His green eyes narrowed as he took in the scene, his lips pursing unhappily.
“Were you entertaining?” he demanded of his wife. Iris calmly took a sip of tea and regarded him pensively.
“Yes, darling. Why have you returned home so early?” she asked, easily switching subjects. “Given the financial situation, I would have thought you would wish to spend more time there, not less.”
Oscar scowled at the question, plopping unceremoniously into the chair which Genevieve Carter had previously claimed.
“Why do you think? That insufferable man has driven me from my store again.”
Iris stifled a sigh and inhaled.
“What happened now?” she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear her husband’s griping that afternoon.
“He is robbing us blind!”
“I am certain that Nathan is not robbing anyone,” Iris remarked dryly, taking another sip of tea but Oscar would hear none of it.
“He is, I tell you! It is all part of his diabolical plan! If you weren’t so utterly influenced by the words of his wife, you would see it also.”
“What is the fuss about, father? I can hear you clear into my bedroom!” Emmaline asked, rushing to join her parents on the back terrace. Iris groaned quietly as Oscar turned to his oldest child, his emerald eyes flashing like angry green beacons.
“That man is stealing your future out from under our noses and your mother is hellbent on defending him.”
“Oh, father, I am sure mother is on your side. She knows the hardship you have endured at the hands of Nathan Carter. Isn’t that so, mother?”
Iris took yet another mouthful of strong tea to avoid answering the question. She regarded her husband and daughter pensively wondering what had gone so terribly wrong in a mere two years’ time.
In the spring of 1889, Nathan Carter and Oscar Andrews had been the closest of friends, chums since childhood and inseparable at best. Each had been the best man in the other’s wedding It had been no surprise to anyone that they had both followed the same trade, studying geology and becoming successful jewellers in their hometown of Jacksonville. Their friendship had survived a healthy competition and the ups and down of the Florida economy until one day they had unanimously decided to form an alliance, joining their two modest stores into a grand showroom. At Carter-Andrews Jewellery, both men were able to showcase their own designs while still maintaining the profits of selling retail to the public. In the beginning, it had gone splendidly. Their income had steadily climbed, affording both men a life of comfort and customers were plentiful. Iris tried to remember when things took a turn for the worse precisely.
Perhaps it was the day when Ralph Rogers, the wealthiest man in Jacksonville, called Nathan’s gold rings “overpriced and under crafted”, opting instead for Oscar’s more modestly valued pieces. Or maybe it was when Oscar had begun to offer credit to their more respected clientele, sending Nathan’s proper sense of accounting horribly amiss. It was then that whispers of unrest began to buzz between the families. It was no secret to either the Carters or the Andrews that the business was beginning to fail under the squabbling, each man too stubborn to admit his faults and extend a hand to the other.
It is a blessing the two have wed sensible women, Iris thought, not for the first time.
As if reading her thoughts, Oscar surveyed the table again, realization coloring his face.
“Was that Carter woman here today?” he demanded.
“Genevieve was here, yes,” Iris replied easily. She braced herself for a diatribe but to her surprise, Oscar slumped back further in his chair.
“Did she tell you of the banks?”
Iris nodded slightly and glanced at her daughter with some apprehension.
“What of the banks, father?” Emmaline asked, lowering herself into a chair. Her own green eyes were alight with concern and not for the first time, Iris marveled at how much she resembled her father. Her ash blonde hair was a few tones lighter but she maintained the same high brow and regal face of Oscar. Her face tended to take on a look of seriousness, just as her husband and her mannerisms were hard to distinguish from the man she had married twenty years earlier.
And she is equally stubborn, Iris thought with exasperated affection. That is something most definitely handed down from the Andrews family.
“You needn’t worry yourself about this – “Iris began but Oscar silenced her with a wave of his hand.
“She will learn of our troubles soon enough,” he snorted. “She is not a child to be coddled any longer.”
“Yes, mother,” Emmaline agreed as if she was all knowing at nineteen-year-old. “What troubles are we facing?”
Iris cringed as her husband began to launch into a detailed description of the financial woes which Carter-Andrews was facing.
“Nathan Carter has robbed us to the point of bankruptcy,” Oscar declared flatly and Iris found herself rolling her eyes at the assessment. Of course, Oscar would not bear the responsibility of the part he had played in the store’s undoing. It would be useless for Iris to counter Oscar’s view as she would only be met with denial.
“Oh, father, that is terrible!” Emmaline cried, reaching across the table to touch her father’s hand comfortingly. “What can we do to make it right?”
“I fear we are too far gone now. I have no option of buying out his share for even if it was worthy, he is unwilling to part with his stake. He is cruel and malicious, I tell you!”
Emmaline made a commiserating noise, patting her father’s hand consolingly.
“Emma, please fetch us some more tea,” Iris finally spoke, annoyed at her husband’s inaccurate rhetoric. Emmaline immediately rose, collecting the tray in her hands.
“I do not want tea,” Oscar growled. “I would like a stiff bourbon.”
