Colin's Conundrum: A Steamy 19th Century Romance (The Victorians Book 3) Read online

  “I must go,” he whispered, voice breaking.

  “I know.” She sniffled.

  “Remember me,” he urged.

  “I swear it. I will never forget you, Colin.”

  Trailing his fingers down her cheek, Colin turned, scooped up Stormcloud's reins, and walked away.

  Chapter 4

  Daisy sighed, staring at Colin's departing form through blurry eyes. “What just happened?” she asked the trees. “How did such an event come to me?”

  She touched her lips, still wet from his kiss, not quite believing it. “Amazing,” she breathed. I think I just met my soulmate… and lost him, all in less than a day. The pang she felt hurt tremendously. She wanted nothing more than to run after him… or back to her room to cry. Instead, I will have to distract myself with work. There are beds to make. Food to cook. Dishes to wash. Papa won't tolerate sloth, and I've already pushed my luck today. She squinted into the trees to see if she could make out Colin's retreating form, but he had disappeared into the distance. She heaved a sigh, turned and headed back toward the meadow.

  She hadn't made it two steps when something heavy crashed into her, knocking her off her feet. She hit the forest floor with a thud, flat on her belly. A branch slashed her cheek. Blood dripped into the withering leaves while she gasped, struggling to draw air into her laboring lungs.

  Heavy hands clamped on the back of her dress and in her hair, lifting her and dropping her on her back.

  Air rushed into Daisy's lungs. She gasped. The acne-scarred, squint-eyed face of John Orville, her least favorite person, hovered over her.

  “What are you doing?” she hissed.

  He lowered his face and planted a sloppy kiss on her mouth.

  Revolted, Daisy gagged, trying to turn away, but he took a hard hold of her lower jaw, crushing down with a heavy pinch, so she couldn't move.

  I have to get away, she thought. Her heart pounded in panic and her belly threatened to invert itself. Especially when his tongue began to probe at the seam of her lips. Unwilling to suffer his touch another moment, she bit down hard on the invader, until blood tinged his saliva.

  Enraged, Orville pulled back with a roar and grasped the bodice of her dress with both hands, yanking in opposite directions. The fabric gave way with a revolting rip, but his focus on her clothing allowed her to shift her position enough to insinuate one of her knees between his body and hers.

  Daisy screamed.

  He grasped her breast, pinching hard at the nipple, and she screamed again. “Stop. Stop touching me.”

  He laughed. “You're mine, Daisy-girl. Mine for all time.”

  “Never!” She vowed. Shoving upward with her knee, she created enough space between them to kick at his genitals with the opposite foot. Though she wore no boots, he reacted instinctively, dropping his grip on her breast and drawing back. Daisy shot to her feet in a flash and ran into the woods.

  He lumbered after her, his feet crushing sticks and branches with loud snaps that almost sounded like gunfire. “Come baaa-aaaack,” he called. “You're mine, Daisy-girl. Come back and I'll go easier on you. If I have to hunt you down, you won't like the results.”

  Like the results? She thought, dodging to the right and bounding down a hill. As if I could like anything about Orville other than putting as much distance between us as possible.

  A stream loomed up before her. In the second she had to consider, she noticed a thick layer of fallen leaves on the far side. Assuming that would suffice for her landing, she leaped. Landed. Slid on a slick layer of slime and mud underneath, which sent her sprawling.

  Immediately, she rolled over, trying to get her feet under her. Orville's boots splashed in the water, and just as she put her foot on the ground again, a meaty hand clamped down on her shoulder.

  “Stop!” she shrieked, clawing at his skin. Her nails broke, and he bled, but he did not loosen his grip. “Let me go.”

  “Oh, no, Daisy girl. I'll never let you go,” he replied. “It's all been decided. You're mine.”

  “No!” she yelled. “No, never.” She yanked at her arm.

  His fingers dug in deeper, hard enough to bruise her. Hard enough to snap bone. Daisy's arm throbbed with pain.

