“I was sent to humiliate youandyour father. To reenact the aftermath of our first kiss on an even grander scale. My father expected you to obey yours and agree to the betrothal.” Elijah took a deep breath. “I was to wait until the next day, when you told the happy news to your friends, and had the announcement printed in the papers. Until ideally you and your father were standing before the altar in front of witnesses... and then jilt you publicly, saying...” He coughed into his fist. “I won’t repeat it.”
She recoiled in horror.
“I didn’t do it,” he said quickly.
“You weregoingto do it.” Her blood had drained, leaving her as faint and unsteady as if hehadaccomplished his goal. He’d been close. She would have accepted a third proposal, and walked right into his trap. “That’s why you came. That was the plan all along.”
He never wanted the farmorher.
She was just a Harper Horse.
A foolish, forgettable beast.
Olive covered her mouth with her hand.
He reached over the fence. “Don’t—”
She slapped his hand away. “You have no right to tell me what to do. I knewbetterthan to trust you. I should never have trusted you.”
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I told him I wouldn’t do it, and I didn’t do it.”
“When did you have this miraculous attack of conscience?” she demanded, her voice scratchy. “Did you wake up this morning and decide today was the day to stop being a scoundrel? Did you send the marquess a quick note saying, ‘Guess you’ll have to be a knave all on your own?’”
He winced. “Father... is at Marlowe Castle.”
“Todaywasthe day you tired of being the villain,” she choked out in disbelief. “All of the days up to now...” He’d beenpretending. Stringing her along. Plotting a theatrical jilt designed for maximum mortification. “And your father has been waiting just along the road for a bird’s-eye view.”
Elijah’s eyes were haunted. “I never wanted to cause you pain.”
She laughed harshly. “You didn’t think this would hurt?”
“Very well, I deserved that. I didn’twantto harm you, and I knew it would. But I wasn’t doing ittocause you pain. My father promised me—”
“I don’t care if he promised you the Throne,” she burst out. “I don’t forgive you. I never will.”
And she would never forgive herself for her role in the charade.
Hehadn’t stolen a kiss. She had given it to him with permission.Hehadn’t compromised her against her will. She had all but demanded they be lovers, and been positivelysmugwhen he’d agreed.
She was the perfect mark. She’d wanted to believe in a courtship so badly, she’d ignored that it was coming fromhim.
Every moment was a lie designed to hurt her.
And it did.
“Congratulations.” She backed away, her words like gravel in her throat. “You did manage to humiliate me. It wasn’t the public embarrassment you and your father hoped for, but it will have to suffice. Goodbye, Elijah. Our arrangement is over.”
Chapter 15
Eli pressed up against the log fence. “Olive—”
But it was too late.
She hauled herself onto the closest horse. With a press of her heels, she and Charley shot off toward the woods and were gone.
Wonderful.
That conversation had gone exactly as terribly as Eli had imagined.
