Page 71 of Deceiving an Earl
“You are grasping at straws. People will talk. They will say you’re marrying beneath your station. You’re a countess, for God’s sake.”
She lifted her chin, and her eyes flashed. “They talk now, anyway.”
“But you’re still accepted in Society.”
“And I will be with William, too.”
“Ellen.” He took a step closer to her, and she backed up. “Don’t do this.”
“I have to.”
“Why? Why do you have to?”
“I…I want this, Oliver.”
“Do you? Do you truly?”
She hesitated, and he felt a moment of thrill that she was wavering. Maybe he had a slim chance, and a slim chance was better than no chance.
“I truly do.”
“I don’t understand.”
Her expression softened, and for a moment he thought she was going to reach out to him, but she didn’t.
“It’s not up to you to understand. You don’t need to understand, because none of this concerns you. We had something wonderful once, a long time ago.”
“And just a few days ago.”
She shook her head. “No, Oliver.”
He refused to believe that their lovemaking had meant so little to her. Ellen may have bohemian friends, but she did not live a bohemian lifestyle.
“You cried in my arms. I told you my plans for us, that we were finally going to make it, to be together, and you cried. You didn’t tell me we don’t suit. You didn’t say that we will only ever be friends.”
“You can’t come around here anymore,” she said.
He felt as if she’d punched him in the gut, and he wanted to fold in half with the pain of it.
“You don’t mean that,” he said.
She lifted her chin. “I do.”
“What about Philip? There are still things I need to teach him.”What about me?
“Philip will be fine. He’ll learn in other ways.”
“What? Needham is going to teach him?” He scoffed, but inside he was devastated. She was taking Philip from him. She was taking everything from him, his hopes and dreams for his future.
“Of course not. I will figure something out.”
“I promised the headmaster I would ensure that his behavior had improved.”
“I will talk to the headmaster myself. The Fieldhurst name is prominent. I’m certain that with a little persuasion the headmaster will allow Philip to return next semester.”
“And what about Philip himself? What does he say to all of this?”
She hesitated. “In time he will understand.”
