivered. No! He would not give up on the woman he loved more than life itself!