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“Though you what?”
She was not about to tell him that she loved him right now. “I thought I could talk to about anything. But if you didn’t pay Collingwood, why do you look so guilty? What did you do, Harry?”
“Nothing,” he replied, turning away from her.
“I know you better than that. What did you do?”
He turned back around and faced her. “I told Ainsley to stay away from you.”
“You did more than that, didn’t you?”
“I offered him five thousand to stop courting you.”
She covered her hand over her mouth as her eyes welled with tears.
“Don’t you dare look at me like that,” he shouted. “This was all your idea. You wanted to marry and foolishly thought I should marry too.”
She heard the commotion of footsteps coming down the hall but could not stop her tirade. “Of course, it all makes sense now. I wasn’t good enough for you or your friend. The only thing I was good enough to be was your mistress.”
“That’s not true, Louisa. I never said you weren’t good enough for me! Christ, Louisa, I—”
The door hurled opened as a footman stared at them both. “I apologize, Your Grace.”
“Get out!” Harry yelled.
“Your Grace, Mr. Smith’s house is ablaze! It’s very bad.”
“Dammit!” He looked at her with anger, still burning in his eyes. “We will finish this when I return.”
She refused even to acknowledge his command as her heart shattered into a million pieces. As he strode out the door, she knew that she would not be here when he returned. How could she stay? Her heart was broken. He’d betrayed her in mind and spirit. She found the young footman.
“Have my carriage readied.”
“Miss?”
“I am returning to London. I need my carriage.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Louisa wiped the tears off her cheeks and then ran upstairs to gather her things. As she packed, the housekeeper entered the room.
“Miss Drake, do you think this is wise?”
“Mrs. White, nothing I do is wise, but this was the most foolish thing I have ever done. I thought he loved me.”
“Come along, let me pack your things.” The housekeeper shooed her away from the bed. “You are not the first lady to make a fool of herself over a man.”
“I realize that.”
“Give the man time. I have known the duke since he was a toddler racing through this house. He is a very good man...better than his father, if you ask me.”
“I would have to agree with you on that,” she admitted, not knowing if the housekeeper had heard the entire truth about the late duke. “But I must return to town. My mother will worry.”
“Of course.” Mrs. White picked up the valise. “Come along. The carriage should be ready momentarily. I will have Cook prepare some food for the trip.”
“Thank you, Mrs. White, but I couldn’t eat anything.”
As they reached the hall, Mrs. White said, “I do hope I shall see you again, Miss Drake. I believe you might be just what the young duke needs.”
