Independence & Consequences, M J Marlow [read out loud books .txt] 📗

she is happy, Rafael, so how can I deny her that?” “It is hard when you do not know if you now have a new uncle,” Rafael nodded, “or a new Papa?” He took her hand in his and kissed it. “I am hoping for the later, Isabel,” he told her truthfully. “I find the idea of you being my cousin quite unacceptable.” “You do?” Isabel said softly as she recognized that look in his eye. “You are such a delightful creature, Isabel,” Rafael continued as he leaned closer. “If you are my cousin, then I will love you as a cousin.” His hand moved up to cup her cheek. “If you are not, I want to…” “Rafael,” his father hissed as he came to their side. “You will stop this at once!” He watched Rafael get to his feet, glaring at him for the interruption. “Isabel.” He nodded his head to her. “Your mother is in need of your assistance.” Isabel watched the man turn on his heel and leave. She got to her feet and went to Liza. Liza pulled her to the stateroom and had Isabel help her out of her gown. Liza pulled on a negligee, a happy smile on her face. Sebastian came to join them. He smiled at the sight of his fiancé so eager to be in his arms. “You are free to return to the reception, child,” he said to Isabel, his eyes only on Liza. “Guillermo and Emilio will see you there.” Isabel watched as the two guards entered. She knew they would not listen to any of her wishes in the matter. She went to the lounge and sat down to watch as the other passengers celebrated the engagement of her aunt-mother to Sebastian Guerrero. She was not allowed to sit for long as the single men in the lounge claimed her for one dance after another. The guards quickly extricated her from any man they deemed treating her inappropriately. They were keeping a very close eye on her. She would soon be a Guerrero and must be protected. “She says she’s happy,” Isabel told MacGregor when he claimed her for a dance later that evening. “What can I do?” “Tell me the truth,” MacGregor whispered into her ear. She looked up at him, stunned that he realized she was in trouble. “Not here,” he continued as they danced. “I’ll find a way to get you alone…” He frowned as Guillermo moved closer. “It would appear that it will not be tonight.” He bowed to her and went to claim another lady for the next dance. Isabel waved off the eager young man coming for her and went to sit down. She was tired and wanted to rest a moment. He looked very disappointed, but he rallied and went to find another partner. Emilio came up to her and held out his hand. It was obviously time for her to go to bed. She got up and caught Rafael’s eyes on her as she left. Something in the way he was looking at her made her very uncomfortable. “I won’t do it, Father,” he said tightly as he turned to his father. “She is an innocent.” “She is a tool, hijjo,” Enrique corrected him, “that I mean to wield at every possible chance.” He glared at his son. “She can not be left in Guerrero’s hands. Now that she is part of his family, either as niece or daughter, he will see her protected.” “And you want me to keep that from happening.” Rafael sighed. “We aren’t even certain who she is yet.” “We will be,” Enrique told him firmly, “before you marry her.” Rafael looked at him sharply. “It will be the price I demand for her crime.” He laughed at his son’s expression. “Do not worry, hijo. I know you will make her very happy.” “I never realized just how much I hated you,” Rafael hissed, “until this moment.” He knew he had to do what he was told, for Isabel’s sake. “Very well, Father. I will do as you ask.” “I never doubted it, hijo,” Enrique nodded. He returned to Olivia’s side and pulled her into a dance. “You are back on his leash, hermano,” Alejandra smiled up at him as she came to his side with a glass of champagne. She handed it to him and raised her own. “Shall we make a toast? To the lovely Isabel!” He did not move and she pouted. She set her glass aside and took his hand. “Dance with me, hermano,” she requested as she pulled him out to the dance floor. “You know this is the only way you can help her, do you not?” Rafael nodded helplessly. “Then be happy about it, Rafael. She will be an Alvarez after all.” “Not like this!” Rafael hissed at her. He tried to leave her and Alejandra dug her claws into his arm. He would not make a scene, her eyes were telling him. “Dios mio! What has this family of ours become, that we do such things?” “Only insured that it will continue to be as powerful as it is,” Alejandra told him with a very pleased smile on her pretty face. “You bring the future daughter of Guerrero into our house. That will strengthen our hold on the man.” “At the price of that child’s freedom,” Rafael frowned. “What would happen if I went to Guerrero and told him of your little plan for his niece or daughter?” “Then Isabel would vanish,” Alejandra told him bluntly. “A girl of her beauty would be quite a delight on the white slave market!” She laughed at his horrified expression. “You are such an innocent, hermano. Are you really my brother?” The dance ended and Rafael stormed out of the lounge. He went to the rail and leaned on it, trying to come to terms with what he was being asked to do. How could he not do what they asked? He could not let them destroy this girl. Cousin or wife, she was important to him. He turned as he heard someone approaching and it was Isabel. Emilio was standing behind her, at guard. The man hadn’t been able to resist her tears when she told him she wished to go for a walk before bed. “You’re still hoping I am not your cousin,” Isabel said as she looked up at him shyly. “I would protect you no matter how it turned out,” he told her fiercely. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “Believe me.” “I don’t know who to trust anymore,” Isabel sighed as she pulled free of his hold. She leaned on the railing and looked out over the moonlit water. “My life was so uncomplicated when I thought Olivia was my mother. Why did it have to change?” “There is something I need to tell you, Isabel,” Rafael said, suddenly determined that she know what was happening. “My father…” What he had been meaning to say died on his lips as Enrique came towards them. Rafael kissed her on the cheek and left her with his father. Enrique nodded to the men he had brought with him and they took Isabel by the arms. Emilio took a step forward and Enrique held something up in his hand. Emilio frowned, but stepped down. Enrique turned on his heel and his men brought Isabel along. She was taken to her stateroom and made to sit down. Isabel looked over at Olivia, who would not meet her eyes. “Your ‘mother’ has confessed everything, girl,” Enrique told her coldly. “You are a part of the con she was trying to pull on my family.” “What?” Isabel looked over at Olivia in shock. “What is he talking about, Olivia?” “You can quit the act, darling,” Olivia said coldly. “I know you heard Roger and I talking about it.” She looked over at Enrique. “He is the family enforcer. He was not pleased to learn that you were intending to masquerade as his niece.” “But, I…” “You will be taken in front of the Council, girl,” Enrique told her bluntly. “Your confederates have already been punished. It only remains to see what your judgment will be.” He turned to his men. “She is to be locked in here until the Council arrives to pronounce sentence on her.” He held his hand out to Olivia. “Come along, my dear.” “You can’t do this!” Isabel cried and ran for the door. It shut just as she was reaching it and she heard the lock being engaged. “Let me out of here!” she demanded and beat on the door. “I haven’t done anything!” No one answered her. Isabel went to the window seat and sank down on it, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn’t understand this. How could she be guilty of a con that someone else was planning? She would have fought them every step of the way. So, she suddenly realized, they had gone ahead with it without telling her it was in play. Just who was this Council the man had spoken of, and why did they have any say in her life? She saw the door open and watched as Sebastian came in. He was not happy. He nodded towards her and Emilio grabbed her and pinned her arms behind her back. “You have been lying to me, girl,” Sebastian snarled. He slapped her across the face, his eyes cold. “I would have given you everything as my niece. Why couldn’t that be enough?” “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Isabel cried out in protest. Emilio cuffed her wrists behind her back. “Why are you doing this?” “I am Captain of the Council Guard,” Sebastian told her. “It is my duty to take you into custody and hold you secured until the trial begins.” “But I didn’t do anything,” Isabel cried. She saw the hard look on his face and knew he was not going to believe her. “Let me talk to Liza.” “You will never talk to her again,” Sebastian told her. “You are outlaw to my family now and no longer exist.” He nodded and Emilio shoved her down into a chair. “Emilio will stand watch over you until it is time.” Sebastian left the stateroom and Isabel looked at the door in stunned silence. What was going on here? One moment she was looking forward to learning just who she belonged to, and the next she was being accused of a crime. Olivia had actually lied to put her in this position. She didn’t understand any of it. She looked over at Emilio and knew she would find no help in that quarter. She got up and went to lie on the bed, exhausted. * Gordon was just beginning to wake when he heard the sounds of a struggle nearby. He turned his head to see two Langs fighting on the other side of the room. He tried to call for help, but he couldn’t seem to make any noise. He tried to raise his head and found that he had been strapped down and gagged. He could only watch as his friend’s son fought for his life. Eventually one of the Langs overcame the other. Gordon knew it was the wrong one when the victor pulled a knife and raised it into the air. The door burst open and the knife went flying as Max shot it out of the impostor’s hand. Jake was taken into custody quickly after that and dragged out as the doctor and nurses came running. “He’s still alive,” the doctor said in relief. “This young man is tough.” “Takes after his father,” Gordon nodded as the nurse removed the gag and undid the shackles. “Can I get up now, Doctor?” “Our young friend here is the only one who needs to be in a hospital,” the doctor replied. “Just don’t push yourself too hard for the next