“Your father will have tea,” Iris replied shortly and Emmaline nodded before disappearing into the house. Her father was the head of the household but her mother was the voice to be heard. If anyone dared contradict Iris Andrews, they would soon feel the end of a switch on their hide. Oscar was much less apt toward punishment and the children often joked that he too feared their mother’s switch.
“Are you quite finished?” Iris snapped as her daughter fell out of earshot. Oscar looked up in surprise.
“Why are you taking such a tone with me?” he asked sullenly. Iris placed her cup on her saucer and leaned forward, her voice barely above a sinister whisper.
“When will you accept that you play as much a role in the demise of your business as Nathan Carter?” she asked, her brown eyes narrowing. Oscar seemed taken aback by the implication.
“What have I done?” he protested innocently and Iris scoffed.
“I do not suppose you see the danger in extending credit?”
“Only to our most valuable customers!” Oscar claimed hotly.
“Your most valuable customers who never repay a penny and you are too cowardly to repossess your goods!”
Oscar’s face turned pink with humiliation. He opened his mouth to respond but no words escaped as his wife’s words hit his core with a thickening reality.
Iris watched as he swallowed his next comment and turned his bright eyes balefully upon her.
“You believe that rescinding the credit and reclaiming our goods will solve our issues?”
“I believe it is a start but it goes beyond that now. You and Nathan have made a fine mess of things. There is not a soul in Jacksonville who is not aware of your feud. Of course the banks are knocking upon your door! They sense discord. If the owners cannot show a united front to the public, they know the books are in shambles.”
Oscar stared at his wife, wondering how he had been so unlucky to marry a woman with more intelligence than him.
“What do you suggest?” he muttered. Iris sat back as Emmaline hurried from the back doors with their tea.
“I am suggesting an act of good faith between our families,” Iris said easily. “We must show the world that we are
unified during times of adversity, no matter our shortcomings.”
Oscar waited, watching their daughter as she busied herself fixing their cups.
“Genevieve and I have found a way to ensure we appear uniform,” Iris continued. Oscar raised a blonde eyebrow expectantly.
“Well?” he demanded. “Are you going to come out with it or are you quite enjoying the suspense?”
Iris chuckled and folded her hands before her bust, anticipating the backlash of her announcement.
“Emmaline will marry their only son. She will wed Roman Carter.”
Her words were met with a crash as Emmaline dropped the teapot from her hands and onto the stones of the veranda.
Chapter Two
“Roman, you must attempt a smile,” Genevieve told her son chidingly. He looked imploringly at his mother, his cobalt blue eyes bright with protest.
“How can you expect me to smile in such a situation?” he murmured and Genevieve felt a flash of guilt. She faced her son squarely, adjusting his bowtie and righting his top hat, shoving down the misgivings she was feeling.
You may fight me now but mother knows best, my son, she thought tenderly.
“Roman, in life, sometimes you must perform acts which are contrary to what you wish. You are a man now and you must accept this as a fact of life.”
Roman turned away from his mother, showing only his aristocratic profile. Genevieve knew there were tears of frustration gleaming in his eyes.
“Darling, Emmaline Andrews is a beautiful woman of good breeding,” she reminded him. “You could do much worse for a match.”
“I would rather do worse than have a match forced upon me!” Roman snapped and Genevieve was taken aback by his tone. It was not characteristic of her only son to speak in such a way but she forgave him that time, knowing that he was speaking strictly through his taut nerves.
“Where is father?” Roman asked, looking about the church and Genevieve gritted her teeth.
“I imagine he is outside smoking cigars with the other men in celebration,” his mother lied. She had seen him disappear outside over an hour earlier and not return. She hoped Nathan had not left the wedding. It would completely defeat the purpose of the marriage. For people to believe that their families were strong, everyone had to be there to show their solidarity.
To her relief, she watched as her husband trudged inside the building, his face a mask of misery, not unlike that of her son.
The apple does not fall far from the tree, Genevieve thought, grimacing. While Roman looked like her with his wavy dark hair and deep blue eyes, she had acquired his father’s sullenness.
That is not entirely accurate; he is a loving boy, one willing to do what he must to preserve family ties. He is a good boy, my Roman.
Nathan shuffled toward the front to join his family, carefully avoiding his wife’s eyes.
“You look dashing, son,” he told Roman gruffly. Roman nodded, biting on his lower lip. Suddenly a hush fell over the church as two figures made their way down the aisle, the organ playing in the background. Genevieve took her seat at the front pew and glanced over at Iris Andrews. The women exchanged a small, apprehensive smile as Emmaline and Oscar approached the altar. Emmaline looked beautiful in a flowing blue gown of lace and satin. The train spilled against the red runner, trailing after her. A veil covered her lovely face but Genevieve could sense the animosity pulsating from her slender frame toward her son.
Oh, child, you must let go of your anger. It is not his fault. It is not yours either. You will grow to appreciate one another, I know it.
Oscar remained at his daughter’s side, glaring furiously at Roman and Nathan until Iris stood and grasped his arm, forcing him away from the bride.
The reverend cleared his throat, feeling the tension before him.
“Shall we begin?”
Genevieve held her breath as if expecting a roar of objections to flood the pulpit but to her relief, there was a murmur of assent from the wedded-to-be.
