Anatomy of a Nightmare - M J Marlow (i read a book .txt) 📗

She found a set of keys in the purse Evelyn had left on the nightstand and went downstairs. She would talk to Gregory and get his advice.
“Lily,” Marina called as she went past the lounge. “Come back here right now. You are too sick to be going for a drive.” Lily didn’t listen to her and Marina called the garage manager. “Mrs. Ambrose is headed there to borrow Evelyn’s car. Don’t let her leave. I’ll be right down.”
Lily headed for the garage and the put upon expression on the man’s face as she approached warned her that something was up. She continued past him and hid where she could watch. Marina showed up with one of the men Lily assumed was a guard.
“She just kept walking, Mrs. Grey,” the man told her. “I think she’s headed for the stables.”
“She isn’t well enough to go riding, Owen,” Marina frowned. “What is that girl thinking?” She nodded to the man. “Go get her, James. I’ll be waiting in her room.”
Lily watched the man head down the walkway she was hiding near. Marina went back to the house and Lily waited another moment. Once she knew the man was out of sight, she went back to the garage. The man nodded to a fire red convertible and smiled.
“Don’t worry, Lily,” he said as she passed him. “We’re here to keep you safe; especially from the Dragon Lady and that bastard she’s married to.” Lily smiled back at him. “Take a left out of the gates. The club is five miles away.”
“Thank you, Owen,” Lily nodded and got into the car. She drove down the drive and headed out the gate. The guard just smiled and waved her through. Whoever Gregory was working for, they were on the ball. She pulled into the club and Senator Grey was there waiting. “Leave me alone, Senator,” Lily snapped at him. “I am not going home just yet. I need a drink.”
“Evelyn,” William said as he held her arm tight, “be reasonable.”
“I’m not Evelyn!” Lily snapped at him. “Mother is trying to get me to convince Evelyn to cancel the wedding!” She saw his expression and she pulled against his hold and his grip tightened. “Let me go! I am going to talk to Evelyn and Geoffrey about this.”
“You are going home, Lily,” William replied. He walked her to her car as a black sedan pulled up. “Give James your keys.”
“You can’t do this to me,” Lily protested as the guard took her purse and retrieved the keys. “I am an adult!”
“Then behave like one and go home,” William snapped at her. “You are creating a scene, Lily.”
“And we mustn’t do that, must we?” Lily broke in coldly. She could see some of the other club members watching them. “What would they think of you, Senator, if I told them you were trying to force my sister to cancel her wedding?” She saw the anger in his expression and took a risk. “Geoffrey!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Gregory!”
Like magic, Gregory appeared at her side. He pulled her away from William and took her over to a bench as she sobbed in relief. He watched William speak to his men and knew something was up. He held Lily as she whispered to him what had happened and he was outraged. These people thought his brother was beneath them? The Talbot family could buy and sell these Greys fifty times over and still be wealthy.
“I can’t leave here, Lily,” he whispered in her ear. “I am going to have to scold you now and send you home.” She looked terrified. “Don’t worry, Owen and the others will keep watch over you.” He helped her up and walked towards her car. “Don’t worry about it, Lily. I’m certain Evelyn knows her parents well enough to know they are merely concerned for her happiness,” he said aloud as he stopped by her father. “Your mother is right. You are far too ill to be out of bed.”
“But, Gregory…”
“No, Lily,” Gregory broke in, shaking his head. “You go home and get some rest. We will talk when I come back.” He kissed her gently and then looked over at William. “Lily is just overreacting. Please forgive her.”
“She is as high strung as her sister,” William nodded. “James drive Mrs. Ambrose home and see she stays in her room.” He kissed Lily on the forehead. “Sleep is what you need.”
Lily looked at Gregory and he nodded to her and turned away. She had to go back to that place? She knew his mission was important, but this was not part of his work. Evelyn’s parents were set to sabotage their daughter’s marriage and they would try to force her to do what they wanted.
“Come along, Mrs. Ambrose,” James said as he held the passenger door open for her. “I’ll drive.”
Lily got into the car and struggled to hold herself together. She watched Gregory and William go back inside, commiserating with each other over her behavior. She wanted to hurt him for putting her into this position. The thought of doing him harm got more and more appealing the closer they got to the house. She got out of the car once it stopped by the garage and took off, but James caught her. He took her to her room where Marina was waiting.
“I see you are as determined to defy me as your sister is,” Marina said coldly as she watched Violet help Lily get ready for bed. “You are making a big mistake, dear.”
“Your opinion is duly noted,” Lily said tightly. “Now if you don’t mind, I would like to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day for my sister.”
“I should stay with you a while…”
“That won’t be necessary,” Esme broke in as she and Evelyn and Claudia came into the room. She took off her coat as Evelyn went to Lily’s side and sat down to check her over.
