Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Unhand me this instant,” she hissed, staring at him straight in the eyes—those same eyes she had found so charming mere minutes ago.

She couldn’t believe him. No, she couldn’t believe herself, that she had fallen for his lies, for his charm, for his allure, when all he’d wanted to do was compromise her the entire time.

He didn’t let go, so she snatched her hand away from his grip, and only then did he let go, opening his palms toward her in a gesture of surrender. For a moment, she thought she could see something in his eyes, a hint of remorse. But it disappeared as soon as it had appeared.

“How dare you?” she asked again, her mind spinning with disbelief, piecing together the fragments of the deceit that made her end up there.

She expected him to have one of his usually charming comebacks, which would prove to her that he wasn’t taking any of that seriously, that it was all a game to him. But his response caught her off guard.

“Vivianne, I am truly sorry if I have offended you,” he said, his voice earnest and calm, with no trace of his usual charm. He seemed genuine, as if he was allowing her a rare glimpse into who he truly was—a man different from the person he was presenting to the rest of the world.

“You’re… apologizing?” she asked, gasping. She expected him to be angry of defensive, perhaps even to lash out. Instead, he looked genuinely contrite.

“Yes.” He nodded. “I do know how to apologize, you know. I just… don’t need to resort to it that much. However, I also know when I have crossed the line. I understand why you are shocked and angry yourself. But please believe me when I say I never intended to hurt you. Yes, I would like to kiss you,” he admitted, his gaze unwavering, “but I would never force such a thing upon you.”

Vivianne blinked, her fury ebbing as she searched his face for any sign of duplicity. There was none. His eyes, those deep, thoughtful eyes, were filled with sincerity. She stared at him, her breath unsteady. “Then what was all this for?” she demanded, her voice softer but still laced with uncertainty.

Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I was captivated by you, Vivianne. Your strength, your grace, your intellect. I wanted to know you, to help you with Lord Kinsington, whatever you might think about my reasons. But I fear I may have been too forward, too presumptive. I never wanted to compromise your honor.”

Vivianne felt a surge of conflicting emotions—relief, confusion, a lingering thread of mistrust. She knew better than to trust a man like that, who was able to come up with a lie on the spot—a lie he knew the lady wished to hear.

“No.” She shook her head. “I trusted you, and you’ve shown me your true face. Nothing you say now will dissuade me.”

She refused to remain there a moment longer, listening to whatever excuses he would be serving her. The longer she listened to him, the more she would be akin to forgive him for what he had done. He was that charming, that handsome… that dangerous.

She rushed past him, signaling that their conversation was over. She opened the door to the balcony cautiously, not wishing to be seen entering the ballroom. However, even before she showed herself, she noticed Lord Kinsington standing by her parents’ side, eagerly explaining something, demanding all of their attention be on him. She knew he was talking to them about her, just waiting for her return.

Slowly, with her heat beating inside her throat, she backed out onto the balcony yet again, ready to intercept Lord Chesterfield, who was curiously watching her close the door behind her.

“You cannot go out there,” she instructed with a firm shake of her head. “Not yet, at least.”

She was in no mood for explanations, but she equally disliked the fact that she had to stay there with him of all people. Still, he was the lesser of two evils, and for that alone, he was her choice.

“Good,” he said with an unexpected note of amusement. “Now, you can listen to my apology.”

“I’ve already heard it,” she reminded him. “You may keep it for some other lady who will have the desire to hear it.”

“I don’t want to tell it to any other lady but you.” He was insistent. “Because I know I did the wrong thing. I… I know you probably think the worst of me, but I usually don’t have to blackmail a lady into kissing me.”

She knew that much to be true, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of being right. So she simply stared at him with no reaction.

“I also think our arrangement could be mutually beneficial,” he said, reminding her of something he had said before.

“I told you I won’t be playing any games,” she snapped back.

He smiled. “But you want Lord Kinsington to find another… object of affection, do you not?”

“I do.” She frowned in agreement.

“And you also know that this is the only way to do it.”

He was right once again, and it made her furious. She knew someone like Lord Kinsington would not react to any talking or even the offer of money, which her parents didn’t have in either case. He had to see that Vivianne was no longer an eligible wife-to-be. That would easily solve all of her problems. But at what cost?

“I won’t even kiss you unless you ask me to,” he teased, realizing that she was actually considering it this time.

“Do not expect that to ever happen,” she said icily.

Instead of being upset or offended, he laughed at that, which made her roll her eyes at him.

“You have to admit that stranger things have happened,” he said mischievously. “And a man can always hope.”

“Against all hope, sometimes,” she finished his statement.

“That is also what your situation with Lord Kinsington is like.” He made a full circle, returning to the starting point. “You keep hoping that he will lose interest in you, but the truth is exactly the opposite. You keep refusing him, and he sees it as a game, a conquest of some sort, which he now must win. In other words, he won’t stop until he makes you his. It is your choice whether you will endure his advances or do everything in your power to prevent him from claiming you in whatever way he wishes to.”

She knew he was right. The chance to get rid of that horrid man and his advances was right in front of her. But that didn’t come without repercussions of its own.

“I have to think about it,” she finally said.

“Of course.” He nodded. “I shall come calling on you tomorrow afternoon, and you may tell me then what you have decided.”

He pulled away from her, as she still felt the lingering aftereffects of his presence in her personal space.

“I shall go outside first,” he told her. “And I shall make sure that no one else comes out onto the balcony, so you can have a moment to yourself.”

She had to admit she wasn’t expecting such thoughtfulness. No, don’t think of him as thoughtful . That is dangerous. She needed to focus on what he had almost done, but even thinking about their near-kiss made her entire body flare up with heat and yearning, which made her feel embarrassed and titillated at the same time.

As she watched him leave, she wondered what on earth had just happened. She herself had no idea. But worst of all, she knew she had started something, something that was destined to change her by the end.

Having no idea how much time had passed, she realized she had to go back inside. Otherwise, people might start wondering where she was. With her heart still racing from the intense conversation she just had, she went back into the ballroom quietly, hoping to blend back into the crowd and collect her thoughts.

As she made her way through the throng, she was intercepted by Aurelia who appeared with a mix of concern and curiosity. “Vivianne! There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Vivianne forced a smile, attempting to mask the emotional upheaval she had just experienced. “I just needed a moment to myself. It was getting rather warm in here.”

Aurelia eyed her skeptically, her concern evident. “You look flushed. What’s happened? Did something go wrong?”

“No, no,” she assured her, not wishing to discuss anything at that moment. In a place like that, every wall had ears, and the last thing she wanted was to have the wrong pair of ears overhear what she had just gone through. “What about Lord Kinsington?”

“Oh.” Aurelia nodded, looking exasperated. “He has been searching for you as well. Then, when he couldn’t find you, he got attached to Father’s side, hoping that when you eventually reappear, you would go there first. Should we go and fetch him?”

“No!” Vivianne exclaimed much more loudly than she thought she would. Her sister looked at her in shock, and Vivianne quickly cleared her throat. “I mean, no, not yet. I wish to have a glass of lemonade first. Would you accompany me for one?”

Aurelia still had that perplexed expression on her face, but a moment later, she nodded, locking arms with her sister. “You know, the viscount approached me and we talked again…”

Her sister’s voice trailed off, although Vivianne did her best to try and focus on Aurelia’s voice. It was, however, impossible.

All she could do was search the ballroom for the pair of eyes that were, minutes prior, locked upon hers, demanding the truth of her. Only, it was a truth she refused to admit even to her own self.