Despite these circumstances, they do make a wonderfully attractive pairing. Their children will be our pride and joy. They may believe they loathe one another but they will grow to have affection if not love for each other. It happened with Nathan and I. It can happen with them also. It will happen with them also.
The thought did not ease the feeling of regret Genevieve had watching the scene before her.
Emmaline brushed a strand of white-blonde hair from her forehead and stared at her reflection blankly in the glass.
Must I perform my wifely duty? I am not truly a wife…am I?
She wore a silk and lace nightgown which accentuated her full bosom and tiny waist. It was a gift from her mother and Emmaline felt distinctly uncomfortable in the dainty material. It was the type of lingerie which a woman should use to seduce the man whom she loved, a piece of clothing that should be stripped from her body sensuously, followed by kisses and whispers of endearments. What was awaiting her on the other side of the toilet door was not a loving, doting man but the enemy.
How could father and mother inflict this upon me? Surely there was another way to unite our families without forcing me to marry the son of a thief!
There was no doubt in her mind that Nathan Carter was as underhanded as her father had portrayed. Her father had never lied to her. Roman was three years her senior and while Oscar and Nathan had maintained an exceptionally close friendship over the years, Emmaline did not know the Carter children well. While she had never had a particularly bad opinion of Roman, she also trusted in her father implicitly.
I would never have expected that the Carter stock is so underhanded and conniving but the apple does not fall far from the tree. I must harden myself to him, despite our close-knit quarters. We may be forced into this loveless marriage but I do not have to extend any courtesy beyond what is required of me as a wife.
Her emerald orbs shifted toward the bottom of the door. She could see her new husband pacing quietly, the light darkening as his feet passed by the small gap under the door. He had not called out for her to hurry as she had expected he would and a wicked side of her desired to sit in the water closet until he finally lost control and tore down the door. She knew she would do no such thing. Emmaline knew she had a duty to her family to keep up with the sham of their marriage.
She took a deep breath. She could prolong it no longer. It was time to consummate their farce of a union.
Chapter Three
“Roman! What a pleasant surprise, son,” Nathan called jovially as his son ventured into Carter-Andrews Jewellers tentatively. He had been in the space many times over the past two years but since marrying Emmaline, he found himself highly uncomfortable in its walls as if Oscar Andrews was perpetually staring at him. At the sound of the door chime, Oscar looked up and scowled, promptly disappearing into the rear of the store.
“Is this an inopportune time, father?” Roman asked but Nathan shook his head.
“Not in the least. Have you finished your classes for the day?”
Roman nodded quickly, not wishing to tell his father he had forsaken his final two classes that day at Edward Waters College. While he had always been conscientious about obtaining his bachelor’s degree, he was far too distracted to concentrate on Latin and algebra when his life was in turmoil.
He and Emmaline had been married for six weeks and each day was more excruciating than the last.
Mother promised me this would grow easier and yet it seems to be increasingly painful, he thought, swallowing the bile in his throat.
Roman had tried in the beginning to bond with his new wife. They were, after all, paired by a fate beyond their control. Roman had imagined that Emmaline, much like him, would wish to start their marriage politely at minimum. He had thought that Emmaline would appreciate effort to be civil. Instead, she had insisted her chambers be separate from his, going so far as to banish him from their shared bedroom until he obliged.
Oscar Andrews had bought them a small but charming home o
n Trails End, overlooking Mills Cove. Emmaline seemed to find ways to avoid contact with Roman at all costs, learning his routine quickly so she could eat meals around him and retreat to her quarters without being detected. While his days were spent in school, he had no idea what occupied Emmaline’s. They had not eaten together nor had a conversation of more than five words combined.
As the days past, Roman found his desire to befriend his wife faltering and his anger toward her mounting.
She does not cook meals, leaving me to fend for my own at the end of the day. She is surly and impolite when she does speak. She needn’t be so difficult. I have been nothing but civil to her and she is determined to aloof and unkind. I will not continue this way. She can go about her life and I will go about mine. I will not feel as if I am forcing my way into her life.
“What is troubling you, Roman?” Nathan asked his son, offering him a stool behind the display cases. Roman looked absently at the dazzling array of gems and precious metals but he saw none of them.
“Father, I would like to have our marriage annulled,” he announced in a rushed breath of air. Nathan’s face registered understanding but his mouth pursed into a line and he glanced about to see if his son had been overheard.
“I see,” Nathan replied. “Have you spoken to your mother of this?”
“Father, you and I are both aware that this marriage was mother and Mrs. Andrews’ concoction. She will not allow for me to leave Emmaline, I am sure.”
“Then you must know I cannot go against your mother’s wishes, Roman.”
Roman looked at the ground, defeat settling in him. He had not truly expected another response but he had been hopeful. There was genuinely no way out of the loveless trap in which he was ensnared.
“You surely must be aware why she has arranged for this union, Roman,” Nathan said gently. Roman nodded, sighing.
“She wishes for us to reinforce our ties in the eyes of the community,” he parroted and Nathan grimaced at his tone.
Sold To The Dragon Princes: The Novel Page 94