Isolde shattered

cover her nearly naked body with her hands, a gesture

er behind him. His first instinct was not shame, bu

ne?" he roare

f the servants, the horrified expressions of a few early-arriving wedding guests who had been drawn by the alarm. This

his face a thundercloud. Behind him, his wife, Lady Philippa, looked aghast. Her eyes took in the s

and venomous, la

ly?" Lady Philippa's voice was like shatt

ching. Her own voice was quiet, yet

their own syllabus. Does it teach a groom to receive his bride's sister in his privat

Lady Philippa's face. The woman's mouth op

ks like! Isolde... she was feeling unwell. I was just... comforti

her shoulders shaking pitifully. "I felt so dizzy," she whimpered, clu

intly sympathetic, which so

or smelling salts. But I suppose among the Beaumonts, a gentleman's

w of the guests couldn't suppress snorts of derisiv

rd. Her eyes, cold and sharp as shards of obsi

hood drawn low and one hand pressed to her belly. Lark, who had a cousin among the shop boys, had later

nversational, yet it c

rhaps we should send for a physician.

om her face, leaving it a sickly, chalky white. Her hand flew insti

e stared at Seraphina, utterly blin

e spoke again. "Careful, Isolde. A guilty h

. The pieces clicked into place. The truth hit her with the force of a physical bl

been secretly visiting an apothecary in the village.

amien's composure finally shattered. The spoiled, c

ng. "Yes! Isolde is pregnant, and the child is mi

om. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The scandal w

ar of pure fury, he strode forward and struck his son across

ess fool!"

t the dominant emotion was a deep, festering resentment toward the calm young woman who had orchestrated this disas

nd weariness settled over Seraphina. Her p

sire to watch

rs. No one noticed her go. All eyes were fixed on the screa

arranged for her wedding now seeming to mock her. The sile

and left them on the cold marble floor. The stone was shockingly cold against

s, trying to contain the damage, to placate the guests.

raphina. She will not si

manor, her bare feet making no sound. She was heading for the one place she kn

mily c

is public humiliation