Page 72 of Song of the Caged Duchess

Esther didn’t know what to say. She felt as if her insides were falling apart.

Nothing her aunt had said was a lie. There was nothing she could deny.

It didn’t tell the whole story. Far from it.

But every word of it was true.

Before she could come up with an answer, Hugh got to his feet.

“I beg your pardon, ladies,” he said. “But I seem to have lost my appetite. In fact, I feel rather ill. Perhaps it’s best if I take my leave of you early.”

He left the room.

Aunt Tabitha picked up her knife and fork and calmly cut a bite of meat. “Well,” she said, “that’scertainly a shame, isn’t it?”

Esther ignored her. She only had eyes for her cousin now—Eugenia, who had betrayed her so completely.

But Eugenia wouldn’t meet her gaze.

Thoroughly enraged at the both of them, Esther jumped to her feet and set off in pursuit of Hugh.

Chapter 27

“Hugh, wait!”

Hugh didn’t turn around at the sound of Esther’s voice behind him, even though he could feel a tug at his heartstrings. He wanted to turn back. He wanted to give her a chance to explain herself, to account for the things her aunt had said. He wanted to hear that it wasn’t true.

But Lady Harcourt simply couldn’t have known those things unless someone had told her.

It wasn’t just the fact that Esther had spoken sharply to him. It was the way she had come to him the second time. The way she had spoken disparagingly about social events, and about the ladies who attended them purely for the sake of finding a wealthy husband, or one with high status. Even Lady Eugenia had not been present for that conversation.

Esther must have described it to her cousin or to her aunt.

He couldn’t help but imagine the three of them sitting around laughing about the fact that he had been taken in.

“Hugh!”

She was much closer now, and he could tell that she was running.

And in spite of everything, Hugh was still a gentleman.

He forced himself to stop, to turn and face her, little though he wanted to.

She looked distraught. It was an expression he had never seen on her face. Esther was usually so in control of herself. But at the moment, she looked as if she was about to fall apart.

“Wait,” she said. “Just wait. Please. Let me explain.”

He folded his arms across his chest, but he didn’t speak. He wasn’t sure that he could.

I love her.

What he had heard hadn’t made his feelings go away. He suspected that would take time. And it was excruciating to stand here looking at her and to know that the relationship they had had was about to fall apart.

I want to fight for her. But how can I, knowing that she’s been deceiving me all along? I can’t do that to myself.

“My aunt…” Esther seemed to be struggling to find words. “She hates me, Hugh. I’ve spoken to you about that.”

“You’ve told me that she wants me to abandon you and to court her daughter instead,” Hugh said.