Even Annabelle could not keep the grumpy expression on her face as she spotted the wonderful way that the grand hall of her home had been decorated. The house staff had worked tirelessly all through the previous night and morning to create what looked like a magical room filled with mysteries and wonder.

The candles flickered and danced in the light breeze, creating swaying shadows across the walls. Intricate flower designs weaved along the sides of the room as if they were held there by magic; the long table filled with food enough to have the stomach of every guest in the room growling with hunger. Abraham was right when he insisted their wedding go against tradition, having the food after the ceremony was so much better than a wedding breakfast. The high ceilings, the large windows, the wonderful artwork on the walls all added to the wonderful, happy atmosphere. It shifted the black cloud above Annabelle’s head in an instant.

“Oh my goodness, Annabelle, this is wonderful,” Harriett exclaimed gleefully as she walked through the door. “It looks like something from a story. I cannot believe it, it is simply stunning.”

“How can you know what a story looks like?” Catherine interjected with a dramatic eye roll. “That is just words on a piece of paper. I admit that it looks great here, I am sure Beatrice will be very pleased, but do not get carried away.”

Annabelle did not say anything aloud, but she felt just like Harriett as her awestruck eyes drank everything in. It was just how she imagined story books in her mind, back when she was a child and her governess used to read to her. There was a fantasy style atmosphere in the room and it felt a lot like anything could happen. Within the rules, of course. Annabelle did not think that it was a good idea to cross her father today. Especially not having just been warned to keep herself in check.

“Come on, let us get something to eat,” she said instead. “I do not know about you girls, but I am very hungry.”

Annabelle picked up the bottom of her dress to prevent it from dragging along the ground as she made her way across the hall with her three closest friends in tow. As they moved, all of them discretely glanced their eyes over the other guests in the room. It was no longer just people from the wedding, other friends, business associates, and society people had come to join in with the celebration, and curiosity demanded that the girls needed to know who was there.

Knowing her father, Annabelle felt certain that he would have invited everyone within a radius with any sort of power. He loved to turn everything into an opportunity, it was how he had made such a big success of himself. This would not be any different, he would find a way to use everything to his advantage.

Annabelle saw her father as a ruthless man, but she did not know the story behind it. She had never cared to ask, so Otto had never divulged the truth.

Otto Hathaway had come from a long line of very successful men, the Hathaway inheritance was supposed to be a wonderfully huge one. It would have been too, Otto would have been given a very good start in his life, if his father had not gotten himself sucked into the deep, dark world of gambling. It was just one of those things that started off small, but soon consumed his entire existence. Otto’s father kept this side of his life a secret while he was living, but of course it could not continue on that way forevermore.

By the time he passed away, he left the Hathaway family with an almost inconceivable amount of debt that none of them were expecting. To say it almost destroyed the family from the inside out was putting it mildly. Suddenly having to deal with angry creditors thrust Otto into the deep end. He could have floundered, if he hadn’t been a strong man.

The shock killed his mother, Otto felt sure of it. She passed only a few months later, and he was certain it was all through stress. He tried to take control of everything, but it did not matter how hard he tried, he could not keep it away from her completely.

When her heart gave out and she simply stopped breathing, Otto knew that there was only one person he could blame. His father did not act with the best interests of his family, he did not behave in a sensible way. Otto knew with absolute certainty that he would not make the same mistakes with his own life.

With Otto at the head of the Hathaway family, a role he absolutely relished, he worked tirelessly, sometimes ruthlessly, he did whatever he needed to do to remain on top. With all his determination, he brought his family out of debt and he transformed them back into one of the wealthier ones in the city, all without any damage to the Hathaway reputation. He achieved that by controlling everything, which explained why he did not like to let anyone that he cared about make decisions for themselves. He had been through enough to know best.

“Oh my goodness,” Catherine hissed gleefully as the girls finally reached the food table. “Who is that?”

“Who is who?” Annabelle did not even bother to look. She was far too busy eyeing up the food. Her stomach twisted up in excitable knots as she tried to decide what she would taste first.

“That absolutely gorgeous boy staring at you as if you are the most beautiful woman on the planet.”

“Huh?” That got her attention. Much as she did not feel ready to get married, she still liked the idea of being seen. What girl did not want to feel attractive? “Who?”

"He is on your left-hand side, near the window." Catherine glanced rapidly, far too obviously in Annabelle's opinion. "He has dark hair and a stark black suit on."

“I will take a look now.”

Annabelle spun slowly, looking at absolutely everyone as her eyes passed them. Whoever this person was, she did not want him to think that she was singling him out. She wanted to appear cool and collected as she finally saw him. Eventually, though, she found the only person that fit Catherine's description and as she did her heart unexpectedly stopped dead in her chest for a split second.

“Oh.” She could not even begin to find the right words to explain how she felt as she stared at the man in question. He appeared to be taller than her, with cropped black hair and deep brown eyes that chilled her to the bone. There was something odd about him that Annabelle really did not like. Not that she understood why. “I see.”

“He is gorgeous.” Catherine nudged her playfully. “You should dance with him.”

His lips twisted into a smile which only made Annabelle fear him more. She could not put her finger upon it, there was just something very unlikable about this person. “Oh my goodness, is he coming over?”

In a state of panic, she twisted her whole body around and she gripped onto the table in front of her. Annabelle’s lungs squeezed tight, her breaths fell raggedly out of her mouth, her pulse pounded so hard it caused her entire body to vibrate. She did not want to speak with this man, she did not want to dance with him, she just wanted to enjoy the celebration with her friends. Nothing more.

