“Marrywhowithin Torrens?” Elowen asked stupidly.
“Well…” Sophia gave a laugh that was more pained than humorous. “Bertrand, of course.”
“Of course?” The words were ripped from Elowen, revulsion washing over her at the thought. “What do you mean, of course? Sophia, why are you always trying to push me toward Bertrand?”
“Because I want you as a sister,” Sophia said. “And...” She swallowed, then said in a rush, “And because I don’t want to marry Patrick.”
“What are you talking about?” Elowen demanded, glad to feel her mind emerging from the fog somewhat.
Sophia twisted her hands together in her lap, not meeting her friend’s eye. “I’m not supposed to say this, but my parents have been urging us to make one of those matches happen for as long as I can remember. I always thought it would be you and Bertrand, so I never worried too much. But then this betrothal alliance changed everything.”
Elowen sat in stunned silence for a moment, fighting a feeling of betrayal. But why should she feel surprised? Of course the duke and duchess would wish for one of their children to marry into the royal family. And Sophia had never seemed to understand about Bertrand. She probably really did hope for Elowen as a sister.
“As far as Bertrand and I are concerned, the betrothal alliance changed nothing,” she told her friend firmly. “There was never any thought of my marrying him, and if he believes we were somehow intended for one another before the alliance was proposed, he’s out of his mind.” Her voice hardened. “If your parents covet a crown, you’ll have to marry Patrick.”
“It’s not like that,” Sophia protested, her face pale. “Please don’t be angry, Elowen. My parents meant no harm, they just…”She trailed off, and when she spoke again, her voice was more determined. “And please don’t be offended, but I don’t want to marry Patrick.”
“My sweet Sophia, of course I’m not offended,” Elowen said in incredulous impatience. “But surely I can expect the same consideration when I tell you that I have no desire at all to marry Bertrand.”
Sophia made a noise in her throat. “I know you find his manner of teasing tiresome at times, but he would settle down once he was sure of you,” she assured Elowen. “Don’t you think you’d be happy as his wife, staying here in Torrens?”
“No, I don’t.” The words came out with too much force. “I think I’d be miserable!” She studied her friend’s earnest face. “Sophia, I’m sorry to speak bluntly and cause you pain, but I don’t know how else to make you understand. Bertrand is not a good man.”
“How can you say—”
Elowen cut off the protest she was sure came from pure force of habit. “You see the way he treats Simeon.”
Distress crossed Sophia’s face. “Yes,” she said softly. “And I hate it. I can acknowledge Bertrand has a blind spot when it comes to Simeon. I think he’s a little jealous, because he was never allowed to study magic. But—”
“No, Sophia.” Elowen cut her friend off again. “It’s you who have a blind spot when it comes to Bertrand. The way he treats Simeon is perfectly in keeping with everything else he does.”
Elowen’s emotions were threatening to ride her once again, the relief of finally saying all these things to her friend vying with the near-hysteria that threatened to rise whenever she remembered the way Bertrand had pinned her against the wall.
“That’s not fair, Elowen,” Sophia said. “He’s always been so attentive to you, his preference for you has always been made clear.”
“Yes,” Elowen agreed, frustrated at the overwhelmed tears stinging the corners of her eyes. “And my repeated attempts to show that I don’t welcome his attention have made no difference. That’s not honorable behavior, Sophia.”
“Elowen, I—you don’t understand—the thing is, Bertrand…” Sophia’s weak words trailed off as Elowen rose.
“I don’t feel well,” she said, not caring that her words were abrupt. “I’m going to retire to bed.” Not looking back at her friend, and avoiding both searching the room for Theo and her mother’s attempts to catch her attention, Elowen strode from the room.
Chapter
Fifteen
Theo had intended to rise early the next morning to see Flora and Cassius off on their journey. But when dawn came, he couldn’t face it. They wouldn’t be sorry for an inconspicuous departure, and he was in no state to be seen after one of the least restful nights he’d ever passed. Every time he’d closed his eyes to sleep, his vision had been filled with the sight of Lord Bertrand leaning in toward Elowen, their posture intimate, and her calm demeanor suggesting it wasn’t the first time.
First her clandestine moment with Simeon outside the library, then an attempt to steal a kiss with Lord Bertrand at the ball?
No. Theo took hold of his thoughts, sternly pulling them back into line. That kind of sordid speculation was beneath him. Maybe he’d get momentary satisfaction from telling himself that Elowen was lacking in virtue, but that didn’t make it true. They weren’t strangers anymore. He’d come to know a lot about her since his arrival in Toledda, and the more he’d discovered, the more convinced he’d become of her intelligence and character.
In other words, the harder he’d fallen,an unhelpfully emotional voice tried to correct him, but he pushed it aside.That wasn’t the point. The point was that the idea of Elowen being loose was contrary to all he knew of her and of her circumstances. And he despised the kind of man who thought all women unfaithful and untrustworthy simply because the one he wanted wasn’t pleased by him. He fought down a pang at the fresh reminder of how little he apparently pleased Elowen, trying to focus on the issue at hand.
Since he couldn’t believe she was brazenly engaging in real dalliances, the only explanation he could find was that she was trying to provoke him into competing for her, as she’d basically admitted she’d intended from the start.
Was that much better?
Theo was tempted to avoid breakfast, but he told himself sternly that he owed it to his kingdom and his honor to face his enemies head on, even if the enemy in question felt suspiciously like heartbreak. Would it please Elowen to know how much her campaign was affecting him? It didn’t seem like a good kind of satisfaction to give, if so.
