Shattered Dreams (6 page)

“You know better than that.”

His tone contained a sharpness that revealed the depth of his anger. “Yes, I suppose I should have. Regardless, I was invited and so I’ve come.”

“Then please make this easier on both of us and leave.”

“And if I don’t? Would you remove me from your home, Harrison?”

He hesitated then answered her with, “I’m hoping you won’t make me.”

She held his formidable glare for several agonizing seconds and fought the urge to storm past him and out the front door. Nothing would relieve her more than to show Harrison Prescott her back and never see him again. But she couldn’t. In this, she didn’t have a choice.

She took a deep breath and braced her shoulders. “I was invited to this gathering and have the invitation to prove it. Whether you approve of my presence or not doesn’t matter. You have no hold over me. I won’t allow you to intimidate me or force me to leave.”

Harrison’s eyes had always been a brown so deep and rich they were almost black. Their warmth had always been one of the endearing qualities she’d loved most about him. Tonight there was no tenderness in them. Nor did they glisten with hospitality or kindness.

Tonight they blazed with a fury so intense it almost bordered on—

No, not
almost
. His gaze blazed with a fury so intense it sparked with blatant hatred. But he had no more right to ownership of that emotion than she did. The memory of how he’d rejected her when she’d needed him most stiffened her resolve. She raised her chin a haughty inch and lifted her shoulders in defiance.

“Then stay
, Lady Lathamton
. It matters not to me.”

With that he spun on his heel and walked toward the door.

“You would leave me to see myself in to dinner?”

He halted at the doorway. His shoulders stiffened even more, if that were possible, and the loud, angry huff of his breathing sent a shiver down her spine.

He turned and took a step back to her. “No,” he said, gracing her with a smile that lacked the warmth she’d once seen. The lift of his lips sent icy chills spiraling through every part of her body. His fake smile contained only bitterness and resentment. And another emotion Cassie refused to consider.

“Although
leaving
you is no more than you deserve, I refuse to stoop so low as to do so. Especially since I know I could never compete with the master of deceit.”

His words were like a slap to her face and caused the intended pain. “No,” she managed with a haughty air that gave him pause. “
Abandonment
is more your style.”

“Do you blame me?”

She wanted to laugh. “No, one can hardly expect the righteous Marquess of Fellingsdown to defend someone the gossipmongers accused so thoroughly. After all, how could anyone expect the future Duke of Sheridan to accept anything less than perfection?”

“I never expected you to be perfect,” he said with sharp, clipped words. “All that mattered was your love. Your faithfulness. But you could give me neither, could you, Lady Lathamton?”

Cassie wanted to slap the condescending expression from his face. She wanted to storm from the room and leave the man she’d once loved with all her heart far behind. She wanted to go back to the home she’d made for herself with her son and never have to look at Harrison Prescott, Marquess of Fellingsdown again. But she couldn’t.

When he held out his arm, she had no choice but to place her hand atop his jacket sleeve. And pray he didn’t notice how much his words had affected her.

Or how close to tears he’d brought her.

Chapter 6

Elly’s heart pounded so hard inside her chest she was certain Charfield could hear it. If he did, though, he didn’t show it. Neither had he seemed overly surprised when Harrison helped her to her feet then handed her the cane.

Most surprising of all, he hadn’t shown any embarrassment when he realized he’d been saddled with someone who was deformed.

She worried her bottom lip, not knowing exactly how to handle this. Wasn’t it enough that she had to worry about Harrison and Cassie? Elly wasn’t sure she’d survive this evening. Or the next two weeks.

She knew it was highly unlikely a minute would go by when at least one of her siblings wouldn’t check on her. Even the twins’ expressions told her they’d come to her rescue at a moment’s notice.

She could imagine the dread Charfield was experiencing. No doubt he was cringing at the thought that Harrison’s actions tonight were a prelude to what would be expected of him the next two weeks. He may even think her brothers and sisters had tricked him into attending because they were trying to force a marriage.

Her face warmed. She had to reassure him that after this first dinner, he wouldn’t be expected to escort her again. She couldn’t bear to have him think her family intended to foist their lame sister on him. She wanted him to know this before they went in to dinner. It would make the evening so much more bearable.

Elly looked over her shoulder to the room where they’d left Harrison and Cassandra. She was glad they weren’t coming yet. It would give her time to say what she must.

“Are you going to force me to initiate a conversation all night or is your silence just a temporary condition?”

Elly swallowed a startled gasp and stopped in the middle of the long hallway that led to the formal dining room. She blinked once then looked up at him.

He was smiling.

“What?”

