Chapter 38 - A Year For A Lifetime

Delaney cleared her throat and forced herself to stand tall, "Actually Violet I would like to discuss the marriage contract itself."

Green eyes narrowed on her, "What is there to discuss dear? The details were worked out long ago between your parents, my husband, and myself. There's nothing else that needs to be worked out with the contract at this point."

"Well," Delaney met her gaze, taking the challenge head-on, "I want to discuss breaking the contract."

It was as if the room actually dropped in temperature.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Violet demanded sharply.

"I don't think this contract is fair given recent...developments. I don't think we should be forced to uphold it."

Violet glared at her, "And what developments, pray tell, are you referring to?"

"Mother," Vincent snapped in annoyance.

"Obviously after his accident Vincent is different," Delaney responded without letting herself look away from her opponent.

"Oh?" Violet mocked in a sticky sweet tone, "In what way?"

"Mother stop," Vincent commanded louder this time.

"Why?" she turned her icy gaze on him, "If it means so much to her she can come out and say it!"

"I've seen how terrible things happening to people changes them," Delaney answered her, "Vincent has had something terrible happen to him and I've already seen how he's different..."

"That is ridiculous," Violet hissed, cutting her off, "The only thing that's changed about him is his appearance. You just don't want to admit it because that would show how shallow and stupid you are."

"His appearance is not the only reason!" Delaney insisted, raising her voice, "You can't pretend he isn't different now. I went to the hospital and I saw him there! I saw how angry he was and I saw it again the night of my party!"

Violet's eyes snapped to Vincent, "What is she talking about? Did you go to that foolish party?"

Delaney looked at Vincent now and saw him glaring at his mother with almost tangible anger. His scars seemed more red and angry to match his temper.

"I did," he replied coldly.

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because I wanted to and that is all the explanation I have to or want to give to you."

Violet's carefully constructed appearance faltered with his heated words.

"You can't pretend this is the same way he would've behaved before," Delaney tried desperately before turning to Vincent himself, "You know you aren't the same."

"None of this matters," Violet snapped, standing now and turning to Delaney's Aunt and Uncle who had been watching wide-eyed, "You both know the contract is signed and binding. There is nothing in it that states either one of them can't be bad-tempered or ugly!"

Her harsh words caught Delaney by surprise and Vincent immediately looked away from her, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"This marriage will happen," Violet continued, not noticing Vincent, "We will not agree to break the contract..."

"But..." Delaney tried to interrupt.

"You will marry my son and you will be a good wife to him! You will be loyal and have heirs and do everything you are supposed to do!" Violet was almost shouting now.

"Now Violet," Uncle Felix interrupted then to everyone's surprise, "Do you honestly think that's fair to the girl? Vincent is a good man I'm sure, but we can all see him now and see he's not as healthy as he should be."

Vincent looked up the man, listening intently now.

"You really think it's fair to strap her to him for life? She's young and healthy and beautiful. She could find someone and have a full, happy life. Vincent may have the money to take care of her but what about everything else?"

If Violet had been holding daggers she would have shoved one into Felix's heart.

"We can see him and see whatever poison got in his body from that dragon is still affecting him. You said yourself he's not...the easiest to look at. But what about the rest? His body's been broken. He won't be able to keep up with her. He is angry now and it's understandable but is it fair she'll live her life with that? And I hate to say it but we don't know if he'll even be able to have any children. So you would be condemning her to a life without a family..."

"I don't care about any of this," Violet barked and slammed her hand down on the contract on the desk, "Her parents signed this contract just like my husband and I. All of the other terms have been met without hesitation and this one will be the same!"

"He's right," Vincent spoke up, making everyone turn to him. He shifted uncomfortably but looked at Delany. "It's not fair but I can make a deal with you."

Delaney looked at his ruined face but met the same familiar dark green eyes she had known all her life.

"I don't want to take away your chance at happiness," he said quietly, "But I know my mother will see to your ruin if we break the contract completely. So I ask that you give me one year. Be my wife for one year. If we don't have a child or aren't expecting a child by the end then you can leave."

"But Vincent!" Violet cried.

"If we don't have a child I promise I will go to the King myself and tell him I can't give you any children and ask that he release you from the marriage."

Delaney stared at him open-mouthed, not believing what she was hearing or knowing what to say.

