“Explain what?” she demanded, her composure beginning to crack. “That I was a means to an end? A pawn in whatever scheme you’re entangled in?”
He hesitated, guilt and determination etched into his features. “When we met at the tearoom, I was involved in matters of great importance that required discretion. At first, my intentions were…not entirely personal.”
She laughed bitterly, tears brimming in her eyes. “Not entirely personal? That’s a rather delicate way to admit deceit.”
“Lora, please,” he pleaded. “What started as necessity quickly changed. My feelings for you grew and became real in a way I hadn’t anticipated.”
“Real?” She stood abruptly, pacing a few steps away. “How am I to believe anything you say now? Every smile, every whispered word, your kisses, was any of it genuine?”
He rose, desperation coloring his tone. “Yes! More than anything. You must believe me.”
She spun to face him, fury and hurt blazing in her eyes. “Believe you? After admitting you deceived me from the start?” Her voice shook. “You let me fall in love. You encouraged me to fall in love with you, and all along…”
He flinched at her words. “I never meant to hurt you. I thought—”
“You thought what?” she cut in sharply. “That I wouldn’t find out? That the ends justified the means?”
“I was trying to protect you.” He stepped closer, his voice firm. “There are dangerous forces at play. I kept you in the dark to keep you safe.”
She shook her head, tears spilling over. “By lying to me? By making me a fool in the eyes of others, in my own?” Her voice broke. “If you needed me to play a part, you should have said so.”
He reached out again, his voice thick with emotion. “Lora, I’m sorry. If I could undo the pain I’ve caused you, I would.”
She took a step back, raising a hand to stop him. “It’s too late for apologies. And I don’t want any.”
His shoulders sagged. He was at a loss for the first time since she knew him. “Tell me how to make this right. I’ll do anything.”
Silence stretched between them, taut and heavy. She drew in a shaky breath. “You can start by telling me the whole truth.”
He nodded earnestly. “I will. No more secrets. I swear it.”
She studied him for a long moment, vulnerability and determination warring within her. “Why now?” she whispered. “Why not before I had to confront you?”
Rockford hesitated, then spoke with quiet intensity. “Because I was afraid. Not of losing you, but of what I mightbecome without you. I can face any enemy, but not the thought of you hating me.”
A bitter smile touched her lips. “And yet, by hiding the truth, you’ve lost me, anyway.”
He visibly paled. “Please don’t say that.”
She closed her eyes briefly, composing herself. “I see nothing to salvage here.”
“Lora—”
“Goodbye, Your Grace,” she said firmly, the use of his title deliberate to distance herself from him.
She turned and walked toward the door. Just as she reached for the handle, his voice stopped her.
“Lora, I love you.” His voice was soft and passionate. His words trembled in the air.
She paused but didn’t turn around. “Some declarations come too late.”
She left his study, the door behind her closed with a resounding click. She headed to the entrance. She wanted to run down the hall to get out of the manor, but she took a breath and walked down the cold grand hallway that echoed as she moved away from him.
Descending the front steps, she fought to steady her breathing. The gardens outside were vibrant under the afternoon sun. As she climbed into her carriage, her composure finally crumbled. Tears flowed freely as the horses pulled away, the manor shrinking behind her.
Memories flooded her mind, the warmth of his smile, the touch of his hand, the laughter they shared. Each recollection pierced her heart. Had any of it been real? Or was it merely a well-crafted illusion?
She pressed a hand to her chest, the ache almost unbearable. “I thought I knew him,” she whispered brokenly. “Perhaps I never did.”