“I’d like to know what’s churning through that pretty little head of yours. You’re terribly quiet and I’m sure silence is not one of your virtues.”

She breathed a deep sigh. “You’re right. I’m hardly ever quiet.”

“Then why don’t you tell me what has you so worried. Is it Lady Lathamton?”

“Lady Lathamton?”

“I couldn’t help but notice your brother’s reaction to her appearance.”

“That’s because seeing her here was such a shock.”

“Why a shock? Lathamton estates borders The Down to the east doesn’t it? Surely she visits often.”

When Elly didn’t respond right away Charfield leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms in a relaxed pose. “Are you saying this is the first time Lady Lathamton has visited since her marriage?”

“Yes,” Elly said softly. “Lady Lathamton has been in mourning for the last year.”

“I heard about Lathamton’s illness and death.”

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t, however, explain your brother’s almost violent reaction to seeing her.” The furrows deepened across his brow.

Elly gave up trying to hide anything from Charfield. “We all thought there might be a marriage between Cassie and Harrison. But when that didn’t happen...”

“Of course. I seem to recall your brother’s name being linked to Lady Lathamton’s before she married. And the suddenness of her marriage to another man.”

“Yes, but—“

“I’m surprised her name was included on the guest list.”

Elly swallowed hard. Before she could come up with an excuse Charfield would believe, his lips curved upward and he laughed.

“He didn’t know, did he?”

Elly stiffened her spine. “We could hardly have a gathering at The Down and not invite Lady Lathamton.”

Elly leaned heavier on her cane. She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to try to explain why Cassie had been invited, or why there was so much animosity between her brother and her best friend. But she did. “I’m not sure what happened, but Cassie and Harrison didn’t part on good terms. They seemed so happy when they were together, then...”

“There was the hint of scandal and her sudden marriage to Lathamton.”

Elly nodded. “It happened so fast. One minute she and Harrison were planning a future together. The next Cassie was married to another man.”

Charfield pushed himself away from the wall. “And you think you can get them back together again.”

“I want my best friend to be able to visit me whether Harrison is here or not.”

“You saw your brother’s reaction when Lady Lathamton arrived. Do you think that’s possible?”

Elly hoped her expression didn’t reveal how hopeless she feared the results would be. “I have two weeks. A lot can happen in two weeks.”

Charfield smiled. “That’s true. Ever so much can happen in two weeks.”

Elly’s heart skipped a beat. Charfield didn’t know how right he was.
Ever so much could happen in two weeks.
That was another reason she had to disassociate herself from him as soon as possible. The pull she felt toward him spelled nothing but trouble.

Yes, ever so much could happen in two weeks. Even heartache was a distinct possibility if she were foolish enough to let it go so far.

She looked back to the closed door.

“Are you afraid it might not have been wise to leave them alone?”

“They did look as if either one of them could commit murder.”

“I hardly think that’s likely.”

“I hope you’re right.” She locked her gaze with his. “There’s something else I need to discuss with you.” She worried her lower lip while she thought how to begin.

His voice caught her attention. “Something terribly important, I gather.”

“Yes.”

Charfield turned to face her with his arms crossed over his chest. His pose caused the fine cut of his expensive jacket to pull over his broad shoulders. She didn’t think she’d ever seen anyone so magnificently formed. Not even her four brothers were so perfect in build. And she’d always considered them the most handsome men in all of England.

Then she made the mistake of focusing on his face.

She swallowed hard. His complexion was a deep bronze. His hair the color of dark coffee. And his eyes a blue as bright as a clear summer sky.

Elly hunted for a word to describe his rugged, yet handsome features and the only word that came to mind was...beautiful.

Her heart shifted. Every horrible experience she’d endured in London haunted her. She remembered the cuts she’d received from the debutantes who didn’t want to be sullied by associating with someone so physically inferior. The female gender could be viciously cruel, especially when they were competing for the attentions of the most eligible males in Society.

But what had hurt more was being rejected time and again by the men of the
ton
. She’d naïvely believed the males she’d meet would accept her disability the same as her brothers did.

Instead she’d found the opposite to be true.

Looks were everything. Beauty attracted beauty, and those less than perfect were considered an embarrassment.

Elly had been an embarrassment.

At first, Harrison and George had tried to include her on outings to which they’d been invited. But it wasn’t long before the invitations diminished as people realized there was the possibility their deformed sister might tag along.

And there were always the comments.

Initially she tried to pretend she didn’t hear them, tried to pretend she didn’t notice everyone was snickering at the unfortunate male who’d drawn the short straw and was forced to be her escort. And nearly always that male was the least handsome man in the room.

