The Marriage Contract

  Marriage by Fairytale Series: Book 1

  The Marriage

  Contract

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  The Marriage Contract - Smashwords Edition

  Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2018 by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Wedded Bliss Romances, LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Coming Next: One Enchanted Evening

  All Books by Ruth Ann Nordin

  About Ruth

  Where to Find Ruth

  Chapter One

  Author’s Note: This story takes place five years after Lord Youngtown arranged the marriage between his younger brother, Mr. Stephen Bachman, and Lady Eloise. That took place in Married In Haste, which is Book 2 in the Marriage by Fate Series.

  ~~~

  November 1824

  Patricia Cotter, the widowed Lady of Pruett, held onto the seat of the carriage as it bounced on the rough dirt road that was on the outskirts of London. The unborn child in her stomach kicked at her. Usually, her baby was quiet early in the evening, but the road had disturbed his slumber. Or her slumber. The baby could very well be a girl. Patricia wouldn’t know until she gave birth. Which was going to be within a month.

  She swept her dark brown hair from her eyes and turned her attention to the scenery around her. In the moonlight, she could only make out trees that lined the landscape. There wasn’t a home in sight. Despite its close proximity to London, the residence she was going to was in the middle of nowhere.

  Across from her, Lewis Cotter, her brother-in-law, turned his attention to her. “We aren’t far now. Once we cross over the bridge, you’ll see his manor down the hill.”

  “Do you really think your friend will marry me?” she asked.

  “I wouldn’t be taking you out here if I didn’t.” A long moment passed between them before he added, “I was right about my brother, wasn’t I? He married you.”

  Yes, he had. He was a strange gentleman. She never once saw his face, much less talked to him. He was so scared of leaving his bedchamber. It was ironic that he ended up choking to death while eating. Since he hadn’t allowed anyone to be in the room with him, no one was there to save him. The butler didn’t find him dead until an hour later.

  “What if I’m cursed?” she asked Lewis. “What if bad things follow me wherever I go?”

  “You can’t give into superstition,” he gently reprimanded her. “You didn’t ask for any of the terrible things that happened to you.”

  “But the gypsy cursed me and my mother.”

  “The curse isn’t real. Yes, what you’ve been through is terrible. I’ll never deny that. But those things aren’t the result of some argument your mother had with a gypsy when you were a child. If they were, you wouldn’t have been safe for the past two years.”

  She released her breath. Maybe he was right. Ever since he’d found her, she hadn’t seen the gypsy or Symon. Maybe being out of London had done the trick.

  “I hope you don’t think marrying Stephen is part of the curse,” Lewis continued. “The rumors aren’t true. He didn’t murder his first wife. Eloise fell down the stairs. It was an accident. The detective who investigated the matter found him to be innocent. You have nothing to worry about. You’ll be safe out here.”

  She nodded. He’d expressed that several times already. She didn’t know why he kept saying it.

  “We’re coming to the bridge now,” Lewis said.

  She peered out of the small window. The full moon showed her a covered bridge. They came upon it within a minute, and she braced herself, expecting it to be rougher than the road. To her surprise, it was unexpectedly smooth.

  The wood frame covering the bridge, however, made everything eerily dark. She held her breath and reminded herself that she wasn’t alone. Lewis was still with her. Of all the people in the world, he was the only friend she had, and she knew he’d never let any harm come to her if he could help it. Once they emerged from the covered bridge, she exhaled.

  Lewis smiled as he motioned for her to look out the window again. “There’s your new home. It’s a nice place, don’t you think?”

  Her gaze went down the hill until it settled on the manor. It was in surprisingly good condition. She didn’t know why, but she had expected it to be falling apart. It was probably because she was coming here at night. Night had a way of making things seem creepy.

  She turned her attention to the entire property. She saw a maze made of large hedges and a gazebo. There were a couple of pathways to walk on as well.

  “What do you think?” Lewis asked. “Despite its proximity to London, it’s isolated.”

  She nodded. Isolated was good. Isolated was what she’d wanted. Lewis’ brother had been all the way in the country, and that had been enough to keep her and her unborn child safe. As long as she stayed outside of London, they should be all right.

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. If only she were a gentleman. Then she wouldn’t have to rely on someone else to take care of her and her baby. She would be able to do it herself. Once more, she rubbed her belly and was rewarded with a kick from her little one.

