Marrying for Money Ch. 05

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haremgirl
haremgirl
1,357 Followers

Breakfast was a casual affair at the Grayson home, with each inhabitant taking their morning nourishment whenever they chose to appear. Therefore, Trevor wasn't surprised to learn that Steven had already dined and left to inspect the crops in the northern section of the plantation. However, he was caught off guard when Eliza came sweeping through the dining room door just before he finished his meal. He scanned her briefly and noted that she looked fresh and pretty in a charming pink dress. She usually didn't make an appearance until nearly noon, and Trevor couldn't keep the amazement from his face. She ignored his obvious surprise and smiled at him with a calculating gleam in her brown eyes.

"Good morning, Trevor darling. I hope you don't mind if I join you for breakfast." She warbled the words as she carefully helped her plate from the sideboard, and it was clear from her tone that she didn't expect him to mind in the least.

Trevor kept his face carefully blank and concentrated on finishing his breakfast. "Of course you are welcome to eat whenever you like, Eliza."

She sat on his right side, just as usual, but she slid her chair over until her arm brushed against his. "Did you sleep well," she inquired sweetly, leaning far over to reach the butter and brushing her breasts against his arm in the process.

Trevor withdrew his arm from the table and gave her a frown. "Yes, I did," he stated flatly.

"I didn't sleep at all well," she sighed. "I really don't like sleeping alone." She flashed him a sultry smile.

Trevor dropped his fork onto his plate with a clatter and pinned her with a cold stare. "What exactly is your game, Eliza? It should be clear to you that it is over between us. You closed the door to the possibility of us ever being together when you eloped with another man."

Eliza bit her lip and gave him a pleading look. "I know I hurt you, darling. It wasn't my intention, but I know that I did."

"What do you mean it wasn't your intention?" he sneered. "You came to me and gave yourself to me, mewling about how much you loved me, while all the time you were planning to wed another man the following day. How could you have possibly believed that it wouldn't hurt me?"

Eliza leaned toward him, reaching to grasp his hand and bring it to her bosom as she pleaded for his understanding. "Oh my darling! If you had any idea how my heart ached from leaving you! However, it was the only way to save my family and our plantation. We hadn't planned as carefully as your father. There was no stash of gold coins to use to pay the taxes and start over. John promised to pay the expenses necessary to rebuild, and I felt obligated to marry him."

As she spoke, Eliza caught a flash of movement from the corner of her eye, and she glimpsed Leanna making her way down the stairs. Eliza was careful not to let on that she knew of Leanna's presence as she gave Trevor her best pleading look.

Trevor's back was to the door, and he was unaware of his wife's approach. He felt disgusted as he watched Eliza begging for his forgiveness. He would have sympathized with her, but he knew her reasons had been much more selfish than she was letting on.

"You could have at least been honest with me," he stated flatly. "I would have never made love to you, had I known that you didn't intend to marry me. You have no idea how many times I have regretted that night we spent together. I offered you everything, and you tossed me aside without a backward glance."

Eliza's eyes filled with tears, and she went down on her knees beside his chair. Her voice was very soft, as she reached up to touch his cheek. "Oh darling, I have never regretted that night. It was then that we made a baby together." She saw the shock register on his face, and she rushed on before he could respond. "You have a beautiful daughter, Trevor. I have loved her all these many years, just as I have loved you."

Trevor was shaking his head with disbelief as he stared at her, mouth agape. "I don't believe that she's my daughter and not your husband's."

Eliza gave him a secretive smile. "On our wedding night, John was called away on urgent business before we had a chance to consummate our vows. He was gone for several weeks, and by the time he returned, I had already missed my monthly time. I knew then I was carrying your child, but he never knew the baby wasn't his."

Trevor felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He hadn't imagined he had a daughter, and he froze for several moments, completely stunned by the news.

Knowing that Leanna was watching, Eliza wanted to make sure she would think the very worst. Eliza leaned over Trevor's legs, gripping his hands in her own and clutching them to her bosom as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "Your daughter's name is Miranda. She is four years old, and she has your beautiful blue eyes."

Leanna stood just outside the dining room door, and she pressed a trembling hand over her mouth to stifle her shocked gasp. She couldn't resist a peek around the corner. Her stomach churned when she saw that Eliza was lying halfway across Trevor's lap, her bosom clearly on display for him and with his hand caressing her breast. Leanna jerked back out of sight, beginning to tremble with shock and suppressed tears.

Leanna felt as if her heart was breaking. She had never dreamed that the two of them had been intimate, much less that Trevor already had a daughter by the other woman! Suddenly, Leanna felt as if her world was crashing down around her ears. Eliza was literally throwing herself at Trevor, and he wasn't rejecting her. Even if he stayed with Leanna, how could she ever be confident in her position as his wife after this? She quickly retreated on silent feet, praying that they wouldn't see her leaving.

