Only to have strong arms catch hold of her yet again and keep her from clattering to the ground and further humiliation. Her heart beat so strongly in her ears that she did not register the sound of rapid, hushed voices and shocked whispers until after the initial shock of adrenaline passed.
Only for dread to curl low in her belly all over again as several guests now stood in witness of the intimate way that Richard held her. Her arms were on his in a tightly fisted grip to keep herself upright as he leaned down over her, his mouth only inches from hers.
There was no going back now.
Chapter 10
Rosewood Haven
The tea in front of Catherine had long since gone cold. She could not seem to manage to pull her head out of her hands. She knew what would be waiting for her the moment that she lifted her gaze. She couldfeelher mother’s accusatory stare practically boring a hole into the top of her head.
The same questions that had been unanswered after the ball last night would still remain unanswered today. She had no explanation for her actions—nothing that would satisfy her mother and the assumptions that the older woman was already making.
No amount of truth from Catherine’s lips would sway the woman’s opinion. The cottage had been filled with uncomfortable tension all night. Catherine had barely had a wink of sleep for how she had tossed and turned all night. Nightmares of wide eyes staring at her around every corner, watching her every movement, had been interspersed with dreams of Richard’s hands on her waist and his breath softly gusting over her lips.
How would that situation have ended had they not been seen? If there had not been the interruption of yet another scandal to the Thompson name…would it have ended differently? Would he have, perhaps, kissed her? It felt as if he were considering it before everything had happened. She did not know if she would have allowed such contact or refused it.
Naturally, her mother was beyond furious with her. Arabella had pouted angrily the whole way home. Her temper had snapped when they had finally arrived back at the cottage and then she had proceeded to follow Catherine around the space, hurling insults and questions at her without answer from Catherine for the next hour. Catherine’s poor ears had still been ringing when she had collapsed into her own bed.
The events just kept playing over and over again in her head. She knew that it had not been planned. It was not as if Lord Richard had known that those people were going to come out and witness their interaction. Assumptions had been made so quickly that it had made her head spin.
The entire rest of the evening, from that point forward, had been nothing more than a blurry headache. Now, at tea, her mother was simply waiting for the moment to start attacking her again. Whatever happened to their reputation going forward would now no longer be something that had happened to the pair of them…but now it would be regarded as the consequences of her actions alone. At least as far as Arabella was concerned.
Lady Elizabeth Betancourt had arrived this morning just after the sun came up. Her hemline was wet with morning dew and bits of earth, but her presence was a godsend for Catherine. She had taken over all of the morning chores and even gone so far as to prepare breakfast in silence for the pair of them to simply sit next to one another before Arabella had awoken.
She had sat there with her head resting on Elizabeth’s shoulder for longer than she cared to admit. Even now, her new friend was puttering about the fireplace, attempting to whip together a stew that would sustain the pair of them for the next few days.
Lady Betancourt had witnessed everything herself, but she was not like the others in theton. She far preferred to do things with her own two hands. She was no stranger to being considered an outcast of society in that regard. While she still maintained a full house of servants to wait on her at every turn, she had married into thetonfrom far humbler beginnings.
A rare love match that seemed unshakingly firm every time that Elizabeth spoke of her husband. Which was usually often, but she was quiet about him today out of respect for what had happened.
“Enough!” Arabella finally shouted, shattering the silence that they had all been working in. The noise was sudden enough that Catherine actually flinched away from the sound. “What were you thinking?! You have been sullen and silent long enough! I deserve an explanation for your actions!”
“As I have told you, Mama, it was amistake. It was not what it looked like!” Catherine sighed and let her hands rest on either side of her teacup despite having absolutely no intention of drinking the cold liquid.
“A likely story. I cannot fathom what must have been going through your head. I never would have expected such brazen behavior from you! Have I not endured enough?!” Arabella continued as if her daughter had somehow orchestrated the whole thing as a personal attack to spite her mother. “I could not help what your father did. I am not to blame, and yet you punish me anyway?”
“No, Mama! I am doing nothing of the sort. I speak true when I say that we wereonly speaking.”
“How long has this been going on? It all makes sense now. I thought it strange that Lord Richard would come all of the way out here to deliver invitations. I knew that there had to be something else happening there for him to extend such a kindness. I never would have thought that you were so willing to debase yourself in this fashion to accomplish…whatever your goal is!”
Arabella continued. “You were sloppy in your quest as well! He will never marry you, you know!”
Catherine flinched from the words. While she knew that was the obvious solution to most scandalous situations—somehow, it had not properly occurred to her. She had not even considered it, though, she would not deny that some part of her pride was wounded that her mother found the very notion of her marrying Richard laughable.
“And how will you find another husband now? You will marry somecommonerbecause no proper gentleman will have you?!” Arabella griped bitterly.
Catherine’s gaze shot over to Elizabeth, whose shoulders tightened, but she smiled kindly and shook her head that she was not offended by the woman’s words or the implications behind them.
Arabella heaved a sob from deep inside of her chest and slumped over the table theatrically. “That was our one chance at redemption, and you have made a fool out of us! You have ruined everything! I will never be able to show my face in public again. I shall never again live the life that I loved. Everything that I worked for my whole life…gone…”
Even now, it was Catherine’s first instinct to comfort her mother, but she could not seem to rise from her seat.
“You truly have nothing else to say on your behalf? Darling, I never thought that the woman I raised would have been capable of such cruelty. Even if you had just picked another suitor, then perhaps my humiliation would not be so serious!” Arabella finished with a huff.
“So you had absolutely no issue with attending the ball and using his credit at the modiste. You had no issue so long as it suited you, but actually speaking with him is the issue?” Catherine could hear the words coming out of her mouth but could not believe that they belonged to her. For what purpose was she defending him?
“How dare you speak to me this way.” Arabella huffed.