  Before long, the carriage came to a stop. She opened her eyes and saw that they had reached the entrance of the manor.

  The footman opened the carriage door, and Lewis got out first before turning to her. He held his hand out. “I promise that you and your child will be as safe here as you were at my brother’s estate.”

  She took a moment to strengthen her resolve. She had no other choice. She had to do this. If not for her sake, then for her child’s. With a nod, she scooted toward the door, took his hand, and let him help her down from the carriage.

  ***

  There was a knock at the door of the den.

  “Mr. Bachman, you have a visitor,” the butler called out from the other side.

  Mr. Stephen Bachman was reluctant to get up from his
chair. His chair faced the large fireplace, though there was no fire in it tonight. It was cool in the room. He rather liked the cool air because it gave him something to focus on other than the past. Besides, the blanket draped over his lap and the heavy robe he wore were sufficient to keep him warm.

  The butler knocked on the door. “Mr. Bachman?”

  With a sigh, Stephen replied, “Who is it?”

  “Your friend. Mr. Cotter.”

  He picked up the mask from the small table next to the chair. “Bring him in.”

  “Yes, Mr. Bachman.”

  The butler headed down the hall, and Stephen slipped the mask on. Even if Lewis had been his friend for years, he didn’t wish for him to see him without his mask. Only the doctor had seen his face after Eloise disfigured the top half of his face. He grimaced. He didn’t want to think of her. She had been dead for almost a whole year, and she still had the power to haunt him if he let his thoughts stray.

  He closed his eyes for a moment and brought his mind back to the present. All was quiet. All was calm. The chill in the room pressed in around him, but the darkness was soothing. The darkness was always soothing. When it was dark, he could hide and pretend he still looked like other gentlemen instead of a monster.

  The door opened, and Stephen hurried to put on the mask. It went from his forehead on down to the tip of his nose, which allowed him freedom to speak and breathe. He had a couple of scars lining his jaw and one on his chin, but those were easy enough to ignore.

  “Mr. Cotter is here,” the butler told him.

  After the door shut, Stephen rose from the chair and tightened the strings on his robe. He went to the decanter. “Do you want a drink?”

  “No,” Lewis replied. “I gave up liquor.”

  Surprised, Stephen poured brandy into one glass. “You did?”

  Lewis nodded. “It’s not good for me. I end up doing stupid things when I drink.”

  Stephen chuckled. “If gambling is the worst of your sins, you’re far better off than I am.”

  “You haven’t committed any sins in years.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve done enough to last me a lifetime.” He faced his friend. Usually, Lewis would come earlier in the day. They would either enjoy a meal together or play a friendly game of cards or chess. But he was sure Lewis didn’t come here to do any of those things this time. “Did something bad happen?” Stephen asked.

  “Yes,” Lewis replied as he sat in one of the chairs.

  Stephen sat across from him and took a sip of his brandy. “What is it? Do you need somewhere to stay for a while? You know my home is always open to you.”

  “I’m fine. I don’t need a place to run to.” He shifted in his chair in a way that let Stephen know he was carefully thinking over his words before he spoke. Finally, Lewis said, “My brother died. He choked to death while eating.”

  “I’m sorry to hear it,” Stephen replied. “I know you’ll miss him.”

  Though Lewis hadn’t seen his brother face to face since his brother took over the estate, the two did communicate through missives. Sometimes, Stephen envied him the relationship Lewis had had with his brother, even if they weren’t all that close. At least they’d been on speaking terms. Stephen’s own brother had refused to talk to him after he arranged the marriage between Stephen and Eloise. Not that Stephen could blame him. He deserved it after all the grief he’d put Brad through.

  “I’ll miss the fact that my brother ran the estate,” Lewis said. “One thing I was always glad for was that he was older than me. He had the title and all of the headache that went with it. Now it’s up to me to deal with it. That is, of course, unless his wife has a son. Then I’ll only have to manage everything until he comes of age.”

  “I’m still surprised your brother married. I thought he was too scared of germs to let anyone in the same room with him.”

  “Yes, but he was a titled gentleman. He needed an heir.”

  Lewis didn’t respond, and Stephen caught a flicker of uncertainty cross his face. If Stephen hadn’t known him for years, he wouldn’t have noticed the telltale sign that Lewis was holding something back from him.

  “Is the child yours?” Stephen asked.

  “No. The child is my brother’s. I haven’t been with my sister-in-law like that.”

  Noting the way Lewis shifted in his chair, Stephen took a sip of his brandy. Something was up, and if Lewis was acting this weird, then it was probably something Stephen wasn’t going to like. But he was going to find out what it was sooner or later. It might as well be sooner. He finished the brandy then leaned back in the chair.

