Beauty for Ashes

The judge smiled and crossed to a small writing desk by the window. Elizabeth watched with trepidation as he removed some papers from his waistcoat pocket, spread them out, then selected a quill and dipped it into the ink pot. “Your full name, my dear?”

She took a deep breath. “Elizabeth Shannon Frazier.”

The judge’s hand froze in midair. He swivelled his head around, giving her a piercing look. “Did you say Frazier?”

Did he know her father? A spasm of fear closed Elizabeth’s throat. She gave him a tremulous smile and nodded. For a long moment he studied her, then, to her immense relief, he turned, inscribed her name on one of the papers and reached for another.

She began to breathe again.

“What is he doing in there?” Justin drummed his long fingers on the table. “If he thinks he is going to keep me from—”

“Oh, hush!” Laina threw him a withering look and banged the teapot down onto the table. “I’m weary of hearing about this. What you’re doing is wrong! You are a coward, my brother. You’re willing to risk your money, but not your heart. Well, you’re welcome to do so. But remember—if you can buy her, she will not be worth the price!” She slammed his cup down in front of him. Tea sloshed over the rim into the saucer and splashed onto the table.

Justin grimaced and reached for his napkin to mop it up. “Laina, I know you feel strongly about what I am doing, but—”

“But you are determined to ruin your life. I know that, Justin. I know, also, that you are far too stubborn to listen to me.” Laina’s face tightened. Her gaze shifted to a point somewhere over his right shoulder. “The judge is beckoning.”

“Finally!” Justin dropped his napkin onto the table and rose, stepping over to assist his sister from her chair. She laid her hand on his arm.

“Justin, I’m asking you one last time—I’m begging you—for your own sake, do not do this! It’s not too late to change your mind. Give this woman whatever amount of money she and the judge have agreed upon and send her on her way. You can well afford to—”

“Buy an open, honest relationship based on greed.” Justin heard the cold harshness in his voice and made an effort to soften it. “We’ve discussed this already, Laina.”

“So we have.” She drew herself up to her full height. “Very well, since you are determined to play the fool, Justin, do it quickly. I’m at the end of my patience!”

With a swish of her long skirts, Laina whirled about. Her boot heels clicked angrily against the wide plank floor as she walked across the common room.

Justin took a deep breath and followed her. He hesitated for a moment in the doorway of the little room as he caught sight of the hooded, cloak-draped figure of his intended bride standing in front of the judge, then, squaring his shoulders, he stepped into the dimly lit room and walked forward to take his place at her side.

Chapter Three

E lizabeth sat alone in the cabriolet absently twirling the gold band upon her finger. What had she done? She was married! To a total stranger! There had been no introduction, no exchange of pleasantries, nothing but the speaking of the vows.

A nervous giggle escaped her as she looked down at the ring. He had certainly been prepared. A careful man, her husband. Husband! Oh, my! She clamped her teeth down firmly on her lower lip as it started to tremble. Crying would help nothing; the deed was done.

The thought made her ill. Elizabeth took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the padded seat. Had she lost her wits placing her life in the hands of a complete stranger? She didn’t even know what the man looked like! She had been so nervous, frightened and ashamed during the brief ceremony, she had not once dared lift her head to look at him. Another nervous giggle burst forth. Perhaps that was just as well. Perhaps he was homely as a toad! Oh, what did it matter? She didn’t care if he was the ugliest man in the world if he would take her away from here—if he would take her to a place where her parents or Reginald Burton-Smythe would never find her.

Approaching footsteps startled Elizabeth to attention. The why didn’t matter, as long as he was honorable and kept his word. But if—

“Oh, God, this thing that I’ve done… There was no other way. I have to escape Reginald Burton-Smythe. Please, don’t let this man be like him. Oh, God, please don’t let him be like Reginald Burton-Smythe!”

The carriage leaned to one side, then quickly righted itself as the driver climbed aboard. Elizabeth’s heart leaped into her throat choking off her whispered words. With horrified fascination she stared at the door handle as it dipped downward.

The door opened.

Her new husband tossed in a pile of lap robes, then climbed inside. For a moment, in the confined space, he loomed over her. Elizabeth shrank back against the seat, biting down hard on her lower lip to stop the scream clawing at her throat as her heart pumped wildly and her lungs forgot to breathe. From somewhere beyond the edge of a swirling darkness she heard him speak to her, and then there was nothing—nothing at all.

The horses’ hooves clattered against the frost-hardened ground. The cabriolet lurched and rolled ahead. His bride jerked and sagged forward. “Madam?” No answer. Justin raised his voice. “Madam, I brought lap robes for your comfort.” Still no answer. The woman was a sound sleeper. An unexpected blessing—there’d be no need for small talk on the journey to their night’s lodging place.

