“How dare you!” Elliot found himself stepping forward, with such anger that he couldn’t bear to listen to any more of it. “You would seek to blame a will for all of this? In fact, you seek to blame Ophelia’s late father’s wishes for whatyouhave done? Do not let yourself live under such a delusion.”
His anger was only calmed by Ophelia’s touch to his arm.
“He is right,” she said boldly to her stepmother. “You delude yourself by blaming my father. Every action you have taken was a decision of your own making, nothing more.”
Another tear slipped down Gertrude’s cheek and she hung her head. Elliot prayed she did feel some shame for what she had done, and it was not all an act.
“I’m so sor—”
“Don’t say the word,” Ophelia pleaded. “I know you are not sorry; I do not wish to hear it. You are simply saddened your plan did not work.” She stepped slowly forwards, releasing Elliot and moving towards her stepmother.
“I wanted us to be friends, Gertrude. I truly did. But I cannot make a friend of someone who would so willingly work against my own happiness for their own ends. Today shall be the last you and I see each other. If you ever wish to remedy our relationship, then write to me, but do not expect forgiveness easily.”
Ophelia turned, not letting her posture fault as she looked at Elliot. He smiled at her, impressed with how well she handled herself in this moment.
She is a true duchess.
When her eyes flicked behind him, he realised they were not alone. Elliot turned to see Lord Chester was standing there. As their gazes locked, Lord Chester backed up. He spun on his heel and ran from the room.
Elliot dashed after him, aware that Gertrude shouted after them to call him back, but Elliot did not stop. He caught up with Lord Chester at the bottom of the staircase and grabbed his arm, tugging him back down again. In that moment, Elliot was seriously tempted to hurt him, but he restrained himself, jerking the man backwards instead.
“Know this,” Elliot muttered darkly. “Come near my wife again, and I will make your life miserable. Seek out a way to drive us apart and I will not be so merciful as I am this time as to not hurt you. In fact… I think you should leave the country.”
“W-what!” Lord Chester spluttered.
“Leave, for good.” Elliot pushed the man away, watching him stumble and struggle to stand. “Or I start telling thetonof what kind of man Lord Chester really is, paying the staff they trust to turn against them, and using actresses to cause trouble at home. Do you wish thetonto hear of your scandals?”
Lord Chester stumbled back further, turning red in the face.
“Speak!” Elliot demanded, wanting to hear the defence of a man who had worked so hard against his happiness.
“She shouldn’t have married you,” Lord Chester muttered angrily.
“Greedy man. You only ever wanted the money.”
“And you did not?” Lord Chester asked wildly, gesturing to Elliot. “A penniless duke? Look at her and tell me you wanted anything but that.”
Looking over his shoulder, Elliot saw Ophelia approaching him, her eyes wide. Elliot extended his hand, waiting for her to approach. She did so quickly, placing her hand in his.
“She means everything to me,” Elliot said, not taking his eyes off Ophelia. “Much more so than I would deign to explain to a manipulator such as yourself.”
The more Elliot thought of it, the more he realised that since the moment he had met Ophelia, there was something there between them. The attraction, the excitement, the bond that had them returning to one another, even when they were confused—they’d always had the capacity to fall in love. He just had to wait for it to happen.
“Remember my warning,” Elliot said, turning his gaze on Lord Chester. “Leave, or I tell thetonof who you really are.”
As Elliot led Ophelia toward the door, he smiled to see her wave at Lord Chester, a final goodbye that she clearly took pleasure in giving. Once they were out the door, they both strode toward the carriage that awaited them, climbing in quickly.
“What now?” Ophelia said, so happy that she could not sit back in her seat.
“We could journey home,” Elliot offered, then gestured to her upright posture. “You look too excited for a long journey in a carriage, though.”
“I am overawed. Yes, that is the best way to describe it. I am full of all this agitation I harbour toward Gertrude and Lord Chester. I find I cannot relax yet.” She shook her head, unable to do it. “There is something I want to do, but doing it seems too absurd. I wonder what you will think…” She eyed him as she spoke, her blue eyes narrowing a little.
“If you wished to confuse me, then you have accomplished it quite brilliantly,” he pointed out, watching as she leaned past him, looking out toward the carriage window. They turned two streets before she knocked on the wall of the carriage, urging it to stop. “Why are we stopping?” he asked.
“Because before we leave, there is somewhere I wish to take you.” She stepped down from the carriage before Elliot could, leaving him to trail after her. “We will be back shortly!” she called to the driver, then she led a hurried path down the road.
“Ophelia? Care to give me a hint as to where we are going?” he called, practically having to run after her. “Ophelia!”