He struck out, connecting with her shoulder, sending her to the floor with a shriek of surprise.
“Evie?” He rose on his elbows, looking for her.
“Yes, it’s me.” She climbed to her feet. “You were dreaming.”
She watched him blink several times.
“Why were you on the floor?”
“You were having a nightmare and—”
“I hit you?”
“It was an accident, Anthony.”
“No!” He got up, backing away from her as she reached for him. “No,” he said, this time softly, and to Evie it sounded like a vow. He then grabbed his clothes and began to dress.
“Anthony, what’s going on? Talk to me.” She touched his arm, but he pulled away as if she’d struck him.
“Please talk to me.” Evie could hear the desperation in her voice.
He turned to face her only after he was finished, his expression empty, face pale.
“I don’t want to marry you.”
“P-pardon?” Evie whispered, stunned. “You said our engagement was now real, and what we just did—”
“No, I’ve changed my mind. I have no wish to marry.”
His words were cold and hard. If he’d struck her, the shock would have been no less.
“You don’t mean that, Anthony. What we shared, just did—”
“Dress now and go back to the house.” He cut off her words.
This couldn’t be happening. She had reached the gentle man who had just made love to her. This wasn’t him, and she refused to believe what he’d said. He did want to marry her.
“Anthony, what is going on?” Evie pulled on her chemise, and then her dress, as he remained silent. “Please. You owe me that much.”
“I owe you nothing more than what was in our agreement. After the season is over, we will never see each other again, and both continue with our lives. I will pay your sister’s dowry, if that is what it takes to end this.”
She didn’t flinch at the cruelty of those words like she wanted to, nor wrap her arms around her waist to stop the pain. Because Evie was strong and, in that moment, she would use her pride as a shield for as long as she could.
Something had happened while he slept. A memory of past pain that had him pushing her away. Evie also knew, looking at his tight closed expression, he would not listen to any words she spoke right now. She tamped down the rush of panic that he never would and that what demons haunted him would keep him from her forever.
She needed to say what she must and leave before the promise of tears became a torrent down her cheeks. No way did she want him to sneer at her for weeping, which in his current mood he would.
“I don’t know what happened, Anthony, or what that nightmare was about, but I am no fool and know that you were serious when you said you wanted our marriage to be real.”
“I—”
“Just as I know the man who kissed and touched me. The man who was so gentle when he took my innocence is not the cold one standing before me now.”
“Don’t profess to know me, Miss Spencer, I—”
“But if you are too much of a coward,” she cut him off, “to face whatever that was, or let me help you fight your demons by your side, then so be it. I will not beg.”
“I don’t need anyone’s help. What I need is for you to leave.” His words cut through her with the accuracy of a blade.
