Kat stood. “I will let you two plan your wedding. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pack my things?—”
“Pack?” Harrison rushed over to her, not understanding her meaning.
“Good,” Selena said from behind him. “Once we’re wed, I would expect you both to behave more discreetly. I don’t want my husband’s indiscretions whispered about in ballrooms.”
“No, we wouldn’t want to add to your own indiscretions, which are many.” Kat walked up to Lady Selena, and Harrison braced himself to pull them a part. “Tell me, who is the father of your child? Do you know?”
“How dare you speak to me in such a manner!” Lady Selena raised her voice. “It doesn’t matter who the father is. Once we’re married, this child will be Hendershot’s, his family will be saved, and you will still be just a whore.”
“That is enough!” Harrison shouted, rushing to stand in front of Kat and Selena.
“I’d rather be an open whore than a private one. Good day, Lady Selena,” Kat said, before walking toward the open door.
“Kat, wait.” He rushed over to her, taking her by the arm gently. “Don’t leave, I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“It doesn’t matter. We both know that you need to marry an heiress in order to save your family?—”
“I don’t give a damn about my family.” He didn’t want to do this in front of Lady Selena, but Kat needed to know how he really felt.
Kat gave him a sad smile. Her hand smoothing down the lapel of his tailcoat. “You do care, Harrison, and that is why I’m leaving.” She gave him a watery smile that broke him in two. “I will accept Lady Wyndam’s offer to stay at Matron Manor. Thank you for everything. You deserve all the happiness.” Kat walked out of the room.
He took a step forward but was stopped by the cold voice of Lady Selena.
“That was honorable of her,” Lady Selena said.
Whipping around, he faced the cruel woman. “Why the hell did you come here?” he asked, tired of her games.
Harrison walked over to Selena. Up-close, he could see the dark circles under her eyes and the worried look in her blue gaze.
She was afraid, he could see that. Perhaps he was her only hope to save her precious standing in society. Too bad. He would not bind himself to such a woman for anything, especially not to save his fucking family.
“I’m here to make certain you do not renounce our agreement?—”
“We never made an agreement!” he shouted, raising his arms up in the air.
“Your mother guaranteed mine that you would accept my offer. Be reasonable Hendershot, do you really think society and your mother will ever accept a Madame as your countess?” She raised an eyebrow at him, her head tilted to the side. “You will be the fool of the ton. I can only imagine how many men will come forward to tell you that they have had your wife.” She sneered at him.
Walking to the door he faced the hateful woman, seeing first-hand what life as her husband would be like.
The last four days had given him a glimpse of the future he’d always imagined with Kat, and no amount of funds, or the prospect of saving his ungrateful mother from a life of poverty, could sway him to give her up.
If Kat never accepted him as her husband, it no longer mattered. He’d gladly take any morsel that she’d willingly give him and savor it forever.
Although Harrison was far from destitute, their life would have to change significantly, starting with his mother and sister’s spending habits.
“The same could be said if I marry you,” he said, not giving a damn about her feelings.
He was done willingly abiding by everyone’s rules. His father had controlled him for years after he’d lost Kat to Delcour. When Harrison’s father died, his mother had continued that control, insisting that she needed funds to stay abreast of the latest fashions, or to visit Italy and France with her friends.
“Perhaps you’re not as docile as your mother believes you to be.” Lady Selena laughed. “I’m glad, really. It would be boring to have a spineless husband.”
Docile.
Now he knew exactly what his mother thought of him. That he’d do anything she told him to do, and he’d obey happily, like a pet.
Closing his hands into fist, he tried to control the anger that wanted to boil out of him. “Leave, and find another fool to marry,” his voice was low and dangerous.
Lady Selena blinked several times in confusion. “Hendershot, be sensible. What will you do for funds?” she asked.