  Then, just as suddenly as he'd grabbed her, Orville's crushing hand let go. He made a croaking sound, doubling over around…

  A fist.

  Daisy blinked at the image of Colin, teeth set with rage, driving a hard punch into Orville's soft belly.

  “The lady said no,” he gritted out.

  Orville collapsed to the forest floor, and Colin drove a scuffed boot into his belly, reinforcing the message.

  “Beast,” he snarled. “Cad. There are not strong enough words for the likes of you.” He kicked out again, catching Orville under the chin. “Only a coward would force a woman.”

  The man's eyes rolled back in his head and then fluttered shut.

  Colin turned to Daisy. “Are you all right?” he asked, taking in her battered appearance. Then, his gaze fell upon her bared breast.

  She made a hasty grab, covering herself.

  “Who is that?” he asked, indicating the fallen man.

  She shuddered. “A friend of my father's. You might have heard Father mention him earlier?”

  Colin nodded.

  “I hate him. He's revolting.”

  “I agree,” Colin said, leveling a look of deep disgust on the prone figure. “Come on, love. Let's get you home.”

  She nodded, hot sobs climbing up into her throat. A whimper escaped.

  “Daisy,” he said gently, “I know you need a good cry, but can we get away from this first?” he prodded the fallen bully with his toe.

  She turned her face to the ground.

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her back, shuffling through the stream and over the uneven ground towards the village.

  A cloud passed over the sun, shrouding the pair in darkness. A shiver rolled up Daisy's spine, and her ability to control her emotions took another battering. A tear escaped, and a sob clawed its way into her throat, where she swallowed it back down.

  Colin's hand tightened on her shoulder. She huddled against his side.

  “We'll go in the back,” Colin suggested. “You don't need to march through the public part of the inn, given the state of your clothing… and your hair.”

  “Am I as big a mess as I think I am?” she asked with a brittle laugh.

  “Yes,” he replied honestly, smoothing one calloused hand over her head. His fingers snagged in the strands. “Sorry.”

  She shook her head. “Let's stay in the tree line. I don't want to march through town either.”

  “Very well,” Colin agreed.

  She moved to the east, circling the town toward her home/workplace while remaining out of sight. Only when they stood directly behind the inn, facing the rear yard with its newly replenished woodpile, did Daisy dare to duck out of the woods. She darted across the yard, Colin close at her heels, and yanked open the door into the kitchen.

  Her father stood inside. He clutched a rifle in both hands. Reverend Williams, the village's vicar, stood beside him, looking formal in his clerical collar and robes. He clutched a leather-bound book by his side.

  Daisy pulled up short, staring at first one man and then the other. Her eyes met her father's, locked. A strange, triumphant smile rendered his small, ursine eyes nearly invisible. She flinched. That expression never boded well.

  Colin, unprepared for her sudden stop, ran into her back. Granger turned his gaze to Colin, and his eyes reappeared, wide and startled. His neck thrust forward with a grunt.

  The vicar made a face. “It seems you were right,” he murmured in his quiet voice.

  “What's going on?” Daisy asked. “Why are you here? I… I need to go to my room and change clothes. Orville…”

  “Where is he?” Her father demanded, rage transforming his low voice into a thundering growl.

  “Who?”

  “Orville.
”

  “Far away,” Colin said gently. “He hurt your daughter, sir. I made sure he won't do that again.”

  Granger snarled.

  “Sir, your protests are far from convincing,” Reverend Williams said in his quiet, dignified voice. “Do you mean for us to believe that you came sneaking in the rear door of this fine establishment, with a young lady in a state of… disreputable disarray, and expect us to believe that someone else attacked her? I've heard better excuses from naughty children.”

  Daisy's jaw dropped. “Reverend, Colin isn't lying. That's exactly what happened. Orville attacked me. Colin saved me.”

  The vicar shook his head. “Nonsense. You're being duped, young lady. You might think this young man is attractive and fine, but if you end up with child from today's… misbehavior, you and your father will both be ruined.”

  “There was no misb—”

  Daisy's mouth snapped shut at the soft click of the rifle.

