Mine

By A. Atticus Poe

When Lily signed her divorce papers, she was only sure of one thing - she no longer had to endure a humiliating and loveless marriage. Little did she know that her soon-to-be former husband had a cruel parting gift - a new husband.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. Atticus Poe
• Release date: Nov 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223827870

Book preview

Chapter One

Of all the humiliations Lily suffered at the hands of Lord Edward Cecil, this one had to be the worst. At least before she was his wife. Now, even as another man’s wife, he could still use her for sport. The rhythm his cheers set for the man looming over her caused such bile to rise in her throat it choked her. Mercifully, it ended quickly. There was a round of applause. Her new husband, red from exertion or embarrassment, waited for her to right her clothes before moving away to receive congratulations. She just lay there, listening to their ribald talk.

Finally, the men raised a toast to the seed that was surely planted in her, the shout of hip, hip hurray drowning Edward’s derisive remark. Then they left to continue their merriment in the wedding hall. The room was awfully quiet, just her strained breathing evening out. She startled when she turned and saw her husband there, looking at her. His expression was hard and unreadable.

How he must loathe me.

The indignity of a witnessed consummation to a discarded woman warranted nothing less. Any hopes of a peaceable marriage ruined.

If you agree, we leave tomorrow morning.

Lily uselessly wondered if it was possible to disagree. James was her husband and she was obliged to obey him.

I agree, she said. She would have left that instant if he suggested it.

Good. He gave her another penetrating gaze and then left.

Lily got a sinking feeling that their wedding night was a preview of how she would spend her marriage. Used and alone. Not that she had much hope for a union that was a hidden clause in the divorce settlement. She wouldn’t have signed the papers, but Edward could be so convincing in his cold, unfeeling way, painting a picture of adject poverty. His way was better. She would be a gentleman’s wife. It was not fitting for the former wife of an earl to fall into destitution or become a pig farmer wife.  As though those were her only options. She had her dowry. She could have been an independent woman.

There was no one to see them off the next morning; no boisterous send-off, no tearful goodbyes. Even the stable hand was disgruntled at having to prepare the horse and carriage through a spirit’s fog.

Still, when Lily gave one last look at Harlow House and its impressive estate, it was as though a cloud of heaviness lifted. The beginnings of a smile touched the corners mouth, but then she noticed her husband watching her and she became alarmed. She was heading to a strange place with a strange person.

She didn’t know about this disconcerting, brooding man. He was at least 10 years older than her and had a pronounced limp. There seemed to be some relation with the earl’s right-hand man, but that was never made clear to her. She had heard Arthur call him brother once, but Arthur also called Edward his brother when he needed help getting out of trouble. There was certainly no resemblance. Arthur had a perennial boyish beauty. James was large and weather-beaten. Their eyes were just as different. Arthur’s eyes were playful, James’s withering. She didn’t have to look