Page 53 of Tutoring a Lady into Sin
He marvelled at her bravery and tenacity, then leaned even nearer so that he could attempt to hear not just Percival’s arguments, but hers as well.
“This will not suffice. I cannot live this charade any longer,” Percy said in his most demanding voice.
Phineas snorted.
That is just like my big brother. Even when a lady is casting him aside, he wishes to maintain the upper hand.
Phineas could hear a lady whispering but could not make out any of her mutterings other than the word “Please.”
Oh, my love. How she must be suffering.
He could hold his ground no longer. While Phineas wanted to give Christianna this moment to defend their love and speak her piece, he also did not wish for her to endure Percy’s persistent pestering on her own.
I must stand at her side. We must do this together.
Phineas pushed open the door, fully expecting to see Christianna and Percival standing there, but the room was entirely vacant. Phineas turned from left to right, absolutely certain that his ears could not have been deceiving him. His eyes swept around the room, then he strode to the chairs nearest the hearth.
The fire was smouldering there, indicating no one had poked at it or laid a log on it for some time. Not a single candle illuminated the space, and with each passing moment, Phineas became more convinced that he had just imagined Percival and Christianna’s whispered conversation.
I have not slept well as of late…what with staying near to Felton. But I surely have not lost all my senses entirely.
It was one thing to be overwrought but entirely another to begin imagining a situation just because he wished it to be so.
“Percy, please…” These words floated to Phineas, and he suddenly understood what he had been missing when he made his initial inspection of the room. Near the window seat, where he and Christianna often liked to sit together, the big bay windows had been left open.
Because it was the middle of summer, there was little breeze to be had, so Phineas had not readily noticed anything amiss in the room. But now, he realised that Percy and Christianna were having their private conversation out in the flower garden nearest to the library window. He crept forward, wanting to hear how Percy would respond to her latest entreaty.
“But I love you,” Percy insisted. “We are meant to be together.”
“You do not know what you are saying,” Christianna returned. “You have not thought this through completely.”
“I have thought through all the ramifications,” Percy replied with a great deal of vehemence. “In just two days, you shall be my wife, then no one will be able to stand between us.”
“But…” Christianna started to say something additionally, then her words were whisked away. Phineas leaned as close to the window as he dared without completely revealing himself to either of them. He could not hear what either was saying, and then, it occurred to him that neither was speaking.
He is kissing her. He is kissing my Christianna.
An intense feeling of outrage bundled inside of Phineas, and he was tempted to throw the library windows open just as far as they would go and leap out so he might take them both by surprise.
“You are mine, my love,” Percy said breathlessly. “Do rest easy. I will take care of everything.”
Phineas’ head hammered, making his temples throb as he absorbed his brother’s words.
All this time, I had been thinking that Christianna was my lady…my love, but I have been deceived.
He stomped out of the room, flinging the door wide, then slamming it behind himself. He no longer cared about being covert.
Let them hear me. They both need to know that I am on to their game.
While Phineas had dared to believe that Christianna loved him in return and had even ventured to think that she might want a future with him, he felt now that a spotlight had been shown on the truth of the matter.
Christianna only ever wanted me to be her tutor. From the beginning, she wished for me to show her what to do so she might become the type of wife who would please someone like Percival. I suppose I gave her exactly what she desired.
As Phineas marched to his bedchambers, his fury subsided, and it was replaced by an unyielding sense of sorrow. He remembered the way Christianna had tried to catch Percival’s attention on so many occasions. He recalled quite vividly the way she had laughed and smirked as they danced together.
She had always delighted in the warmth of his teasing, leastways when it was directed at her. He knew he should not be surprised now to learn that she had spent the last two days testing out the tips and tricks Phineas had taught her and had finally ensnared Percival’s heart, but he was, in fact, quite astonished.
In less than the span of one day, Phineas had lost Felton, and now, it seemed, he was going to have to say goodbye to Christianna as well.