  “You didn’t come here to tell me your brother died,” Stephen said. “There’s something else on your mind.”

  “I did come to tell you about Ichabod’s death. It’s why my sister-in-law is a widow.”

  “So? Your brother had more than enough money at his disposal, didn’t he?”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Then everything’s fine.”

  “No, it’s not. She needs a husband to take care of her and the child.”

  “Are you thinking of marrying her?”

  “I can’t do that. She’s my sister-in-law. I was hoping you’d marry her.”

  Stephen’s jaw dropped. “Tell me you’re joking.”

  “No, I’m not. Stephen,” he gave him a pleading look, “her family is all gone. She has no one to go to. I brought her here so you can marry her.”

  Stephen bolted to his feet and scanned the room to make sure they really were alone. When he was assured they were, he turned his attention back to Lewis. “You can’t do that.”

  Lewis rose to his feet. “I had to. There’s no one else I can go to about this.”

  Swearing under his breath, Stephen slammed his glass on the desk. “No, I’m not doing it. I was married once, and you remember how horrible that experience was.” He gestured to his mask. “Do you think I wear this because I want to? Do you think I picked a manor outside of London because I wanted to be here? Eloise did this to me. It’s because of her I’m trapped in a place that’s neither heaven nor hell.”

  “I know Eloise was awful. I remember how things were between you two. I’m not asking you to be a real husband to Patricia. I’m only asking that you give her your name and your protection. She’s convinced she’s under some kind of curse and that someone in London wants to kill her because of it. That’s why I took her to my brother. He was all the way in the country. He lived in solitude. It was a safe place for her.”

  “So you brought her here because I live in solitude, too?”

  “Yes.” When Stephen shook his head in disbelief, he hurried to add, “I wouldn’t have brought her here if it wasn’t necessary.”

  “Who’s trying to kill her?”

  “I don’t know his full name. She just calls him Symon. To be honest, I don’t think any of it’s real. We both know there are no such things as curses, and I’ve never seen anyone coming after her. But there’s no doubt she believes all of that nonsense. She’s not being deceptive. She might be overreacting to things she shouldn’t, but she’s sincere.”

  Stephen groaned.

  Lewis sighed. “The marriage between you two doesn’t have to be real in the sense that other marriages are. You don’t have to spend time with her. You don’t even have to talk to her. You can even restrict her to one wing of the manor while you stay in this wing. Please do this. If not for her, then for our friendship.”

  “How do I know she’s not like Eloise?”

  “Because I’m telling you she’s not. The two couldn’t be more different.”

  This was a bad idea. If Stephen was smart, he’d say no. He’d order Lewis to leave and to take the lady with him.

  “You’re always saying that you wish there was something you could do to redeem yourself,” Lewis added. “Maybe this is your chance. You have the ability to save not only a lady but the child she’s carrying as well.”

  Stephen swore under his breath. “You al
ways know what to say to get me to do what you want.” Before Lewis could get too excited, he hurried to continue, “I’m not marrying her until I get a chance to talk to her. I want to make sure she understands that I have some rules she’ll need to obey.” And he needed to figure out what those rules were going to be. After Eloise, he didn’t dare leave anything to chance. “Both of you will stay here tonight as my guests. While the maids get your bedchambers ready, you two will eat in the dining room. I’ll talk to you both tomorrow after the morning meal. I’ll be in the drawing room at ten.”

  “Thank you, Stephen.”

  “I haven’t decided to marry her yet. If I go through with this, you can thank me then.”

  “Understood.”

  Lewis headed for the door, and Stephen called out to him. When Lewis turned back to him, he said, “You better be right about this lady. She better not be anything like Eloise.”

  “She’s not. I promise.”

  Stephen watched as Lewis left. Once Stephen was alone, he removed the mask. Just what had he gotten himself into?

  Chapter Two

  Just what had she gotten herself into? Patricia couldn’t force aside the feeling that something was strange about Mr. Bachman. All of the drapes were drawn in the drawing room, and a sheet covered the mirror hanging in the center of the wall opposite her. If she recalled right, there had been a sheet covering the mirror in the entryway, too. What kind of person covered mirrors? Why not just get rid of them instead?

  She shook the questions aside and studied the room. The room itself was beautiful. Minus the mirror, there was nothing on the walls. Most of the decorations were spread around the room on the desk, the table, and the fireplace mantle. The drapes were red with gold tassels. The plush red furniture was outlined with gold trim. The bookends on the desk were gold.