AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Oh, I don't know,” he shrugged. “You tell me. Perhaps you were hoping to achieve something with more machinations and it backfired." He smiled, his eyes gleaming with a combination of menace and idiocy.
"Youwould put yourself in harm’s way to accomplish your goals. I am not nitwitted."
"But did you not put yourself in harm's way to secure the betrothal in the first place?" he returned confidently.
Edwina was uncertain what stung more: her current situation and its growing complications, or the truth in her brother's statement. Shehadrisked her reputation to get an offer.
"What pleasure do you derive from stepping on people, Tommen?" she ground out. "What did I ever do to you?"
"You were born,” he said without hesitation.And is that a crime?
“You have confirmed my condition and I would like for you to leave now.”
He pushed away from the door. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” He started to turn but paused, his eyes finding Puppy on the bed. “What is that thing?”
She ignored him and turned to the window. As if Puppy could understand, he began to growl at him. He started and quickly left the room. Kitty, who had excused herself while Edwina and Tommen spoke, returned.
“How are you?” she asked, concerned.
“I have been better.”
“Pay him no mind. He lives to torment people.” She sat down beside her and Puppy moved to her lap. He had taken a liking to her and Edwina was glad. Kitty grinned down at him. “What should we call him?”
“I don’t know yet. I suppose we can call him Puppy for now. I shall find him a proper name but I cannot quite think of one at the moment.”
“It is understandable.” Kitty faced her. “I heard every ugly word Tommen said and I think this should be reason enough for you to not give up on your engagement with the Duke. Talk to him and make him understand. I think he will understand.”
“Maybe you are right or maybe we have both gone completely mad.”
Kitty laughed. “Oh, we have always been mad.”
Edwina tried to cheer up and they played with Puppy but her mood was still dark and she was still afraid. She had brought everything upon herself through her recklessness and selfishness, and that treacherous part of her was telling her that she deserved it.
Prudence had told her, more times than she could count, how she deserved every ill fortune that befell her. Sometimes, Edwina fought not to believe her, and sometimes she gave in. It was easier to believe the bad things.
* * *
The next two days brought equal misery to Edwina as the day the Duke overheard her conversation with Kitty, if not worse. Her foot was healing but her heart and mind were not. If anything, those wounds were putrefying.
She had to be helped around the rooms by Danny and Kitty and she had neither seen nor heard from Albert. Kitty had told her that he had not dined with the guests, nor made an appearance at any of the activities arranged. Some even said he had left the Estate.
On the third morning, while Edwina pushed her breakfast eggs around on her plate, a knock came on the door. She was in the sitting room and Kitty had gone down to eat with the guests. With no one to help her open the door, she called out to the visitor to enter. She had been given a cane for support andcouldanswer the door but she was in the middle of breaking her fast.
She stiffened when Lady Stenton walked gracefully into the room. "Forgive my interruption, dear,” she said with a commiserating smile on her fine features, “but I heard what happened."
"You are not interrupting anything exactly," Edwina replied with almost no life in her voice. “I think your presence is a good thing. It will distract me from forcing any more food down my throat.” She’d had no appetite for days now.
“That cannot be a good thing, dear.” Lady Stenton glanced at her breakfast tray. "But I can understand that being cooped up in a place can take away one’s appetite. May I sit?"
“You need not ask my permission for that,” Edwina replied. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”
She sat beside Edwina on the sofa, appearing more comfortable than Edwina thought she would be. She wondered what had brought her here and hoped she would not bring up Albert or the events of that night. “How is your ankle?”
"It is much better now. I can walk but with a limp. The Doctor said I should keep off it for as long as possible. It is a minor sprain, you see. I was given a cane so that I may be independent.” Edwina explained to keep the course of the conversation under her control.
Although the swelling in her ankle had not completely gone, the pain was considerably less. She only felt it when she moved her foot. "We shall be seeing you about the Estate soon, then?" Lady Stenton asked.
“Perhaps. Walking with a cane is not a becoming look and neither is it comfortable.”
