Emerald's Rogue (Part 4)

Her hope of being saved before the wedding was fading fast.

She began to truly look into her feelings for Justin and wonder if indeed it was a just crush, because he treated her differently from Rogue.

Justin had always acted as if her opinion really mattered. As if what she had to say was really important and he always told her how lovely she looked and all sorts of other sweet things.

She also began to doubt her feelings all the more as she thought about it. He always got this far away look, as if he wasn’t really listening. She would tell her self that he was just thinking deeply on what she had said, because he always had the perfect answer. The more she thought about it the more she realized his answers were too good.

Did he really love her or was Rogue right? Was Justin using her to get the Hawkington fortune and her share of her own families’ fortune?

After all she got a grand mansion, four studs and two breeding mares and a yearly income of five thousand gold coins. To say nothing of her dowry this was twenty-five thousand gold. Rogue would get that and he could do as he liked with it. That made Emerald fume. She would like to have a say in what happened to that money, but she knew HE would never listen.

Emerald was grateful to see the towers of Whitington. She knew her long journey home was over, but at the same time she was upset it was over so soon. In a week’s time she would be Rogue’s wife and her life would not be her own. Not that it ever was, she thought bitterly.

She smiled happily as her mother and Aunt Isabel waited for them on the steps. She hurried to her mother, having truly missed her, even though things were still a bit sour when they parted last.

"Oh my little Emerald. You are not so small anymore." She said as she hugged her daughter tightly.

"I have missed you mother." She hugged her Aunt. "I hope you are well Lady Isabel."

"I am child. Welcome home." She hugged Emerald tightly as well, then hugged Rogue when he stepped up to her.

"Mother." He said with affection. He kissed Lady Lily’s hand. "You look enchanting Lady Lily." She smiled at him.

"You are a tease like your father, Rogue." They turned to go inside. Rogue grabbed Emerald’s arm and stopped her.

"You have hardly spoken to me. Why?" He demanded. She looked at his hand holding her arm. He let go.

"Why should I speak to you? We have nothing in common. I do not love you, nor shall I ever. As I said I shall be a wife in name only. In public I will appear to be the wife all else want me to be, but when we are alone, I will be nothing to you and you will be nothing to me. Find yourself a mistress, for I intend to have a lover." He glared at her. "Never fear, husband," The word dripped with disgust, "I am taking precautions so that I NEVER have a child. Of yours or anyone else’s for that matter." She turned then and joined the others inside the great hall where it was cooler.

Rogue stood there shocked at the young woman that would be his wife in a week’s time. Her words rang loudly in his head. "Find yourself a mistress, for I intend to have a lover." How dare she think so low of him.

He would make her want him, desire him, need him so badly she would died if he did not touch her, kiss her and make her his and HIS alone.