Page 382 of From Rakes to Riches

She stiffened. “Forget?”

“Yes. If you work at it hard enough, it eventually won’t bother you anymore.”

“But your father is right here, alive. How can you forget him? Why would you want to?”

His stomach clenched. “You try to forget his actions.”Or they pare away at your insides.But he wasn’t following his own advice. “Do you think the quail is too dry tonight?”

She put down her fork. “My lord, something happened today that I cannot forget.”

“What did my father do?”

“It’s somethingyoudid. I was walking by the library this morning, and since you did not close the door, I overheard some of your conversation.”

He straightened in his chair and looked at her. “My conversation with Miss Lingard, the milliner?”

“Miss Lingard, your mistress.” Her face was pale but determined.

In a low voice, he said, “I made no secret that I was with another woman before you, Victoria.”

“But you told me it was over.”

“And it is. I swore to you as your husband that I would honor you.” And David had looked into Damaris’s sad eyes and had not felt the need for a last night in her arms. Already Victoria held a power over him he had not anticipated.

“What I witnessed today ishonoringme?” she asked.

“I’m not sure how long you stood there, but if you heard the whole conversation, Miss Lingard knows that my relationship with her is over.”

Victoria took a deep breath. “You had a month to end it, and instead youforgot, and that poor woman was forced to come speak to you in your own home, risking her public reputation—or what is left of it.”

“She owns shares in Southern Railway, which is how we met. Our business together did not risk her reputation. Think of me what you will, Victoria, but I would not harm a woman in so callous a way.”

“You don’t think you harmed her?” she asked.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief. He didn’t like that she was trying to make him feel guilty.

“Victoria—”

“You allowed the two of us to meet at a luncheon, when you had not officially told her your affair was through. You let me, your betrothed, converse with her unawares, making me look like the fool.”

“But no one knew,” he said, his anger beginning to thread through his voice.

“Sheknew. And nowIknow.” Her disappointment was palpable. “How did you answer her question today?”

“What question?”

“She asked why you didn’t marry her, a commoner just like me. I left the hall before I could hear your response.”

“We did not suit,” he said in a controlled voice.

“You were obviously suited in plenty of ways that I have not yet allowed you.”

He stared at her, stunned. Was she threatening to leave him, have the wedding annulled before it had even begun? My God, he’d look like a complete fool. “Victoria,” he said quietly, “what do you want from me?”

“Did you tell her that I was penniless, that you felt sorry for me? Is that what you’ve been telling everyone?”

Tears glittered in her eyes.

“I would never do that. We were friends.”

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