“I know you two care for one another,” Delphine replied.
“No, no, no, you have it all wrong,” Miss Eden rushed out. “I have been trying to help George… er… Mr. Simpkin…”
Delphine put her hand up. “You can stop with the lies. I overheard you two in the library earlier today.”
Miss Eden’s shoulders slumped. “We didn’t want this to happen, but it just did,” she revealed. “I’m sorry.”
Mr. Simpkin waved his hand in front of him. “We do not owe Delphine an explanation.”
Bennett spoke up. “You might be interested to know that a woman can petition for divorce from a husband in cases of adultery in Scotland.”
“This was your plan all along!” Mr. Simpkin shouted. “You tricked us.”
“You will have to be a little more convincing when you appear before the judge,” Bennett mocked.
Miss Eden’s eyes grew panicked. “Delphine, you must believe me that I didn’t plan this,” she insisted.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” Delphine asked.
“I don’t know, but I was wrong not to do so,” Miss Eden said.
Mr. Simpkin came to stand by Miss Eden. “Enough talking, Charlotte!” he ordered as he reached for her arm. “Come along. There is no point in staying here a moment longer since we are no longer welcome.”
Miss Eden yanked her arm back. “I am not going anywhere yet. I want to explain myself to Delphine.”
In a low growl, Mr. Simpkin said, “You are making a fool of yourself.”
Turning back towards Delphine, Miss Eden clasped her hands in front of her and winced. “I do not want to lose you over this,” she stated dejectedly.
Delphine regarded Miss Eden with wariness in her eyes. “I just do not understand why you didn’t tell me the truth when you first arrived.”
“I wanted to, but I was scared,” Miss Eden admitted. “I hadn’t planned on falling in love with Mr. Simpkin.”
“Charlotte! You must stop talking!” Mr. Simpkin shouted.
Lady Dallington’s concerned voice came from the doorway. “Dear heavens, what is all the shouting about?”
Mr. Simpkin reached for Miss Eden’s arm as he addressed Lady Dallington. “Thank you for your hospitality, but I am afraid Miss Eden and I will take our leave now.”
“Now?” his mother asked. “It is dark outside and our guests have already started to arrive.”
“Then we shall stay at the boarding house in the village,” Mr. Simpkin stated before he led Miss Eden out of the room.
His mother turned her questioning glance towards Bennett. “Do you care to explain what just happened?”
No.
But did he have a choice?
Bennett opened his mouth to explain but Delphine spoke first. “I’m afraid Mr. Simpkin and Charlotte were displeased that I would not be traveling home with them.”
Elodie entered the room and muttered, “Good riddance.”
“Precisely,” Delphine responded. “Let’s not have their outburst take away from our fun this evening.”
His mother looked conflicted. “Very well, but I will expect to hear all about what truly happened tomorrow.”
Bennett walked over to Delphine and asked in a hushed voice, “Are you all right?”