Trevor sat stunned for several long moments simply too surprised to react, before he realized that Eliza was lying across his lap, with his hand clutched to her bosom. He snatched his hand back as if he had been burned and stood up, brushing her roughly off his lap. He crossed to the window to look out over his fields, raking a hand through his thick, wavy locks. Eliza came to stand beside him and tried to wrap her arms around his waist, but he firmly held her away from him and glared down at her with a black frown.

"Don't touch me," he growled. "You gave up the right to do that when you married another man." He ignored her gasp of surprise and continued in a deadly calm voice. Only the muscles working in his cheek betrayed the degree of his displeasure. "I will remind you once again, I'm married to Leanna. Your revelation changes nothing."

"How can you say that? Don't you want to be part of your daughter's life? She needs you! She needs her father."

Trevor eyed her coldly. "If you wanted me to be her father, you should have asked your husband for an annulment of your vows once you realized you were carrying my child!"

Eliza began to cry, tears rolling down her lovely cheeks as she pleaded with him. "Trevor, don't you understand? I was terrified that you wouldn't have wanted me. By then, I knew I was pregnant, and I was too afraid to come back, begging you to take me. I wish with all my heart that I had done that, because I'm sure we belong together! We could still be happy together."

Trevor watched her with disgust. He couldn't say whether he would have rejected her all those years ago, but it was pointless to speculate at this point in time. "Eliza, we will never know whether we would have been happy together or not. As for now, I already have a wife, and I have no intention of abandoning her to resume a life with you. I love Leanna." He blinked, wondering why it had been so easy to blurt the words to Eliza when he couldn't seem to tell Leanna.

Eliza clung to his arm and shook her head in vehement denial. "But you don't love her! I know that you are still in love with me, just as I have never loved anyone except you! Oh, my darling, don't you see? We were meant for each other!"

Trevor withdrew his arm from her grasp and shook his head. "No, Eliza, you are wrong. I love my wife very much. In fact, I didn't realize just how much I love her until this moment. Your coming here was the best thing that could have happened, because facing you has finally helped me bury the past. My future is with Leanna, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make her happy."

Eliza took a step back as if she had been struck, and her face registered clear horror. "No," she mewled, shaking her head in denial of his statement. "I'll never believe that you are in love with her. I'm the only woman for you! I can make you happy!" Her eyes took on a wild, slightly crazed look as she backed away from him. "I just have to be patient until you see that I'm right. I have to make you see that we belong together!" With that, she turned and fled from the room, climbing the stairs with all the dignity she could muster.

Trevor watched her go with a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He knew that she wouldn't let go of her notion of a reconciliation between them easily, and he was worried about the effect her interference might have in his marriage. His relationship with Leanna was still new and fragile, especially given the fact that he hadn't told his wife that he loved her.

He stared out the window for a long time, before he finally released a deep sigh. There wasn't anything to be done this morning. He had pressing duties to attend, and Leanna was still asleep. He would speak with her when he returned tomorrow evening.

He made his way to the stables and saddled Stygian, his favorite stallion. The two of them seemed to be of one mind, as they raced across the fields, letting the crisp January air clear the cobwebs from his brain, until his thoughts coalesced into rational thoughts. When he returned home after this trip, he would tell Leanna everything. It was far better if she heard the news from him than from Eliza. He could only hope that if he confirmed his own feelings for her, Leanna would be willing to stand by him while he dealt with Eliza.

***********

Leanna sat alone in their bedroom, stunned by what she had overheard. She had begun to feel hopeful for their future, but hope was fading fast. If Trevor loved her, he would have rejected Eliza's advances, but he was apparently satisfied to have both women competing for his affections. Leanna jerked when a knock came at the door, and she called admittance out of habit.

Eliza slipped through the door and closed it quietly behind her, leaning against the solid panel for a moment as the two women stared warily at each other. "What do you want, Eliza?" Leanna asked, her voice sounding small and defeated even to her own ears.

Eliza walked toward her with slow, measured strides. "I think you know very well what I want. I saw you eavesdropping downstairs."

Leanna's face registered her surprise, for she had been certain neither of them had seen her. However, she took a deep breath and glared her hatred at her tormentor. "Yes, I couldn't help but overhear as you were throwing yourself at my husband!"

Eliza stifled the urge to say something nasty, and she kept her features carefully blank. She needed this woman's cooperation to make her plans work, and the best way to gain that was to avoid antagonizing her any more than necessary. Eliza knew that Leanna hadn't heard the entire conversation...

"Then you must have heard Trevor admit that he loves me and wants to be with me." She ignored Leanna's shocked gasp. "He told me he had never stopped loving me, but that he had married you thinking that there would never be a chance for us to be together again. He said he could never divorce you, as that would cause you too much pain, and he had no choice except to do the honorable thing and stand by you."