“It’s girl’s night,” Evelyn smiled at Lily gently. “The bride and her attendants have things to talk about.”
Marina nodded stiffly and left the room. Esme took something out of her pocket and swept the room, relieved to see there were no bugs. She sat down on the bed and put her hand on Lily’s forehead. Then she went to get the thermometer and stuck it in the girl’s mouth.
“Your little tantrum at the club was perfect,” Evelyn told Lily as they waited. “Exactly what I would do in the same situation. I could kill them for what they are putting you through.”
The stick beeped and Esme took it out. “99 degrees. You’re getting better.” She kissed Lily on the forehead. “You just sleep. You’re going to feel like hell tomorrow but we will all be at your side to prop you up.”
“Thank you, all,” Lily smiled and closed her eyes. She was asleep in seconds and missed hearing the conversation Esme had with Gregory and then with her uncle. They had known the Greys were not happy about this wedding, but had not guessed just how far the couple would go to keep it from happening.
“Owen will keep Caine out of the way,” Esme was assured. “Evelyn and Geoffrey will get to day ‘I do’.” There was worry in his voice as she continued. “Keep close to the girl, Esme. We don’t want anything happening to her now.”

The morning dawned bright and mild and Lily wished it really were her wedding day. She dressed and went down to the wedding breakfast and smiled at Gregory shyly as he held her hand and whispered endearments in Romanian into her ear. Esme took her back to her room and she sighed as she saw herself in the wedding gown her sister was putting on. It was a copy of the gown Julie Andrews had worn in the movie Sound of Music and Lily was in love with it.
“You look beautiful, darling,” Marina said as she put the veil over Evelyn’s head and settled the circlet of white roses on her head. “Geoffrey is a lucky man.”
“Yes, he is,” Evelyn nodded and smiled at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She took the bouquet of white roses with burgundy and gold ribbons and white lace that Esme handed to her. Lily and Esme and Claudia were dressed in silk and chiffon gowns with delicate gold embroidery along the neckline. Lily was in emerald, Esme was in midnight blue, and Claudia was in burgundy. These gowns were cut the same way as the bridal gown was but fell just below the knee on each of the women. Claudia and Esme engaged in a whispered conversation where they agreed that Lily was just perfect for Gregory. Lily’s innocence and fragility would appeal to his protective nature.
“Are we ready?” William said as he came into the room. He choked as he saw his daughters. “You are too good for that man, darling,” he said as he offered Evelyn his arm. “You look like an angel in that gown.”
“Thank you, Father,” Evelyn said tightly. She looked at Marina. “Shouldn’t you be going to your seat, Mother?”
“You’re really going through with this?” Marina tried one last time to make her daughter see reason. Evelyn nodded and she sighed. “It’s an awful lot of money to spend on a marriage that isn’t going to last a month.”
“Marina,” William snapped at her, “go sit down. Let Evelyn have this day.” He watched his wife go and kissed Evelyn on the hand. “She only wants what is best for you, angel.”
“But she doesn’t agree with me what is best, Father,” Evelyn said to him. “I love Geoffrey and we are going to have a very long and happy life together.”
“Then let’s get going,” Esme nodded and opened the door.
Evelyn floated along from that point on. It was a dream she was participating in. Geoffrey was waiting for her at the end of the aisle set up in the center of the ballroom. His twin and their cousin, Cezar Ivanescu stood at his side. Lily, Esme, and Claudia were her maid of honor and bridesmaids. The words were spoken and she heard her voice repeating the vows. Her heart was full of joy as Geoffrey spoke his own vows. Then he lifted the veil at the end of it, and he smiled as he saw the tears flowing down her cheeks. He kissed her warmly and she melted into his arms willingly. The minister had to clear his throat to get their attention.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said with a laugh in his voice, “it is my honor to present to you, Geoffrey and Evelyn Talbot.”
Lily was beaming happily as Gregory escorted her down the aisle behind the newly married couple. Evelyn and Geoffrey were so lost in each other Lily doubted they heard the applause and cheers. They were all whisked away for wedding photographs and finally arrived at the tent set up in the back for the reception two hours later. Lily saw Gregory move away from her during the dancing and knew he was going after the Senator. She begged off more dancing on the grounds she was still recovering from her illness and sat down at the head table to take off the shoes. There was only one man here whose arms she wanted to be in.
“It’s time for your sister to change, dear,” Marina told her as Lily was looking for Gregory a half hour later. “She wants you to help her.” She patted Lily’s hand as the girl looked around for Esme or Evelyn. “I concede defeat, darling. Please forgive me for being a stubborn old woman.”
“All right,” Lily nodded.