Justin leaned forward to ease the slumped form of his new wife into the corner where she would have more protection from the bumps and jolts of the ride. The papers in his waistcoat pocket crackled. He curved his lips into a tight smile and gave his pocket a satisfied pat. There it was, his future, all safely planned out and committed to parchment. The marriage certificate, the bonded marriage agreement, and the financial settlement.

He frowned and reached for a lap rug. There had been no time to read the papers. What had he paid for her? Whatever the amount–and he had no doubt it was considerable–it was worth it. There would be no unpleasant surprises for him this time. He tucked the fur rug around his new wife. “If you were thinking of playing games with my money, madam, you would be wise not to try. I’m more than a match for a scheming female now.”

Laina could not bear to watch the departure of her brother and the woman he had married. She turned her back on the hired cabriolet and faced the judge. “Well, he did it.” She made no attempt to hide her angry astonishment. “He actually carried out that foolish plan and married a woman that would—would—” She bit off the rest of the irate words, curled her hands into fists and buried her face against the old man’s shoulder.

“There, there, my dear.” Judge Braden absently patted Laina’s back as he stared after the departing cabriolet. “Don’t despair, matters may well work out for the best.” He chuckled softly. “Yes, indeed, matters may well turn out for the best.”

“Judge!” Laina jerked her head back to look up at him. “I thought you loved Justin. How can you stand here and…and… Oh, words fail me!” She gave the elderly man a look that would have shriveled a lesser man and headed for his carriage.

“Laina, wait!” With a last, quick glance at the departing cabriolet, the judge hurried after her. “Let me explain, Laina. I— Here, let me do that.” He removed her fingers from the handle and pulled open the carriage door. She refused his hand and climbed inside. The judge sighed and got in beside her.

The carriage lurched forward, then dipped and swayed as it crossed the courtyard and entered the rutted road. Laina jerked to one side, then held herself stiff and aloof, refusing to allow the motion to cause her body to come into contact with the judge.

“Laina, my dear, you are going to be terribly weary by the time you reach home if you do not relax. Besides, anger does not become you. Some women may look beautiful when they are angry—though I, personally, have never met one—but you…” The judge’s infectious chuckle floated through the darkness to her. “You just turn red!”

Laina laughed in spite of herself. “Trying to get back into my good graces with flattery, Judge?” She relaxed back against the cushioned seat and glanced toward his dark form. “Very well, I forgive you. But all the same, I am hurt by your laughter.”

“I know, my dear. But if you will permit me to explain, you will understand.” The judge shook out a lap robe, spread it over her legs, then shook out another for himself. “Tell me, Laina, why did Justin devise this plan for a marriage of convenience?”

“Why? You know why. Or perhaps— Oh, Judge. Surely you weren’t bamboozled by all those reasonable excuses Justin offered. Surely you knew…” She dismissed the excuses with one disparaging flick of her hand. “He was looking for a way to protect himself from further hurt and disappointment.”

“Precisely! Your summation is correct, my dear. Justin needed a mother for those two children—but his main motive is to be safe from emotional entanglement. And, my dear Laina, your brother has never been farther removed from safety!”

Laina stiffened, and stared toward the judge. He was actually chortling with glee! “Have you taken leave of your senses?”

“No.” The judge choked back his laughter. “It’s only that I’ve been holding that back since the ceremony. Oh, Laina! That young lady—and I do mean lady, for there is breeding in every inch of her—is lovely. Absolutely lovely.”

“No!”

“Yes.” The judge wiped at his watering eyes. “Didn’t you think it strange there was so little light in the room for the ceremony? I snuffed all but one candle! I was afraid if Justin had a good look at her he would refuse to marry her and try again with someone less appealing. The boy’s only human after all.”

“Why you wily, old— Is that why you had Thomas spirit her from the room so quickly? I thought you simply could not bear the sight of her any longer. I know I couldn’t.”

“No, no. Believe me, I found her lovely of face and character.”

“Character?” Laina all but snorted. “I expected better of you, Judge.” She threw a cool look his direction. “You are far too experienced to have your head turned by a pretty face. A woman of character does not blatantly sell herself.”

“She refused the money.”

“Refused it?” Laina gaped through the darkness at the judge’s dark form. “She refused the settlement?”

“Indeed she did. And with such dignity and grace I felt the worst sort of bounder for having offered it!”

Laina burst into laughter.

“You find that amusing?”

“Amusing? No, not really.” Laina yanked her hand out of her muff and grabbed for the hold strap as the carriage bounced over a deep rut in the road. “It’s only that, for all your age and experience, you are still a man.”