That was the first day, he thought. Within adayof meeting him, after one conversation, theMarchioness of Dorchesterconsidered him a worthy contender for Cassandra’s hand. A mother figure who had loved Cassandra since she was a babe. Even as anobody,he had made the cut. Cassandra was the one who rejected him.
As she hadmultipletimes.
“I’ve never been good enough for you, have I?” he asked. Eyes trained ahead, her townhouse short minutes away. “You said it yourself. You never failed to remind me of it. But I didn’t care. Ihadto have you.”
And it cost him everything. His friendship with Cooper, his freedom, fresh air, starry skies andpeaceinstead of this torment. He had traded it all for her when she wouldn’t have made the same sacrifice. When she would have married someone else. Had gone to Hampshire with the goal of marryinganyoneelse.
“Between you and me, I’m concerned about the lengths that she may go to accomplish that goal.”
“Did you trap me in this, Cassandra?”
“Trap you?!”
But it all made sense. “You asked me to make love to you, and you asked me to stay, knowing that Cooper was going to come for you in the morning. What I did was reprehensible, but what you’ve done—”
“I didn’ttrapyou, Seth!”
“You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist you. I’d alreadytoldyou that. So why did you ask me to stay? Because you love me?” He scoffed. “You’ve never said so. You don’t act like you do. Only ramblings in a diary that you climbed a tree to prevent me from seeing.”
“I couldn’tbewith you,” she said, voice on the defensive, but he was tired of having the same argument.
“You could have,” Seth grit out. “You could have the whole time, but you didn’t want to see me as an option until I was youronlyoption.”
“I wanted to marry you! I told you that I would!”
“Yes! Thesecond time! Why did you agree to marry me the second time, and not the first?”
Cassandra remained silent.
Seth grit his teeth.
“Because I hadnothingthe first time, but as soon as you found out that I was wealthy the nightgown fell to the floor. Probably would have happened to anyone, though.”
She flinched, and it was as if he had slapped her himself.
“All of this has been a mistake.” Eyes on the ground, she whispered, “I wish I never met you.”
Seth’s heart plummeted to the ground andshattered.
“You—Cassandra, no. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that!”
But she was already running ahead, leaving Lady Dorchester far behind.
“You didn’t mean itlike that.”
He rushed after her.
“I didn’t mean itat all!”
She turned the corner. They were nearing the end of the park. Soon, she would be on her street.
And she would be gone.
“I was slapped today, for defending you! My brotherhatesme, for choosing you! You aren’t the only one who has made sacrifices, we’re both in our own personal hell, Seth!”
“Cassandra, stop andlistento me!”
“I’m done talking to you!”
