Page 35 of The Heiress Masquerade (Dollar Princess #2)

After finishing telling Harrison and Mrs. Holbrook of all that had happened, the reality of the situation slowly started to penetrate and Aimee’s whole body began to shake. She’d been so focused on surviving that she hadn’t had time to give in to her fear, but now that she was safe it was all she could think of…

That and the fact that two people were dead, and she was the catalyst for their deaths. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Holbrook. It’s my fault. I never should have switched places with my cousin.”

Mrs. Holbrook swiped away her own tears and a stalwart expression grew on her face. “It’s not your fault, Aimee. It’s mine, and mine alone. I shouldn’t have kept my sister’s journal, and then Molly never would have embarked on any of this.”

“Neither of you are to blame,” Harrison said, his voice gruff. “Now let’s get you back to the house.” He glanced over to Aimee, his expression distant and cold. “You’re soaked to the bone and freezing.”

“S-so are y-you both,” Aimee said, her teeth suddenly chattering against each other as the cold of the night began to hit her and she felt so tired that she didn’t know how she’d have the energy to walk back.

“We’re not the ones shaking like a leaf,” Harrison replied, before bending down and scooping her up into his arms.

Aimee didn’t have the energy to object, nor did she want to. Instead, she looped her hands around his neck and snuggled into the warmth of his chest as he cradled her to him. He was so vibrantly warm and strong, and she felt so safe in his arms, that she never wanted to let go.

Everything became a blur after that, and she was only just aware of him talking to Wilheimer through a servant, and arranging things, before the gradual movement of him walking through the woods began to lull her to sleep. As much as she tried to resist the pull, her eyelids grew heavy until she’d couldn’t keep them open and sleep took her.

When she next opened her eyes, confusion gripped her, and then panic. She was alone in a bed, in a mostly dark room, lit only by a lamp on a bedside table.

“It’s all right,” Harrison’s voice whispered from the shadows. “You’re safe.”

Aimee sat up and swung her gaze over to him. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, his eyes crinkled in fatigue and what looked like regret. “Where are we?”

“In your room at Wilheimer’s,” he replied. “You fell asleep as soon as I picked you up and didn’t even wake when I put you to bed.”

She glanced down at her nightgown and blushed. “You changed my clothes?”

“Yes. They were soaking wet and I didn’t think you’d mind, given I’ve seen you naked before.”

She cleared her throat. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.” She still felt slightly mortified she hadn’t even woken up to change herself. “Um, thank you, then.”

A brief smile twisted at the corner of his lips before he replaced it with a frown. “There’s no need to thank me given you’ll shortly be cursing me, I’m sure.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why? What have you done?”

“It’s not what I’ve done, it’s what I’m about to.” His voice sounded ominous. “I intend to change the scope of our marriage agreement.”

“How?” she asked, swinging her legs out of bed to sit and face him.

“I wish for our marriage to be in name only, going forward,” he began. “Which means I have no intention of sharing your bed again or having children with you.”

“I know what it means,” she replied, trying to process his words. “But I don’t understand why.”

“You don’t need to understand,” he said, standing and buttoning up his jacket.

“Of course I need to.” She swung her legs to the side of the bed and stood to meet his gaze. “What’s suddenly changed, Harrison? Don’t you need an heir or want a proper wife?”

“No. I don’t want or need either.” His voice was cold and clipped, with a finality that Aimee found devastating.

“But why not?”

“You nearly died, Aimee,” he said, like he was discussing the weather.

“How does that change anything?”

“It changes everything! I can’t fall in love with you any more than I’ve started to, or I’ll be ruined when you’re taken from me.”

“You’re starting to love me?” Her breath caught. “But that changes everything.”

“It does. It means this marriage will only go ahead if it’s a business arrangement. Nothing more and nothing less.”

“If you love me, then we can have a proper marriage like my parents.”

“We will never have that.”

“Why not?” What was wrong with him?

“Because nearly losing you tonight was devastating, and I will not go through that again! I’d be utterly destroyed if I had to. And if we had children, it would be a thousand times worse…” His voice trailed off and he took in a deep breath. “I’d rather be alone now than face that inevitable heartache in the future.”

“But isn’t a life without love a half life?” Perhaps she could make him understand.

“I don’t wish to discuss it further with you.”

“Well, too bad, because we’re going to.”

“No, we’re not,” he replied curtly, getting his jacket from the back of the chair and putting it on. “I’ve explained the situation to you and we will leave it at that. You can go back to your sleep. There’s a few hours left till dawn.”

He began to walk around the bed but she rushed in front of him and put her hands out against his chest. “You’re not going anywhere.”

He glanced down at her hands and raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think you can stop me?”

She dropped her hands and took a step back from him, knowing full well it was pointless to pretend she could. “You can’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with me, but then decree we’re going to have a marriage in name only. That’s not how it works.”

“If I hadn’t dishonored you, I wouldn’t be marrying you.”

The blunt honesty in his words sliced through her heart.

“But since I have,” he continued, “I will do the honorable thing and marry you. So long as you understand it will be in name only.”

“Oh, you’ve made that perfectly clear.” An unholy rage filled her. “But there’s something you need to understand, Harrison.” She pressed her lips together for a moment, praying she had the strength not to cry in front of him. “Death is an inevitability for all of us, and if you don’t have the courage to love me, even with the possibility you might one day lose me, you don’t deserve my love or my hand in marriage.”

“It’s the only honorable—”

“Stop saying that!” Aimee cut him off. “I don’t care about your honor. I care about your heart, and if you can’t give me that, then I won’t be marrying you!” She marched over to the door and yanked it wide, never having been so angry and devastated all at the same time. “Please leave.”

“I’m under an obligation to marry you—”

“Don’t you dare keep saying that!” she yelled, caring little if she woke the entire household. “Now leave. I intend to go back to New York and I don’t want to see you ever again. Not unless you stop being a coward and have the courage to love me as I deserve to be loved.”

His whole body braced as if she’d slapped him. “I’m being realistic, not a coward.”

“Call it whatever you will. Now, please leave. I don’t want to see you again.”

“We can’t not see each other again,” he muttered, walking over to where she stood by the door. “I have to get you back to London.”

“I’m perfectly capable of returning to London with Mrs. Holbrook, while you can arrange transport with one of the other guests. I’m sure Lady Whitley would oblige.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared pointedly out the door.

“I don’t want to end things like this,” he replied as he walked out into the hallway and turned back to face her.

Neither did she, but she was too proud to beg when he’d made his feelings clear. “There’s no other way they can end.” And with that, she closed the door in his face and collapsed against it.

When she heard his footsteps finally recede, she let go of the tears she’d been desperately holding at bay, wondering if they’d ever stop.