  “Nothing happened, I swear it,” Colin said with quiet intensity. “I care for Daisy…”

  “Good,” the vicar interrupted. “Then you won't object to doing the right thing.”

  “But I can't…”

  “Are you married?”

  “No,” Colin replied, “but…”

  “But nothing. You will not be allowed to despoil this innocent young lady and run away without consequences.”

  Another threatening growl emerged from Daisy's father. She met his gaze, or at least, she tried to. The dark eyes skated from side to side, confusion obvious in his expression.

  “Papa,” she said, “Papa, you know me…”

  The muzzle of the rifle snared her gaze as it swung in her direction. Daisy froze. What is going on here?

  Reverend Williams opened his book, which turned out to be not a Bible but a book of liturgy. “Dearly beloved,” he began.

  * * *

  Colin stared out the window of the train, wondering exactly what the hell had just happened.

  “Colin?”

  He whipped his head around, glaring at Daisy.

  She crumpled in the face of his anger, but she bravely pushed forward. “What happened to your horse?”

  “I didn't get a chance to look after I saved you and got blamed for it,” he snapped. “I hope it doesn't starve alone in the woods.”

  Daisy bit her lip. “Colin, I… I didn't… I…”

  “Don't lie to me,” he roared. “That whole scenario was staged. Otherwise, why would the vicar and your father, with his rifle be waiting for us? You planned that, but you won't get what you want out of me. I swear it. I will annul this marriage the first second I can. I don't want you.”

  Daisy gulped, lip trembling. “I understand what you're saying. It does look suspicious. I'm sure my father was up to something, but I… I don't think he wanted me to marry you.”

  “Good. Then you won't object to me NOT being married to you.”

  Daisy sniffled.

  “Out of curiosity, how did you know?” he asked, trying to pass the time by satisfying his curiosity. She owes me that much.

  “Know what?”

  Colin slammed his fist against the side of the train. “How did you know about my title, damn you? How did you know?”

  Daisy's eyes widened. “Title? What on earth?”

  He raised his fist again, and Daisy flinched away. “Determined to play stupid, aren't you? My title, bitch. I'm Viscount Gelroy, aren't I? That's what you wanted, right? Did that boor even attack you, or was that part of the plot to trap me?”

  “No,” Daisy snapped. “I don't want that at all. I… title? You never told me that. How could I have known? And look at me. I'm bruised all over. You were there, you know it wasn't a ruse.”

  He shrugged, knowing he wasn't making sense, but his anger, despair, hopelessness and frustration had taken over his mouth, spewing themselves out with more emotion than sense. “But if you didn't know, what's happening?”

  “I…. don't…. know,” Daisy enunciated slowly, her confusion turning her words sharp. “I no more expected that scene than you did. I had no idea you were a… a viscount? Good heavens. No idea. No. I…. um…” She stammered to a halt, shaking her head.

  “Is it your habit to flirt with total strangers?” Colin demanded. “Am I one in a string of conquests for you?”

  “You're being rude,” Daisy said. “Stop it. There was a time, before all this happened, when I wanted a future in which I could know you, Colin. It's something I've never done before, but… it was a special connection. At least, I thought it was, but now, you're being cruel. I was mistaken about you. I had no idea you had a title, nor what my father was up to, though I suspect it had more to do with Orville than you, but your unwillingness to listen doesn't bode well, to say the least.”

  “We won't be together long enough for my listening to make a difference to you.” Colin turned back toward the window, ostentatiously ignoring his unwanted 'bride.'

  Daisy didn't respond.

  Her unwillingness to react to his provocation made him even angrier. Fearing his own rage would cause him to strike her, he tucked his fists under his thighs. The countryside blew past, almost too fast for him to take in. Nice of her to spring for the train, he thought. It gets me to my destination faster, so I can unload my unwanted burden. I wonder how much that will cost. Damnation, will I never be able to accomplish a simple goal without these accursed complications? Now, I have a damned wife. What in God's name did I do to deserve this?

