“I see,” Beatrice rasped.
“And this marriage intention you speak of—was I going to be asked at all? Or because you purchased me, does that mean you are simply selling me once again as a piece of property?”
“Beatrice,no.”Algernon’s deep voice was thick with emotion as he reached for her.
She flinched as his hands drew close, and as he froze at her reaction, she took the opportunity to leave his bed.
His bed. That she had willingly come to.
Beatrice flushed, enraged at her own foolishness.
“Of course,Henry is going to ask you properly, and of course, you may answer how you wish,” Algernon hurried to explain, “but my brother, despite all of his favorable qualities can be a bit… impulsive with his decisions. I wanted to ensure that he was serious about taking care of you before he asked you to marry him as I did not want him to make you feel hopeful and then let you down by changing his mind.”
“No,youdid that, Algernon,” she bit out. “Youhurt me.”
Algernon flinched back, as if she had just slapped him hard across the face. Guilt surged through Beatrice so quickly that she had to look away.
“It is my fault,” she choked out, shaking her head. “From the beginning, you told me that these were just lessons. It was I that started to believe that they were something else.”
“Theydidturn into something else,” Algernon insisted, “and that is the problem. I was never supposed to be—we were never supposed to?—”
“Get this close?” Beatrice finished for him, sparing a hurt glance his way.
The pain in his eyes mirrored in her own as he silently nodded.
“And you do not want me?” she whispered. “At least not beyond these little stolen moments.”
“That is not true,” Algernon sighed, shaking his head wearily. “But my brother needs you more than I do. This marriage will protect him.”
“Fromwhat?”Beatrice demanded, caught somewhere between rage and heartache. “You keep saying things like that about Henry, but what is it exactly a marriage will protect him from?”
Algernon looked tortured as he slowly shook his head.
“I cannot tell you,” he whispered after a long moment of silence. “He needs?—”
“He needs to be the one to tell me,” she cut him off angrily. “I am aware. You say it so very often.”
She hurried over to her nightgown.
“Look away,” she commanded.
“Beatrice, please wait,” Algernon implored, taking a step toward her with his arms outstretched. “None of this is coming out properly. I?—”
“I said look away!” she snapped loudly.
Algernon’s mouth shut with a sneer upon his lips, but he turned his back to her. Hurriedly, Beatrice exchanged the bed sheet for her nightgown, and without a word, she began walking toward the door. She had it open barely an inch before Algernon’s hand appeared above hers, and he pushed it shut.
Tears sprouted from Beatrice’s eyes as she whirled on him, hating how quickly body warmed by being so close to his.
“Let me out,” she seethed through gritted teeth.
“I do not want things to end this way between us,” Algernon insisted, his green eyes imploring her to listen. “Please, Beatrice, I know I made some mistakes, but I want us to try to remain friends.”
“Friends?”she hissed, her tears starting to trickle down her cheeks. Her chest felt like it was about to burst with how much she wanted to scream. Her throat begged to let out her sobs.
Through it all, she did her best to draw in a breath, and the sound was ragged and raw.
“We were never friends,” she rasped. “We couldneverbe friends. I was—am—just a purchase to you, remember? I was—am—just a game piece for you to move around as you saw fit. Well, congratulations. You seem to have won your game.”