Chapter 4

My face went white. I dropped my wine cup and ran outside.

At the lily pond behind the estate, the wedding guests had crowded in so tight there was no room to move.

Arthur was wrapped in an overcoat by a few of the guards, soaked to the skin, his hair plastered across his face. He was tangled up with a woman in a bridal robe, skin against skin, and no amount of pulling from the chaperones could get them apart.

My mind went blank with shock.

The courtyard gate had been locked, with four or five guards taking turns standing watch. How had he even gotten out?

The moment Arthur saw me, he staggered to his feet and lunged toward the pond as if to throw himself in. A few guards held him back, and he sank to his knees, choking on his own sobs.

"My reputation, built over half a lifetime, ruined in an instant. I'd rather die clean than live like this!"

The crowd murmured with sympathy.

"Mr. Marshall's been a widower for ten years and never remarried. Everyone for miles around knows what a decent man he is!"

"If word of this gets out, his name is finished. The Winslet family owes him an explanation."

"Poor Mr. Marshall. Lost his wife ten years ago, kept himself honest through it all, never once bowed to money or power. And now someone's set him up like this. The Winslets need to answer for it!"

Every eye in the courtyard turned, as one, toward the Chancellor, whose face had gone dark as a stormy sky.

An old man stepped forward.

"Everyone for miles knows the kind of man Mr. Marshall is. He only came out today to see his own student off on his wedding day, and now this happens. The Winslets can't just look away!"

Someone gave a cold snort.

"What accident? If you ask me, Miss Winslet's just greedy. One husband wasn't enough, so she went and took a second!"

At that, Arthur let out a long, heaven-facing sigh.

"Miss Winslet is nobility, born to wealth. She grabbed onto me and wouldn't let go. What could a poor, powerless scholar like me do to fight her off?"

As he spoke, he raised a hand to smooth back his tangled hair, revealing a mark on his neck that could only be a bite from a kiss.

The crowd erupted.

"Well, that settles it!"

"Miss Winslet, how could a young lady of your standing behave with so little shame?"

"A woman can't serve two husbands. If this is how it is, then you belong to Mr. Marshall now!"

Victoria burst into tears.

"I didn't do anything! He's the one who came charging out of nowhere and pulled me into the water..."

Arthur gave a bitter laugh.

"Is Miss Winslet saying that with four or five chaperones trailing right behind her, a powerless, weak old scholar like me still managed to drag her into the water?"

Victoria choked, unable to answer.

That was when Denise Ford, Victoria's own maid, came rushing out of the crowd and dropped to her knees.

"My lady, you might as well admit it now. You've had your eye on Mr. Marshall for a long time. Marrying Mr. Grey into the family was only ever a way to get close to him. This whole scene tonight was planned!"

The courtyard erupted into chaos.

"So that's how it is!"

Victoria screamed in fury. "Denise, I've never treated you badly. Why would you betray me?"

Denise lifted her head, her face full of righteous conviction. "Mr. Marshall does good deeds all over the county. He's a good man. I couldn't stand by and watch him get treated this way!"

She spun around to face me.

"Mr. Marshall and Mr. Grey are as close as father and son. Surely a man with Mr. Grey's manners wouldn't try to steal a woman from his own teacher?"

Every eye in the courtyard turned to me.

I took a deep breath and spoke, my voice even.

"In that case, the two of you can be together."

Someone praised me for it.

"Mr. Marshall is his teacher and a man of true character. He's a far better match for the Chancellor's daughter than Nolan ever was!"

"You should step aside. It's only right."

Arthur let out a sigh.

"Since things have come to this, as a man, I have no choice but to take responsibility for Miss Winslet's honor..."

I raised an eyebrow, looking at him in mock surprise.

"What does Miss Winslet have to do with any of this? That's not Miss Winslet."

He froze.

The next second, footsteps sounded from the back of the crowd.

Victoria, dressed in clean clothes, walked out from behind the guests.

The color drained from Arthur's face. Without thinking, he turned to look at the woman in the pond.

The instant the firelight caught her face, his expression twisted into pure terror.