Chapter 20

Chapter 20

What had he done?

How could Dorian stand there in front of her and ask such a nonsensical question. He could pretend to be ignorant to a great many things, but he could not claim to be blind. How did he dare stand in front of her and pretend his crimes were something that should be forgiven? The slights he had made against her had ruined her life. Did he not see?

It was laughable.

Even as Dorian stomped away from her, fury practically radiating off of his body in every which direction, she could not bring herself to follow after him. Laughter bubbled from her lips, high-pitched and hysterical, as she stood there, rooted to the spot.

He would be back. He would have no choice. She had ensured he would have absolutely no choice but to do as he was told. There had been a time when she would have considered Dorian to be wrapped around her finger. Granted, they had been children then, but it was enough.

He had been so obedient and kind. He had always placed blame on himself when something had gone wrong or a mistake was made. It was because of his constant chivalry that father had come to regard her in such a warm light. Father never knew when she had done poorly in class or that she could rarely sit still.

He did not know how often she broke a vase or knocked over a painting. He certainly did not know about the times that she snuck off to witness the boxing matches in town.

No, he never knew because Dorian had always been there to cover for her. Just as he was always supposed to be.

When Claire had come into their lives at such a young age, she had thought nothing of it. They had become fast friends. Inseparable, even. At least, that was what Dolores had thought. Claire never found her too clingy like some of the other girls in London. Claire did not mock her when her hair stuck up at odd angles after she had been up reading all night long. She certainly would never comment on her strange habits or the way she liked to collect and pin various bugs that she found around the property.

No, Claire was sunlight and all things pretty and pure.

Dolores was not obsessed with her. No matter what others might say. Just because she liked to hold the ribbons on Claire's dresses when they walked did not mean anything unusual. They were the very best of friends, and that was simply what best friends did. Was it not?

How happy she had been back then. Her brother and her dearest friend. It was supposed to be the three of them, together until the very end. Dorian had always longed to travel, and Dolores had been of the opinion that when he did, she would have Claire to keep her company. Perhaps she would even live in the same house as her and whoever she married.

No, Claire would never get married.

She and Dolores were supposed to refute the traditional binding of marriage to a man and be friends forever. They would live their own lives and spend every day together. It would have been perfect. Dorian would provide for them both, she was certain of it. Perhaps they could have even one day lived in one of the country estates together. It was a flawless plan.

Until Claire started to take an interest in those same men who always treated Dolores poorly. Though, she could not understand why. Dolores knew she was pretty, and Claire was pretty too. What did that have to do with anything? Why would Claire want anything to do with a boy Dolores did not approve of? Why would she want to do anything that Dolores did not wish to do?

Even to this day, she did not understand.

The choices Dolores would have made for Claire's life would have ensured her happiness. She was certain of it.

Claire certainly was never supposed to look at Dorian.

Dorian.

Dorian belonged to Dolores. He was her brother, her protector. If Claire were to focus on Dorian, he would have much less time to dedicate to her. That would not suit her at all.

She tried everything in her power to keep them apart from one another. She would point out their flaws and the lack of things they had in common. She could follow them any time they tried to leave her behind or exclude her from things.

Only, then Claire stopped telling her things. Dorian started to avoid her.

And Dolores could not have that. It was not how things were supposed to go. It did not fit her plan.

Then, to find out that they were engaged? No, that did not suit her at all. She would have thought for certain that Mother and Father would have put a stop to it. All of those same constraints about breeding and proper families that ought to have hindered her friendship with Claire from its inception now suddenly mattered. They were tools to be used against Claire.

Just enough to push them apart.

Just enough so that she could be in the middle where she belonged. How was she to know that it would make them so angry? Why did they not see that she was angry, too? Why did their feelings matter than her own? Could they truly not see how it affected her? She only did what she had to. They never should have moved toward one another in the first place! It was not right. Their union was an abomination!

Now everything was ruined and it was all their fault!

Nothing would ever be the same again. Nothing. Not ever.

Dolores clutched her skirts as a now-familiar rage filled every part of her being. The black mourning gown bunched in her hands so tightly that her skin felt as if it might break where it was pulled taut over her knuckles. It took everything in her power to remain steady as Dorian had the nerve to walk away from her.

She had thought that if she took over everything for him, he would have the time to dedicate to her once more. Did he truly not see that everything she did was for him? Everything. She had taken over Father's responsibilities. Dorian just needed more time away to calm down. That was all. He simply needed time to process.

All of those letters that she had kept from him were for his own good. Claire had never deserved him. She had proven that the moment she had come looking for him after Dorian had set sail. Had Claire come to the estate to beg for Dolores' forgiveness and mercy as she should have? No. She had come in search of Dorian, claiming that she had important business with him. Him . Not with Dolores herself. How sorely mistaken she was. The only person Claire needed to focus her efforts on was Dolores.

Then she had had the audacity to get married and have a child . Dolores nearly cringed at the thought of it. If only she had begged for Dolores' forgiveness for betraying her then Dolores would have embraced her with open arms. A clergyman was not even suitable for her!

Everything that she did was for their own good.

That was what she would keep telling herself over and over again. She would keep saying it until it was true.

Dolores would not stop until there was order restored. She could not force Claire into the path she was supposed to be on, she understood that. But she could do everything in her power to keep Dorian on the path she had planned for him. It was simply what a good sister was supposed to do. He was a fool for thinking otherwise.

If only he would pay attention to the women she pushed at him. Simple women who would be content to live their own lives. They would birth him heirs and thus their family would continue on. After he traveled with his new wife, they would come back and settle at home.

Dolores would convince whomever was married to Dorian that it would be best to raise their child out in the fresh country air and send them away. She would find a way to convince Dorian, as well. He would be so grateful to her once things were put back in the way they were supposed to be.

If he was married, then he would certainly never have any reason to look at Claire again. He would have a new wife of his own, and Claire would be Dolores'. Just as she was always supposed to be.

Dorian just needed to play his part and select a woman.

They were pretty. Was that not what he wanted?

He was going to ruin everything again.

Hot tears of wrath and betrayal ran in rivulets down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth together. He would see reason. She would make him. She had not been lying when she'd said there was absolutely no length that she was not willing to go to in order to ensure she had her way.

He would see. When it was all over and Claire was finally removed from their lives like the fungus that she had proven to be—he would see then.

If the situation called for drastic measures, then that was exactly what she was going to give them.

Dolores turned sharply on her heel and headed for the carriage. She did not care how rude it was perceived by those she was abandoning at the party. There was no other option than to move on to the next phase of her plan.

It was going to work because there was no other option. Dolores would not fail a second time.

She simply would have to make it to where there was absolutely no chance that Claire would ever set eyes on Dorian again—before it was too late.