Annan remembered telling Colette to "live for herself"...
Maybe she had fallen in love with the man she was supposed to marry... As the last carriage passed and the street ahead cleared, Annan took up the reins and pondered.
He couldn't sleep, so he had no chance to dream of Baron Valencia grabbing him by the throat and shouting for him to save her daughter. All he could do was share his doubts with Idelia when he got back. "I have a friend whose daughter was against a marriage alliance..."
"Something must have happened to change her mind..." Idelia said softly from her wheelchair.
"Does that happen often?"
“That depends on what happened... After you disappeared, I considered arranging a Marriage Alliance with another noble family to keep the Reeves family line alive.”
"I'm sorry," Annan said. "It won't happen again."
After nearly three years together, it no longer mattered whether Annan was really Levis.
"What do you suggest I do?" Annan asked.
"Investigate what happened first."
"More investigating..."
He had only just extricated himself from Count Turner’s affair.
Fortunately, this time wouldn't be as troublesome. Annan planned to go straight to Colette and talk to her. If she showed the slightest regret, he would find a way to stop the Marriage Alliance. If she didn't... he would have done his duty as a father.
Children grew up. They had to have their own Living, for better or worse...
A sudden stop pitched Annan forward. Then the Coachman screamed in terror outside.
"What happened?"
Annan leaned out the carriage window and saw flame-like long hair dancing in the sunlight.
"I'll go with you."
Annan spoke helplessly to the burly man holding the reins. Quite a few passersby were watching; if the City Guard found out, it would mean more trouble...