Chapter 28
Thaddeus hadn’t been able to stop himself from calling out to Isolde as she turned into her room. It just hadn’t felt right, walking away from her like that without telling her how he felt. But then, when she’d turned back to him, he’d hesitated.
He had just promised to give her time. She was about to leave with her siblings and go home to bury her father; she didn’t need his confession weighing on her mind as well.
So he’d merely bid her good night and left, telling himself whatever pain he felt at walking away from her, it was nothing compared to her grief.
As he walked, his mind returned to Cassian and Vivienne. Cassian’s slip of the tongue hadn’t mattered to him when Isolde needed him, but now he couldn’t help dwelling on it. He felt a sudden desire to find Cassian and confront him, forcing him to finish the conversation.
Perhaps it’s better to wait until morning, he thought. But no, he was sick of waiting. If he couldn’t have the truth out between himself and Isolde, he would at least have it out between himself and Cassian.
He had just reached Cassian’s door and lifted his hand to knock when the sounds of raised voices inside stopped him.
“How could you have been so foolish?!”
It was Vivienne’s voice, but not her familiar tone. The carefully dulcet quality was gone, and instead her voice was sharp and full of anger.
“Calm down, it will all be fine.”
Cassian sounded angry as well, and unlike Vivienne’s tone, this was a tone Thaddeus knew well. It was the one Cassian used when he was tired of being bothered with whatever people were concerned about.
“Fine? Fine! Yes, of course. You nearly gave away our plans to the one person whom I must not know, but I am supposed to be calm. Here I am, taking advantage of every opportunity to try to turn his attention to me –”
“And you think I’m not?”
“I think you’re doing what you always do, treating this like a diversion that exists for your personal amusement. Never mind poor Vivienne or what happens to her because you’ll be fine either way.”
“Enough,” Cassian whined.
Enough, indeed, Thaddeus thought. His desire for confrontation had soured, having already learned everything he needed to know.
He felt a bitter taste in his mouth as it all sank in – the extent to which his life had been something to be played with and manipulated for their favored outcome. He’d known Cassian could be callous and arrogant, but he’d not suspected him to be this heartless to the man he called a friend.
“Just give it a little time,” Cassian continued. “I covered well, and anyway, he’s too distracted by the old man’s death to notice.”
“He certainly is,” Vivienne said bitterly. “And you’re twice a fool if you don’t think that threatens our plan. He’s soft, he’ll want to comfort her. Curse that wretched old gambler for dying. I was so close to getting him to break the engagement.”
Hearing her speak so about the death of Isolde’s father was too much for Thaddeus. His grim determination to find the truth was replaced with fierce anger.
Without bothering to knock, he threw the door open and stepped into the room.
“I fear, Lady Bradshaw, that you were nowhere near your goal, and never have been, and never will be.”
They stared at him, open-mouthed and horrified. Cassian was the first to recover, and he pasted a grin over the shocked look on his face, though the fear still showed through in his eyes.
“Harrow! Listening at our door, you rascal? Careful, eavesdropping is a dangerous habit. You might mishear and get the wrong idea about any number of things.”
“Yes? Let me tell you the idea I’ve got.
Beneath Lady Bradshaw’s laughably transparent efforts to win my affections, the two of you have been scheming to push me away from Miss Fairchild.
You’ve said all sorts of things to try to turn my head, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve said them to her, as well. ”
The pair exchanged a quick glance, and Thaddeus felt his stomach drop.
“You have, haven’t you? God knows the damage you’ve done. Well, it stops now. I want you out of my house, and you will never return.”
Vivienne went pale, and Cassian’s smile dropped.
“Surely you’re not serious, Harrow?”
“I have never been more serious. Get out. I never wish to see either of you ever again.”
“But we’ve known each other since we were in leading strings!” Cassian looked genuinely shocked, and Thaddeus realized he must never have considered that his actions, however heinous, would have true consequences.
“Tell me truly, Harrow,” Cassian said, his face more serious than Thaddeus had ever seen, “do you really mean to break our friendship over a woman you won in a bet? One that could not be less suited to you? Don’t be ridiculous.
Anyone can see that Vivienne is a better match for you.
We’ve all seen it all week. She’d be an impeccable marchioness! ”
“Perhaps she would,” Thaddeus said, anger, disgust, and pity all hitting him as he watched his one-time friend try one last time to dissuade him of his own mind.
“But I am not looking for a marchioness. I am looking for a companion, a woman who is kind and intelligent and whom I genuinely love. In those areas, and in all others that matter to me, Miss Fairchild far surpasses Lady Bradshaw.”
It felt so good to say, even here like this – that Isolde was wonderful and that he loved her. He suddenly felt light, perhaps the lightest he’d felt since the day his father died. His anger faded a little, paling in comparison to his love for Isolde.
“You will leave,” he said again, softer this time.
“We shall never see each other again. And if that grieves you, as it grieves me, then you would do well to remember it was your own hand that led you here. Lady Bradshaw, if it is any comfort to you, I was always hers, from the moment we met. Cassian …” He paused, and when he spoke the words tasted bitter, “Goodbye, for the last time.”
Ignoring their protests, he turned and left, shutting the door resolutely behind him.