“I am,” she replied unconvincingly.
“I’m not inclined to believe you.”
“Why is that?”
He gave her a knowing look. “You have been crying.”
“It is over a trivial thing.”
“Such as?”
She lowered her gaze. “I’m afraid I can’t say.”
“Can’t or won’t?” he asked. “Because there is a difference.”
A tear slid down her cheek, and she reached up to wipe it away. “Something terrible happened this morning.”
“Surely it can’t be that bad.”
“No, it is truly awful.”
He could hear the pain in her voice, and that was his undoing. He lowered his voice. “You can trust me, Henrietta.”
“I know I can, but I have no doubt that you will be disappointed in me.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I am constantly disappointing everyone in my life.”
He took another step towards her, and she had to tilt her head to look up at him. “You could never disappoint me.”
“I assure you that is not true.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” he encouraged.
Her eyes watched him as if gauging his sincerity. Finally, she spoke. “This morning, Mr. Drew snuck into my room and confessed his love to me.”
“He did?”
She nodded.
“What did you say?” he asked, holding his breath.
“I informed him that I did not feel the same way he did.”
Charles let out a relieved sigh. “That is good to hear.”
Henrietta gave him an odd look, but thankfully she didn’t question him on what he meant by that. “After I told him that I didn’t share his affection, he got angry and told me that I had no choice but to marry him.”
“Is that so?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“He threw a vase against the wall and awoke the household,” she shared. “My family came running into my bedchamber and saw Mr. Drew standing there.”
“The blackguard,” he muttered.
“My father demanded that we should be wed at once.”
Charles furrowed his brow. “Even though Mr. Drew is trying to entrap you?” he questioned.
