Chapter 2

There was no way I could end the pregnancy at the estate. It would cause too much commotion, and Charles would find out.

I made up an excuse and told everyone I wanted to spend a few days at the country house to clear my head.

But before I could leave, an invitation arrived, sealed with red wax.

The gathering was meant for unmarried men and women. I wanted to decline, but Charles' wife, Olivia, insisted on bringing me along.

I was afraid she might notice something was off, so I agreed.

The party was crowded. I slipped away to a quiet spot by the lake to catch my breath, and that was where I ran into Clara Lynn.

She held a hatpin and was pressing it against a young maid's face.

I didn't want trouble, but I couldn't stand by and watch. "Ms. Lynn, aren't you worried someone might see this and call you cruel?"

Clara's face twisted with rage, and she lunged at me with the hatpin.

I stepped aside. She couldn't stop herself and tumbled straight into the water.

"Clara, how did you end up in the lake?" A familiar voice came from behind me.

I froze.

Edward walked over and reached down to pull Clara out first. Then he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

He held Clara close and walked toward me. She leaned into his chest, her voice small and pitiful. "Edward, Sophia pushed me in. You have to get her back for me. Push her in too."

Edward looked at me, something dark and unreadable stirring behind his eyes. "Ms. Shea, would you rather jump in yourself, or should I push you?"

His voice was cold. "I wonder if Ms. Shea fell into the water, would any of those fine young gentlemen at the party come running?"

I stood my ground.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the water's edge.

I struggled and told him it wasn't me, that she had fallen in on her own.

He wouldn't listen. He said if someone pushed another person, they deserved the same punishment.

He shoved me hard, and I plunged into the lake.

The water was freezing. It flooded my mouth and nose, and I choked, gasping for air.

I thrashed my way upright and found the water only reached my waist.

But Clara was already on the bank, picking up stones and hurling them at me.

The first one hit my shoulder. The second grazed my forehead. The third struck my back. She threw four or five before Edward finally spoke up. "That's enough."

After they left, I crawled out of the water, soaking wet and unable to stop the tears. The cold on my skin, though, was nothing compared to the cold settling inside me.

Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw me. I told her I had slipped and fallen in. She grabbed a cloak right away, wrapped it around me, and hurried me back to the manor to change.

*****

We were stepping into the carriage when one of Edward's servants arrived carrying a bowl of hot broth. "Mr. Grant says Ms. Shea should have something warm after her fall."

Olivia glanced at me with suspicion. "You know Edward?"

I kept my expression steady. "Two years ago at the harvest fair, I got separated from everyone and a few thugs cornered me in an alley. Mr. Grant happened to pass by and helped me."

Olivia frowned. "How come you never mentioned that?"

I managed a small smile and lowered my head. "I knew Charles and him didn't get along, so I never brought it up."

Olivia didn't press further.

"Clara's father, Mr. Richard Lynn, is Edward's mentor," she said. "I've heard the two families are looking to arrange a match. At the event today, Edward and Clara seemed quite close. They make a handsome pair, and the families are well suited."

I told myself that every bit of warmth Edward had shown me over the past two years had been a lie. He had been deceiving me all along.

I should hate him. I shouldn't feel a thing for him.

But Olivia's words cut through me like a knife, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

Olivia stared at me.

My heart started to race, and I was terrified she might see through me.

She patted my hand. "A girl as pretty as our Sophia ought to have a good match by now. Your brother has gone through every eligible bachelor in the city, and not a single one meets his standards."

She smiled. "Tell me, what kind of man do you want?"

My mind was a tangled mess, so I gave her a throwaway answer. "Someone kind. That's all I need."

Olivia nodded. "See, that's right. When it comes to marriage, the man has to be a good person first and foremost."

I ducked my head and pretended to straighten my sleeve, because I didn't want her to see the tears building in my eyes.

I wasn't smart. If I were, I wouldn't have fallen for Edward's gentle act.

Olivia spoke again, and her words carried the weight of both a warning and a lament.

"Edward may have the finest face in the city, and he's certainly capable and talented, but there's an obsessive streak in him that makes him unfit to be a husband.

"It's a shame so many young women have been dazzled by that handsome face and those polished manners. They can't see him for what he really is."

She fixed me with a serious look. "Sophia, you must never get involved with Edward. Your brother would lose his mind."

I lowered my gaze and murmured, "Don't worry, Olivia."