“You have ruinedeverything,” the duke hissed through clenched teeth. “You do not even know what damage you have caused. You are a selfish, entitled whelp. It should have beenyou.”
Richard flinched. He tried to shrug off the comment. He tried to think of some witty retort that would havehalfof the emotional impact that his father’s words had just had on him…but he could not think. He could not properly focus on his surroundings when he was trapped in the sudden and brutal ache in his chest.
He did not even see Lady Harrington replace his father at his side until it was too late, and her lecherous touch was upon his arm. She pulled him to the side, walking quickly and capitalizing on his brief moment of distraction. Richard fumbled over his own feet in an attempt to break free of her linked arm, but she practically sank her nails into his arm as she dragged him away from the prying eyes of the guests.
Away from safety. Away from watchful and gossiping eyes. Away from Catherine.
This would not do. He could not be alone with Lady Harrington—he could not allow such a thing. He knew very well what would happen should Catherine emerge and see the pair of them consorting like this. She would jump to conclusions about him being alone with another woman, and he would not even be able to blame her for thinking such things.
“I cannot be here,” Richard explained quickly and attempted once more to yank his arm away as Lady Harrington secluded them behind the topiary walls.
“Since when did you become such a sensitive thing?” Lady Harrington used a voice of satin and all things feminine as she spoke to him with lowered lashes. “I have been dying to have a moment with you since your arrival.”
“There is nothing at all that we could possibly have to speak about. Thank you for hosting this needless party, and I would like to go back to enjoying it. Thank you.” Richard bowed at the waist briskly before turning on his heel.
Lady Harrington caught him by the arm. “Wait a moment!”
Richard could still feel Catherine’s warmth against his chest, the way her soft lips pressed into his—her soft snores when she had gotten into the wrong position last night. He could still remember the way he slipped his hand over the lower portion of her stomach while she slept and imagined—allowed himself the time to dream what their future was going to look like…if their child would take more after himself or her…
“There is a far better way that you could thank me, you know,” Isabella continued, fluttering her lashes. “I know that it would be quite enjoyable to both parties, should the rumors be believed.”
“You have been chasing after my reputation so long, Lady Harrington—you do not know what you want. You want a story, a conversation piece—not a man,” Richard sneered and removed his arm from her reach. “Do not touch me again. I am a married man,” he insisted. He pushed every bit of disgust that he had in his chest toward her into his words, hoping that she might believe them once and for all.
“I threw this party for you, and this is how you treat your friends?”
“We have never been friends.”
“What a cruel thing to say!” Isabella dry sobbed into her hands for a moment. “I went through so much trouble! I just want to do the right thing, as you have abandoned me and broken my heart! How could you be so callous!” Isabella continued, her voice growing louder and louder by the second.
He saw her game now.
“Ah, so you wish to compromise me…cause a scandal in my new marriage by making a scene while we are alone together? Is that the case?” Richard laughed bitterly, his voice cold. “You have no idea how foolish you truly are, do you? No matter what you do to cause issues between us, it shall not matter. Catherine shall always and forever be the one that I love—it willneverbe you.”
All pretense of heartbroken sadness, or hostess, or any other game seemed to fade off of Lady Harrington’s face at the moment she registered his words. In their place was nothing but cruelty.
“We will see about that.”
Chapter 26
Lady Harrington’s Estate
The very last thing that Catherine could have possibly expected was for her mother to walk in.
Lady Arabella breezed in through the open patio doors with a brand-new sun hat on her head. Yellow ribbons streamed out around her person in the mild breeze as she held her hat in place with a lace-gloved hand. She smiled bright as the sun itself, as all of her old friends quickly came rushing over to greet her. Catherine could hear their peals of delight and giggles from all the way across the yard.
In a brand new dress, too.
Catherine smiled softly. Perhaps it was worth it after all. She had been so nervous to invite her mother today. She had even asked that the older womandid notcome. Yet, here she was anyway. Catherine had not seen her mother look so happy in such a long time. She watched with her hand delicately over her mouth as her mother kissed the cheeks of her friends and folded herself into conversation with them like nothing had even happened.
It was not shocking that she wished to move on. That her own humiliation was something she wished to move past. Arabella would push it under the rug and perhaps it was only the decent thing to do that her friends were all being kind enough to do the same.
Even if Catherine could still feel the string of their withdrawn support when everything had happened. Was that just the nature of things that could not be escaped? She bit down on her bottom lip and watched, observant as the whispers of compliments to Arabella’s gown started to filter through the crowd to where she presently sat. It would be infinitely easier to endure the dowager duchess’s snide remarks and comments with her mother at her side.
Never mind the knowledge that Richard could not be stolen from her. He washers. The words had left his very own lips. Even if there were still smaller questions that needed to be settled, she knew that all would sort itself out in time. That was her present outlook. All the better if her mother was here.
She just needed to ensure that the duke was kept far,faraway from her.
Justoneof his terrible comments or intimidating gestures would ruin everything for Arabella.