"You can't do this," Violet stepped to him then, "You can't do this! What about your future! What about your title and estates!"

"Miles can have them," he replied simply, "If I die without an heir they go to him anyways."

"A year isn't enough time!"

"I won't take more than that from her."

"Are you sure about this my Lord?" Felix asked in disbelief himself.

"Vincent please," Violet begged quietly, tears slipping down her cheeks, "You are throwing away everything."

Vincent looked down at her with sympathy now, "Mother you know as well as I do that my grand future is gone. I can't change that but I can keep from condemning her along with me."

He looked at Delaney nervously then and almost embarrassed, "Do you agree to this arrangement?"

Delaney took a deep breath and looked at this man. She could marry him and be free again in a year. She would just have to endure a year.

She remembered then him shouting at Miles, his anger at her, and even today his anger towards his mother. She would have a year of not only living with someone who was frightening to look at but with someone who had a frightening temper.

A year was better than a lifetime.

"Alright," Delaney said finally, looking away, "I agree."

Violet shoved Vincent hard in his chest. He winced and fell back a step. She spun around to glare at Delaney again with red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm not going to acknowledge this absurd agreement and I expect no one else here to discuss it after today," she looked pointedly at Felix and his wife, "I expect that after a year of being married both of you foolish children will have matured and see that this argument was a waste of time."

Delaney didn't waver under the attack but Vincent seemed to retreat, his face becoming unreadable again as he pressed his palm against the place on his chest his mother had pushed. 

Remembering when she'd first seen his marks that night at the hospital Delaney knew the pressure would have been on one of the lines that grew down onto his chest. She was somewhat surprised to see that they still hurt him all this time later.

"As far as I'm concerned, the contract is still in place," Violet continued, converting back to her cold and collected self, "The two of you are getting married so we need to discuss the plans for the wedding. Edgewood is large enough we can have a grand wedding in the gardens. I already mentioned it to the Queen when I saw her last."

Delaney saw Vincent stiffen and look up at her. He took a deep breath before looking away again.

"If I have to get married I won't have a big wedding," Delaney spoke up then, "We can have something small. Maybe just the five of us with Miles and Cora."

"You are marrying a Duke," Violet looked at her in disgust, "Dukes and Duchesses don't have small weddings."

"Well, we will."

"Absolutely not! We will have a grand wedding and invite everyone! You're still being childish because of the way he looks."

Delaney inwardly cringed at the way Violet spoke about Vincent as if he wasn't standing in the same room.

"I don't think Vincent wants your extravagant wedding either," Delaney stood her ground.

"It doesn't matter what he wants! He knows what is expected of someone in his position. The King and Queen will expect to be invited to a wedding!"

"I expect the King and Queen will understand if we have something discreet given the circumstances," Delaney swallowed hard, "I don't want an event where everyone will gossip and gawk at the man I'm going to marry and I don't believe he would enjoy that either."

Vincent shifted uneasily in his place, not getting involved.

"You would really have some secret wedding to avoid being seen with him?" Violet demanded.

Delaney took a breath, "I believe anything else would be embarrassing."

Violet at last threw her hands in the air in defeat. "Fine," she snapped, "Then if you aren't going to have a real wedding there's no point in waiting. It can be done tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Delaney gasped.

"Tomorrow," Violet glared at her before turning it on her Uncle, "I hope you're happy with yourself."

Delaney stood frozen in disbelief as Violet stormed from the room. Uncle Felix cleared his throat and followed her along with his wife.

Realizing they were alone, Delaney turned to Vincent, "You really want to be married tomorrow?"

He shrugged a shoulder.

"I didn't think you would want some huge event after what you said the night of my party," she found herself explaining to fill the silence.

"No," he agreed but still didn't look up at her, "I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

Delaney twisted her ring anxiously, "I meant that it would be embarrassing for both of us."

He nodded, before meeting her eyes at last, "Until tomorrow then."

Vincent walked from the room and Delaney thought his limp might have been more pronounced now. He didn't look back. 

She dropped into one of the chairs and all of the emotions she'd kept in tight control during the arguing suddenly came bubbling to the surface. She pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed into her skirt.

It was all over. After all this time, tomorrow she would be marrying Vincent Adair.