Chapter 4

Sebastian had medicine delivered to me twice, yet he never showed up in person.

Father stopped the messengers at the courtyard gate.

All they brought back to Page Manor was one message.

"Ms. Isolde has come to her senses."

…

On the morning of the seventh day, the entire Jameston Manor was decorated for the wedding.

Father stood outside my door and announced, "You'll leave through the back gate for your wedding first. Then Juliet will depart from the front gate and marry Lord Page. Once both marriages are settled, there will be no more trouble with Merlin's appointment to the War Office."

He had already sent word to Josiah that I had changed my mind. Father also ordered my bedroom door locked and forbade Hilda from going out to send a message.

I changed out of the wedding dress they had sent me and opened the window with Hilda. She had barely climbed over the courtyard's wall when a scream rang outside.

Merlin stormed in with several men, forcing the door open.

I grabbed a candlestick and hurled it at one of the wedding chaperones, then turned and gripped the doorframe.

"I never agreed to this marriage! Sending me to Josiah without telling him the truth isn't matchmaking. It's tricking him into marriage!"

"Once you're in the Hewitt household, Lord Page will know of our family's loyalty to him. Tie her up. Don't let her miss the ceremony."

Merlin pried my fingers off the doorframe.

Two chaperones tied my arms behind my back. Then they looped a wide silk sash under my arms and pulled it tight behind me.

My chest felt constricted.

I gasped, but I couldn't draw a full breath. "Loosen it! I can't breathe…"

Merlin touched my cold hand and only frowned. "You had enough strength to hit someone just now. How could you suddenly be unable to breathe?"

Mother saw how pale I had gotten and reached to loosen the sash. "Is it too tight?"

Juliet hurried over from the main courtyard and glanced at the time. "Isolde's wedding ceremony is about to begin. She knows you'll give in if she acts helpless, Mother."

Mother's hand froze in midair. In the end, she pulled it back.

I was still crying for help as they dragged me out of the courtyard.

…

Guests had already gathered outside the main gate.

Juliet glanced at the chaperone escorting me to my wedding. "Isolde is upset right now. Don't let her say anything that would disgrace us or the Page family."

The chaperone crumpled a handkerchief into a ball and stuffed it into my mouth.

I shook my head desperately, but only muffled sounds came from my throat.

The silk sash tightened around my chest as I struggled.

Valeria stared at me, her face pale. "Isolde doesn't look well. Shouldn't we loosen the sash a little?"

Juliet pressed down on the sash. "If we loosen it, she'll escape. Someone at Hewitt Manor can untie it once she gets there."

As they forced me into the bridal carriage, Sebastian received a message from the Jameston family.

"Ms. Isolde has come around and will marry into the Hewitt family first today. Rest assured, my lord."

"She agreed to this herself?" Sebastian asked.

The messenger gave a vague reply. "Mr. and Mrs. Jameston Sr. talked her into it."

Sebastian's personal attendant, Conrad Nightingale, whispered, "My lord, Ms. Isolde was determined to refuse the match a few days ago. Should we send someone to Jameston Manor to confirm her wishes?"

Juliet's bridal carriage was waiting outside Page Manor, and the wedding official was pressing them to start the ceremony on time.

Sebastian was silent for a moment. "Send someone to Hewitt Manor to check. Come back and report to me after the ceremony is over."

…

Once the bridal carriage began to move, I slammed my shoulder against its wall repeatedly.

"Save your strength, miss." The wedding chaperone escorting me snapped from outside. "If you keep struggling, the sash will only tighten."

I didn't stop. The walls of the carriage shook several more times, and each impact grew weaker.

In the end, I no longer had the strength to even lift my shoulder.

"Why couldn't you have stayed quiet from the start?" the chaperone asked.

A carpet had been laid outside Hewitt Manor.

The bridal carriage came to a stop.

A bridal attendant smiled and knocked on the carriage's door.

"The wedding ceremony is about to begin. Ms. Jameston, please step out of the carriage."

There was no response from inside.

Josiah noticed the edge of my gown through a gap in the window curtain. It remained still. He hurried over.

"Ms. Jameston?"

Still, there was no answer.

Josiah yanked the door open.

I was slumped against the wall of the carriage, my bridal veil had slipped off. My hands were still tied behind my back, and the crumpled handkerchief was stuffed into my mouth. The sash had left a deep crease across the front of my wedding dress.

Josiah drew his dagger and cut through the sash, then pulled the wad of cloth from my mouth. "Isolde?"

He carried me out of the bridal carriage.

My body was still warm, but my head hung limp in the crook of his arm.

Josiah held his hand beneath my nose, then suddenly froze. He clutched me tighter and shouted, "Call for a doctor! Hurry! Get a doctor!"