As thoughts of their marriage stirred within him, Owen’s eyes darkened, shadowed by an inscrutable depth.

It was said that she had used underhanded means to force Alexander into marriage, leaving him no choice. For the longest time, he had taken those rumors as truth, unassailable and absolute. But the more their paths intersected, the clearer it became—she didn’t seem the type. Her mind, her intentions, didn’t align with such elaborate schemes.

Her heart, ...