Someone as magnificently handsome as the Earl of Charfield would
never
have been forced to be her escort.

Elly lifted her shoulders and rushed to say the words she knew must be said before she lost courage.

“I’d like to apologize. I didn’t realize Harrison intended to push me off onto you.”

Charfield’s gaze narrowed.

Elly raised her chin an inch higher and blurted out the rest of her words before she couldn’t. “I know we will probably be forced into each other’s company several times over the next two weeks but please understand that I do not expect you to repeatedly partner me.”

The expression on his face turned darker, the look in his eyes more frigid. For several long seconds he didn’t say anything. Finally, he clamped his hands behind his back and drew a breath that broadened his shoulders even more.

“I won’t insult your intelligence or mine by pretending I don’t know what you’re talking about. You have a slight limp. It obviously doesn’t hamper your ability to get from one place to the other and it
definitely
doesn’t impede your ability to ride. You handle a horse better than any female I’ve ever seen. What I don’t understand is why you would think such a minor physical imperfection would make a difference to me.”

She knew she should be flattered by his compliments. There’d been a time when she would have been. But that was years ago. Now, his insincere comments only frustrated her.

“Because it always has. I spent a whole London Season watching a room empty when I hobbled in.”

“You don’t hobble.”

“I observed everyone avert their gaze so they could pretend not to notice me.”

“Well, I’m not looking away. I’ve noticed you. And I’m fascinated by you.”

Elly tightened her fingers around the marble knob of her cane. “Well, don’t be. I accepted my future a long time ago.”

He paused and cocked his head to the side. “What future is that?”

Elly couldn’t answer him. The future she saw for herself wasn’t something she wanted to share with him. With anyone.

Luckily, she didn’t have to say more because the door flew open and Harrison came down the hall at a pace that gave proof to his irritation. He was escorting Lady Lathamton, but from the expression on his face, having her anywhere near him was the last thing he desired.

Charfield took a step. “This conversation isn’t over, Lady Elyssa.”

Elly blinked. Did he think her offer to excuse him from partnering her was a test of what kind of man he was? Did he think she evaluated him and he didn’t want to seem lacking? Surely not.

“My words weren’t a challenge, Lord Charfield. I wasn’t testing your gallantry.”

“I didn’t think you were,” he said with more flippancy than his last remark. “I merely think you underestimate me.”

“I—”

He held up a finger to stop her words and nodded to where Harrison and Cassandra were coming down the hall. “They don’t seem any happier, do you think?”

Elly shook her head.

“I think perhaps keeping a friendly conversation going at dinner may well be a bit of a task tonight,” he said as the couple neared them.

Because Harrison wasn’t married, the role of hostess automatically fell to her and if the deep furrows on Harrison’s forehead were any indication of his mood, they wouldn’t get two friendly sentences from him all night.

“If you promise a rematch of our race today, I promise to be at my friendliest during dinner and help you keep the table conversation flowing.”

She couldn’t help but smile. In fact, what she really wanted to do was lean up and kiss him on the cheek and whisper “thank you” in his ear. She pulled back, appalled that she’d had such a thought.

“Thank you,” she said in a whisper that came out far too heavy. “That would be lovely.” She paused. “But only because I intend to soundly beat you in our rematch. I’ve been planning my strategy all day.”

His threw back his head and laughed. The sound was so natural and carefree it sent a wave of warmth rushing over her. And drew a threatening glare from Harrison.

“Shouldn’t you be inside?” her brother said as he marched Lady Lathamton past them.

“We thought we’d wait for you, Harrison,” she said placing her hand back on Charfield’s proffered arm.

“Afraid I might commit murder?” her brother said over his shoulder.

“The thought did cross my mind.”

Harrison gave her a look that had the power to destroy a weaker person. Elly just gave Cassandra her most reassuring smile, then she and Charfield followed them into the dining room.

In her dreams, when she was on the arm of a man as handsome as the Earl of Charfield, she was whole again, and her limp was hardly evident. But that was in her dreams. In reality, her gait was decidedly uneven, her limp as noticeable as ever.

Her imperfection remained a blatant reminder not to allow herself to imagine her dreams might be within reach. They weren’t and never would be.

She shifted her gaze from Cassie and Harrison to Charfield. This promised to be a very interesting two weeks. Charfield added a complication she hadn’t counted on, but everything else was going as planned.

___

Harrison looked down the table at the long line of guests seated to his left then brought his gaze back up the right side. His eyes avoided the person seated beside him. He wasn’t ready yet to look at her for any length. Tonight was the first time he’d seen Cassandra since before she’d become the Marchioness of Lathamton more than four years ago.