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Guy held her gaze as he shared, “I didn’t come to Anmore to investigate the coal mines.”
“You didn’t?” she asked, hesitantly.
“No,” he replied. “I came to track down the members of the coal miners’ trade union and have them arrested.”
She took a step back. “You did?”
“I did.”
“But I know you are sympathetic to the plight of the coal workers,” she rushed out. “I saw you helping them when the pit collapsed.”
Guy nodded. “It is true, but my loyalties lie with the Crown.”
Her eyes grew wide when realization dawned. “But I was the one who introduced you to Burke,” she said. “It will be my fault that he is arrested.”
Guy remained silent as he watched her.
“You used me,” she said.
“I did.”
Tears came into her eyes. “Are you going to arrest me, as well?”
“I am not.”
“Why?” she asked. “I gave Burke money for the cause.”
He averted his gaze. “I think you know the reason why.”
A tear slid down her cheek, and she swiped it away with her hand. “You are right,” she said. “You are not the man I thought you were.”
His jaw clenched. “I am sorry, Miss Locke.”
She held her head high. “You should go, Mr. Stewart.”
“That would be for the best.”
As he turned to leave, she asked a question that she dreaded the answer to. “Was any of it real?”
She could see his eyes were moist as he replied, “My affection towards you was real.”
“How do I know that to be true?”
A brief smile came to his lips. “Because I broke one of my rules.”
“Which was?”
He paused. “I fell in love.”
Her breath hitched at his declaration, but before she could say anything in response, he left. She walked over to the window and watched as he and Hawthorne mounted their horses.
As they rode off, Daphne knew that Mr. Stewart was taking her heart with him. But it changed nothing. He had lied to her, deceived her. For what? So he could arrest the members of the trade union formed to help the people in the coal mines.
She felt like a fool. She had been so blinded by her affection for Mr. Stewart that she allowed herself to be duped.
Phineas stepped into the room and asked, “Are you all right, Cousin?”
She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I will be.”