“He is,” Catherine squealed excitedly. “He is coming to talk with you. Oh, you are so lucky, Annabelle.”

“Do not leave me.” Annabelle stared defiantly at Edith, who she thought she might have more luck with. “Please stay by my side.”

“Hello there, ladies.” The chocolaty smooth voice which could only belong to him rang out behind Annabelle. She tightened her grasp so much that her knuckles turned a funny shade of white. “I am Lord Watson Ashdown, it is lovely to meet you all on this wonderful day.”

“Yes, I am Lady Catherine Wakefield and these are my friends: Edith and Harriett Stanbury, and this here is the sister of the bride; Annabelle Hathaway.”

That was her cue to spin around. Annabelle had to do it if she did not want to behave in a way that would draw any unwanted attention to herself. She had just promised that she would behave herself, and if that meant being polite, then that was what she would do. With only her reputation in mind (maybe she was more like her father than she first realized) she forced a bright smile on her face and she turned.

“It is lovely to meet you, Lord Ashdown.” Annabelle extended her hand out to him. Watson took it and kissed it like a perfect gentleman should. Only the gesture felt empty. “It is wonderful that you could be here to share my sister’s big day.”

“Yes,” he replied thoughtfully. “Although maybe it is a shame that you are here.”

“Pardon?” Annabelle felt her cheeks flame red all the way up to her ears. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, you are outshining her with your beauty,” Watson continued smoothly with a deep, throaty chuckle. “You truly are the prettiest woman in the room.”

Annabelle was utterly blown away, she felt like she’d been knocked off kilter and that the world was spinning beneath her, in the worst possible way. She did not want to hear compliments, she was not ready to deal with this much attention. She needed to make this Lord leave her alone in whatever way she could.

Just because Lord Ashdown was dressed the part in his black coat tail suit jacket, his silky waistcoat, and matching tie, did not make him the sort of man that she wanted to speak with.

“We are just going to the other side of the room,” Catherine jumped in. She wanted to give Annabelle and Lord Ashdown time to speak alone. She could not seem to sense just how upset Annabelle was. Maybe she assumed that she was feeling just a little bit shy. “Come on Edith, Harriett.”

Edith shot Annabelle a worried look, she did not want to leave her friend when she had been specifically asked not to. Annabelle gave her a sharp shake of the head, but Catherine dragged her away regardless of what she wanted. Annabelle looked hopelessly at the girls as they left, leaving her with absolutely no choice but to make small talk for long enough to at least seem polite.

“So, Lord Ashdown, how is it you know my father?” she started, figuring it was a safe place to begin.

“Actually, it is Lord Urwin I know,” he stunned her by replying. “He was a very good friend of my father’s and he was very kind to me when he passed away. He even offered to train me in business so I could take care of myself, despite my young age. I was only fourteen years of age at the time.”

“Oh my goodness, I am very sorry to hear that your father passed away.” Despite herself, Annabelle felt badly for this man. He looked sad, and no one deserved sadness. “That must have been a difficult time for you.”

“It was a decade ago now, I am doing just fine.”

Annabelle felt like she could hear a vulnerability in his tone, despite the fact he wanted to come across as strong. In a way, that reminded her of herself. She did not want to find anything in common with this Lord, but there certainly was that.

“Your father has thrown a lovely celebration for the happy couple. It must make you think about your own wedding.”

Watson wiggled his eyebrows at her, suggesting that he was only teasing. The gesture felt too forward, it caused Annabelle to instinctively take a step backwards. Any gossamer thin connection that she had felt with Lord Ashdown shattered in a heartbeat. She was behaving like a Lady in public, why could he not offer her the same courtesy?

“I do not think so,” she replied coldly. “I am not thinking of marriage just yet.”

“A beautiful woman like you?” Watson ran his eyes over Annabelle’s body as if he wanted to devour her whole. It made her very uncomfortable and caused her arms to wrap protectively around her chest.

Lord Ashdown did not seem to mind that he had upset Annabelle however, he laughed to himself as if he had an inner joke circulating in his brain. If Annabelle was not under strict instructions not to make a scene, she might have asked him why he thought it acceptable to treat her in such a way.

“Would you like to dance?”

Annabelle had always hated dancing. She despised the hours spent with her dancing teacher as a child. It did not help that her father got annoyed with her until she got it right and that her sister seemed to take to it so naturally. Now, with this man who she instinctively despised, the idea of moving to music sent a shudder racing up and down her spine.

“No, I do not think so.”

She turned her head away, trying to end the conversation, but Lord Ashdown did not know how to be refused. It simply was not in his nature.

“You cannot turn me down; your father wishes me to dance with you.”

“He has not mentioned that to me.” Annabelle’s heart thudded so loudly she could feel it in her ears. “He usually lets me know if there is something that he wishes me to do.”

Watson narrowed his eyes at Annabelle, the rejection stung him to the core. Of course, he knew as well as Annabelle did that he could not make a scene about it, but that did not mean he was done.

“Fine,” he announced with a coldness to his tone. “Save our first dance until our wedding day, I do not mind that.”

As he stalked off, Annabelle felt sick to her stomach. There was no way she would be made to get married to that man, especially not now, it was much too soon. But fear crept through her veins anyway. She did not know what her father would do, with her ‘best interests’ at heart, and that terrified her.