Leanna didn't want to show any weakness in front of Eliza, but she couldn't stop the tears from welling in her eyes and spilling over her cheeks. Eliza had just confirmed her worst fears, and she felt suddenly very weak, as she sank down on the edge of the bed. Eliza came to stand in front of her, begging for her understanding.

"Leanna, I know that you love Trevor, but I love him too! I have always loved him. I would never have married another man except to save my family."

Leanna squeezed her eyes tightly closed, as if to shut out the other woman's words. Eliza couldn't have been aware how closely the dilemma she described resembled the one Leanna had faced in England. Leanna wanted to be alone, and she opened her eyes to glare at Eliza.

"Why have you come to me? What do you want from me?"

Eliza looked at her pleadingly. "If you really love Trevor, I know you will want him to be happy. He can only be happy with me and our daughter! Please let him go!"

"No!" The denial exploded from Leanna as she shot to her feet, and she would have brushed past Eliza, but the other woman stilled her with her hands on her arms.

"Leanna, I cannot believe that you are willing to spend the rest of your life married to a man who you know is in love with another woman. Every time he looks at you, touches you, sleeps with you, you will know he is thinking of me and wishing it were me in his bed! Can you really face that?" Leanna was shaking her head frantically, but Eliza pressed on relentlessly, giving her a shake. "It's far better for all of us if you simply admit that your marriage was a mistake and ask Trevor for a divorce. I'm sure he will be generous with you. You won't need to worry about money, and you can start a new life. You are certainly pretty enough to find another husband, someone who will love you and not someone else."

Leanna squeezed her eyes tightly shut, desperately wishing she could block out the other woman's words. She could find no logic with which to refute her arguments.

"I think you had better leave now, Eliza. I want to be alone." Eliza opened her mouth to protest, but Leanna held up a hand to halt her words. "No, you don't need to say anything else. I have heard everything you've said, and I want you to go."

Eliza looked at her for a long moment, trying to gauge how much effect her words had had on Leanna. She finally gave a small nod and made her way to the door. Before leaving, she turned to face Leanna once more.

"Leanna, I'm placing Trevor's future happiness in your hands. I know you will make the right decision." Without another word, she turned and left, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Leanna collapsed onto the bed in a miserable heap, covering her face with her hands. Her heart ached with the knowledge that any future she might have imagined with her husband was gone forever. He had seemed content to have her as his wife, but now she knew that he had been fooling himself, trying to settle for a marriage with her since he couldn't have his true love.

The last thing Leanna wanted was for a man to settle for her. She deserved more than that, and although it was breaking her heart to admit it, Trevor deserved more than that too. She remembered his actions in London, when he had been wooing her to marry him. Even though he had wanted her to become his wife, he had offered her the option to back out of the arrangement and still have the money she needed. Trevor hadn't wanted her to feel trapped into a marriage with him, but now he was trapped with Leanna when he really wanted someone else. He deserved the same chance, now that the circumstances had changed.

Leanna had never felt so conflicted. If she stayed, as her heart was urging her to do, Trevor would suffer. She knew that he was too honorable to ask her for a divorce. It would go against everything in his nature to abandon her for the sake of his own happiness. If she left and gave him a divorce so he could marry Eliza, Leanna knew that she would have to suffer through the scandal of being divorced. There was a good possibility that no man would ever want her for a wife again, and she would end up spending the rest of her life alone and lonely. She didn't want that. However, her love for Trevor was stronger even than her sense of self-preservation. Above all else, she wanted him to be happy.

She rose from the bed as if she were coming out of a daze. Her course of action seemed crystal clear, and it was suddenly imperative that she hurry. The last thing she wanted was to face Trevor. That would be too painful to bear. She knew he would be gone until the following evening. With any luck, she would be long gone by the time he got back, and she doubted that he would even bother to look for her when he had the beautiful Eliza here to distract him!

haremgirl
haremgirl
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AnonymousAnonymousabout 1 month ago

To anonymous from 4 years go: not everything has to be about everything. Enjoy the story, entering a loveless marriage and basing the relationship on sex is good material and the author handles it exceptionally well.

LitstoriesloverLitstorieslover6 months ago

my heart aches for Leanna

AnonymousAnonymousover 4 years ago
Sooooo.... five chapters in, & we're just gonna ignore the whole Confederacy/slavery thing?

I mean, they were CONFEDERATE soldiers, fighting for the right to keep their slaves, which were human beings they owned. They owned humans and wanted to keep owning them. Seems like a big deal. Should be addressed. Mentioned. Something.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 10 years ago
slightly unbelievable

It makes it hard to read when she keeps complaining about how miserable she is and how sad she is about him not showing his feelings when just keep giving in and not even fighting for what she says she wants

AnonymousAnonymousover 12 years ago

Nooooo your female protagonists always go through this! Even though the mutual love is painfully obvious to the audience! >_<

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