“I thought to myself, Oh well, Nicholas, be nice just this once. Give the girl a kiss, give her what she wants. She’s innocent, nothing will happen.” He shook his head furiously “Did you trick me? Was your plan to lure the lust right out of my body so I would compromise you, and you could have the infamous Nicholas Renwick trapped in a loveless marriage?”
She had never hated a man more than she hated Nicholas Renwick at that moment. Not even her father, nor her uncle, nor anyone who’d ever insulted her had done such a splendid job as he.
“Are you quite finished?” she rasped, trembling with quiet rage.
“Yes,” his voice hoarse and cold.
She slipped her gloves over her small unsteady hands and started to walk away, then thought better of it. She swung back around and slapped him as hard as she could square across the other cheek. He cursed and fell to the ground. “Don’t you ever accuse me of manipulation or treachery again; I won’t stand for it. And if you tell me I’m not normal one more time, I’ll make sure the only person visiting your bedside is the doctor caring for your gunshot wound. Good night, Lord Renwick.”
She glided into the darkness and hurried back down the hall, escaping the ball without notice. It was easy enough considering the minute she turned to see if anyone noticed her Renwick had walked into the room. All eyes on him and the faint red hand print on his cheek, she slipped away. Sara nodded to her aunt who took her home in the carriage. Once she reached her room all the sobs she had been harboring, finally released.
Davina appeared at her bedside in an instant, not saying a word, merely singing a hymn about trusting in God; the irony too much to bear.
Sara couldn’t remember the last time she had cried this much. Surely it had been when she was younger and a family pet had been killed by a wolf. Other than that, she reserved her tears for the romance novels she lay awake at night to read.
“Curse that wretched Renwick fellow!” Davina yelled with arms in the air.
Sara produced a weak smile; it felt good that someone else at least understood why she felt so upset by the whole ordeal. Not only had he essentially stolen her innocence by taking her first kiss, but he managed to soil her reputation, and ruin any ounce of self worth she had established in her twenty-one years.
She knew she wasn’t normal, but did he always have to say as much? And why on Earth would he kiss her so…passionately, if he found her so disagreeable? Were the lusts of his flesh so weak he would take any willing maiden into his arms? And now she was to marry the man? A man like that… The thought did not settle well with her. She climbed into bed and forced herself to close her eyes. Maybe things would look better in the morning.
***
“Hurry! You must hurry!” Lady Fenton frantically banged on her door, waking Sara from a dead sleep.
Sara turned, rising from her bed and managed a shaky “What for?” before throwing her pillow against the wall. She had not slept well and this was not a good morning for an interruption.
“We have visitors, so many visitors, so much to do! We have already been called on by half the ton!” Lady Fenton was beaming. It was so unfair.
Sara looked at Davina, who merely shrugged her shoulders. “What does this mean?”
Lady Fenton looked sharply at Davina. “Well don’t just stand there, find her an afternoon dress!” Davina curtsied and stuck out her tongue when Lady Fenton’s gaze returned to Sara.
“This means you are the talk of the ton, even with the scandal of you and my rake of a cousin; they are worshipping at your feet, dying to know the one lady who had enough charm to bring down the infamous rake, Lord Renwick!” Lady Fenton was absolutely delighted.
Sara felt her stomach recoil. The nausea threatened to overwhelm her.
Davina returned with a beautiful green afternoon dress. It had capped sleeves but was billowy underneath the chest line, enough to make her look like a fairy princess. She put on the lovely garment all the while her aunt watched with increasing agitation. “Hurry up!” she kept saying to Davina. Sara felt she should rescue Davina from Lady Fenton’s venom, but she herself was in no mood to argue after such a long and tiresome evening.
Davina managed to weave some flowers into Sara’s hair before pushing her out the door with Lady Fenton. “Be brave,” she whispered after Sara. Sara mouthed her gratitude and descended the stairs. She went into the receiving salon and waited. The first visitors of the day were none other than the Duchess of Dutbi and Lady Jersey herself. Sara curtsied and took her seat next to Lady Fenton.