So Fair a Lady (Daughters of His Kingdom 1)

She went to embrace Eliza, as if she expected her sister to be just as merry at the news, but instantly froze. “Are you . . . are you staying here, Liza?”

Eliza inhaled a choppy breath. “No, I’m coming with you. Samuel and I are to be married.” The crack in her voice pulled at Thomas’s heart. Perhaps she was being forced?

“What?” Kitty pulled back, her brow crinkling and she shot a look to Thomas. “But I thought—”

“Go gather your things.” Samuel cut her off with a tap on her arm. “And would you be so kind as to gather Eliza’s as well?”

Kitty’s lips pinched, and she shook her head. She straightened her arms at her sides. “I don’t understand, Samuel. Eliza and Thomas—”

“Please, dear Kitty.” Standing straighter, Samuel’s voice deepened. “We must be going.”

“Of course.” Kitty’s tone remained heavy as she tossed a few concerned glances between Thomas and Eliza before doing as commanded.

Thomas still could not move. His feet were heavy as ships anchors, but he couldn’t take the silence another moment. He walked straight toward her and moved to touch Eliza, but Samuel slapped his hand away.

“Don’t you dare touch my future wife. You’ve done enough damage,” he seethed.

Eliza whipped her head at Samuel, speaking through her teeth. “Let him be, Samuel.”

Thomas clenched his fists. His arms ached to pull her away from the vile soldier. “Eliza, why are you doing this? I know you’re lying. You don’t love him.” Please say it. Say you don’t love him.

Eliza finally lifted her lashes and showed him her distant brown eyes. “I’m not lying Thomas. I’ve told you the truth. I’m sorry for what’s happened between us, truly I am, but I’ve made my decision.” She stopped and turned her eyes away for less than a second before locking with his gaze. “I’m going to marry Samuel. I love him. This is what I want.”

Her words burned a gaping hole in his chest. Thomas straightened and leaned toward her. She could not be speaking the truth. “Don’t do this. Let me help you.”

“She doesn’t want your help!”

Samuel pressed a powerful hand into Thomas’s shoulder and tried to push him away, but Thomas stood stronger. Samuel’s fist raced through the air. Thomas deflected it and raised his own, ready to slam it into his enemy’s jaw when Eliza rushed in front of him.

“No!” she pleaded. “Thomas, don’t!” Her volume rose as she blocked his aim. She stood straighter and resolve owned her features as Thomas lowered his arm. “Thomas, you must believe me. I don’t want to be with you. If I did, I would stay. I’m sorry. I’m going away with Samuel and you must stay here. Don’t come after me.”

“That’s enough, Eliza,” Samuel said, pulling her back.

Her words slapped Thomas with dizzying compulsion. He stepped away and continued curling his fists as he tried to make the room stop swaying around him. He flinched when the door flew open again and spun to see who was now invading his home.

Nathaniel. His shoulders slumped as relief bathed him. At least he’d have someone on his side.

Nathaniel entered, his stance stiff. He glared at Samuel then looked at Thomas, his brow dark. “Good morning.”

Thomas tilted his head toward Samuel and kept his words even. “We have a visitor.”

“So I see.” With his hand still on the door, he continued. “Is everything all right?”

“Aw, if it isn’t the bold and daring Dr. Nathaniel Smith,” Samuel said, stepping forward. “I spoke with you regarding Eliza’s accident. You said she’d died. But as you can clearly see, she is alive and well.”

Nathaniel stepped into the room and closed the door with reserved force. “This is true.”

“You lied to me.” Samuel approached him, stopping only inches away.

Squaring his posture, Nathaniel’s eyes shot arrows. “You blackmailed my friend. Therefore, you didn’t deserve the truth.”

A sinister grin scratched at Samuel’s mouth, and he took a step back. “It’s too bad you gentlemen don’t understand what it means to be a traitor to the Crown. I could have you both arrested.” He looked back at Eliza and smiled, then turned to them again. “But, I’ve a good heart. I’m willing to let your actions remain in the past. And I really should be thanking you. Without that rally of yours I would never have found Eliza.” He moved back and slipped his poisonous arms around her, placing another kiss on her temple. “I have my future bride with me, that’s all that matters. I will take her back to Boston and the two of you can go on with your very valuable lives without any additional interference from us.”

Thomas couldn’t stop his muscles from twitching and flexing, or his pulse from pounding in his ears. What did that rat think he was doing? Thomas shared a glance with Nathaniel. His friend seemed to understand every emotion that played over Thomas’s body and stepped closer to him, touching his flexed arm.

Samuel moved to the stairs and called up to Kitty. “Come Kitty, we must away.”