Chapter 52

IT was the day before the invitation to the young queen’s dinner. Emily was reading her book in the library as she was just done with her knitting and playing the pianoforte. She was smiling until the butler was knocking on the door.
“Milady, there is someone to meet you,” he said as she was closing the door before she was smoothing her skirts.
“Who was it?” She asked the butler before she looked at the skirts that rustled behind the butler, as Emily was looking at the most beautiful woman that she had ever seen in her life. Emily was speechless before the butler was clearing his throat.
“Milady, this is—”
“Felicity Habiet and I have news for you, my lady,” the young lady who was the same age as Emily was throwing the paper at her. It was the front page of The Island, more like The Gossipers’ tabloids, before she was looking at the picture.
“You have taken my fiancé from me,” the young woman said as she was blinking her eyes.
“What?” Emily asked and, at the same time, Ian was entering the room. Felicity turned to look at Ian before she threw herself at him.
“My love,” she said before she pulled Ian and kissed his lips. Emily was shocked to see the scene unfolding before her eyes as Ian was pushing the young woman away.
What is the damnation is this?! Emily mused as she was gripping the paper before Felicity was looking at her.
“Tell me that this is not what it is. You’re not married, are you?” Felicity asked Ian as she turned to look at him again. Ian was looking at the young woman before she felt a pang in her heart.
No, it wasn’t love. I did not love him, Emily reminded herself before Ian was putting some distance between them.
“Felicity, I know what it looks like but I am married. And we are not engaged,” Ian said, as Emily felt relieved before the young woman was pouting.
“But—”
“No buts. What we have in the past is long forgotten and I think we can move on from that phase,” Ian said before he walked to Emily. She did not expect to see that Ian was dragging her out of the library as Emily was looking at Ian. Then, he spoke to the young woman who was barging inside their home.
Their home, Emily’s heart soared at that thought.
“And please, for future reference, do not come to my home again. I do not wish to meet you ever again, Felicity,” Ian said before he dragged Emily away. The young woman was screaming before the butler and the footman stopped her. Emily was shocked to see that but also, she was relieved. But something at the back of her mind was not sitting well as she was thinking about Ian’s and that young woman’s relationship.
Who is she in his life? Is she a mistress? Did they sleep together before? All those thoughts that were running made Emily realize that she did not like the thought of having another woman in Ian’s arms. But it was too late to prevent it as she was not the one who would be providing for his needs as a wife should.

IAN was gritting his teeth as he was dragging his wife out of the library when Felicity managed to confront his marchioness. He did not have to guess where Felicity got her information about his marriage. It must be from the young queen because Arabella was a sadist that way. He wanted to calm the Demon inside him that was raking at the female that barged on Emily.
No, he would not claim Emily until she was ready to be with him. And what would it take for Emily to accept him for who he was?
“Is that—?”
“Not a single word, Emmy. She is not our concern now and in the future, so rest assured that nothing is going on between us,” Ian said before Emily was silent. He looked at his marchioness as he was sensing that he had hit a nerve.
And Ian was because Emily was glaring at him before she snatched her hand back and walked ahead of their master’s bedchamber to get ready for the dinner invitation trip by the young queen of Niapachad Island.
“Lord, have mercy,” Ian mumbled before he closed the trip as they were getting ready for their travel.

EMILY was standing with Ian next to her under the moonlight as the sound of their carriage was coming up to stop in front of them. Ian was looking wickedly handsome with his Ditto suit, black waistcoat, breeches, and outer coat. She could not help but ogle at her handsome husband before she was looking away as Ian was turning at her.
"After you, milady," he said as he was offering his hand to help Emily to get on the carriage while she was gathering her skirts. After she was seated, Ian got inside the carriage as well before he tapped his griffin cane on the roof and the carriage was moving forward.
"I hope you will not get drunk again, wife, for there will be some other lords from the Higher Court. I don't want you to ruin your reputation again like the night of our reception," Ian said as Emily was looking at him. She felt a pang inside her chest as she was nodding her head.
"Of course, as you wish, my lord," she said, as she was turning her head to look outside the window. She could see the Royal Castle where the young couple of Queen Arabella Dragomir and Prince Consort Aiden resided.
It was gleaming with gaslights as well as thousands of guards. The carriage stopped as the footman was opening the door before Ian got out of the carriage. Emily moved to the door before she was taking her husband's offered hand to help her out. She was adorning the red dress that was wonderful in complimenting her skin tone. Lady Ivashkov knew how to match the fabric well to its wearer.
"Shall we, marchioness?" Ian said as Emily was putting her hand on the crook of his elbow and walked inside the castle that was crowded with lords of the Higher Court.