  How on earth am I going to explain this to Christopher? He's got enough to deal with, between his work and his family, and yet he was willing to host me.

  “We will be staying with friends of mine in London,” he said in a quiet, icy voice, not bothering to turn around. “They are the Bennetts. The master of the house is a busy, hardworking man, and his wife is heavily with child. You are not to bother either of them. Do you understand me?”

  “I'm not five, Colin,” Daisy replied, her voice dripping with scorn. “I know how to be a polite guest. You may not want me, but that doesn't mean I'll be rude.”

  “You had better not,” he snarled threateningly.

  She didn't respond.

  The train rumbled along the tracks, eating up the miles between him and his destination.

  Alone with his dark, angry thoughts, Colin at last recognized the fear hiding beneath the anger. Fear that he had lost what little control he had over his life. As rage died, bitterness and grim determination took hold.

  “I will annul this marriage. A gunpoint wedding isn't legal. No one will force us to stay together.”

  “Of this, I have no doubt,” Daisy agreed dryly. “You go ahead, Colin. I didn't ask for this any more than you did, and with how you've been acting since then, I think it's best we do go our separate ways.”

  “Where will you go?” he asked, turning to look at her.

  She shrugged. “I have no idea. Not home. It's not safe there anymore. Don't worry about me, Colin. I'll figure out how to make my way in the world.”

  “It's not that easy,” he pointed out.

  “It's also not your problem. You can't reject me, say such terrible things to me, and still act like you care. I won't allow that.”

  “I once thought we were friends,” he pointed out, a flutter of the old tenderness stirring him and escaping through his mouth before his overwhelmed mind could point out he was being contradictory.

  “I once thought you were a reasonable man, one who might listen to me. Apparently, we didn't know each other long enough to have a friendship either.”

  “I was surprised…”

  “As was I,” she interrupted, “but no matter how many times I tell you that, you don't believe me, do you? I didn't know Father would be there with the vicar and the gun. I didn't know a trap had been set, and I didn't know you had a title until this moment. But you still don't believe me, do you?”

  Colin shrugged. “Whether I do or don't makes little difference. We cannot remain m
arried. It's simply not possible.”

  “I didn't ask to,” she snapped. “So now, since I understand you completely—we cannot remain married—and I agree because I do not like the current shift in your behavior, can you please stop? I've heard all I care to hear on the subject.”

  Colin, realizing he had nothing new to say, and that she was right, snapped his mouth shut and turned back to the window in time to see the train pulling into the station. The brakes squealed on the tracks. The whistle shrieked and the big beast ground to a halt.

  The late afternoon sun hung low above the rooftops, its light diffused by the smog. A heavy, dank and smoky scent hung in the air as Colin escorted his unwanted bride down from the train, a carpetbag clutched in her hand. His own, with whatever rags of clothing he had brought, was lost with the horse and likely never to be seen again.

  Though he had no particular affection for those garments, their loss left him even more impoverished.

  Daisy eyed the darkening sky, her nose wrinkling at the stink of fog and rubbish. “Where are we going?”

  “It's about an hour's walk,” he replied blandly.

  “Shall we get a cab?” she suggested.

  He shook his head. “I'm not paying for that.”

  “I can,” she offered.

  He shook his head. “Save your pocket money. You may need it later. It's not that far.” He set off at a fast pace that forced her to trot to keep up, but she managed without angst. She's fit, I'll give her that, he thought grudgingly, even though she had to put shoes on.

  Something about the memory of her bare feet struck him, and he pushed it away before he could analyze it.

  “Keep your wits about you,” he ordered. “This isn't the best part of town.”

  “Your friends live here?” she asked, eying the grubby tenements with suspicion.

  He shook his head. “Not at all. This is only the nearest station. They live in a much friendlier neighborhood. They even have a garden where their child… soon children… can play.”

  He glanced at Daisy and caught a glimpse of her smile.

  They hurried along through the deepening dusk, Colin observing each alley and side street warily, until the tenements changed to homes, the rubbish to tidy cobblestones, and lush trees stood in a few yards, freshening the air.