Accidentally Betrothed

m filled with strange jars and dried plants hanging from beams above. She blinked, still trying to shake the surreal sense

gone from being a designer in the modern world to lying in t

ing, guiding her to a bathing chamber with intricately tiled walls and bowls filled with fragrant oils and rose petals. She was scrubbed clean, her hair washed and styled, and afterwa

s said, drawing her attention. "You

ame clung to her, making her feel as if she were wra

owerful woman-the Empress Dowager, mother of Alexander. Emily's heart beat faster. This woman was the one insisting Eleanor marry Alexa

d a sense of authority in every detail. The Empress sat on a high platform, her gaze cold an

Your behavior has disappointed me yet again. First, you disgrace yourself by throwin

idea why Eleanor would have jumped into the river, nor could she offer any defens

rp. "As the daughter of a duke, it is only fitting. But your conduct does nothing to help your

saw Alexander entering the room. His gaze settled on her with an intensity that made her heart clench, but his expression was one of dis

son, that Lady Eleanor is a noble match for you. She is your equal, a t

his resentment boiling beneath his composed exte

d though Emily was escorted from the chamber, the weight of the Empress

ns, fear, and the bewildering realization that she was now trappe