The irony.
She did get hurt. How many times had she relived that moment? His cold words. His even colder back. She couldn’t even count. A thousand, probably. Which explained her heart. It broke a little more each time she relived that moment.
“I shall challenge him to a duel,” Isadora announced.
Elowyn pulled the pillow from her face and groaned. “Please don’t do that.” They’d been crowded with her on her bed for the past two days. However, she couldn’t be more grateful for their presence. She might have gone insane from her brother’sgrowls alone. The only reason he hadn’t gone pounding on Mandeville’s door was because she’d made him promise.
But still . . .
Her season was ruined.
She was ruined. Well, partly ruined, at least. Ruined without being a pariah, she should say. People were afraid to stir rumors of her. A small mercy. However, Mandeville’s crude remarks had sparked so many fires for Lady Gabrielle, she had retreated to the country. Elowyn couldn’t muster up sympathy for the woman.
The duke’s ruthlessness, on the other hand . . .
She loved even that part of him.
How cruel life was that when she finally found the person of her dreams, he could only exist in her dreams. Even if she could try again next season, even if she hadn’t been thoroughly compromised, her heart had been. Her heart didn’t want to continue.
“I’ll be your second,” Persephone piped up, her face turning pure evil. “I still can’t believe he’d been so gloriously cruel to Lady Gabrielle. The man deserves a knighthood.”
“She deserved it,” Isadora muttered darkly. “She should never have tried to trap a man like him in marriage in the first place or take out her jealousy on Elowyn.”
“A duel is not the answer.”
“You have black circles beneath your eyes, he should pay for them,” Persephone said darkly.
“Fine, challenge him to a duel then. Just don’t kill him.”
“Love him till the end, won’t you?” Persephone said with a mutter.
Her heart clenched hard. Yes. “My life has turned into a Shakespearean play.”
A beat of silence. “It’s notthatbad,” Isadora murmured.
Elowyn didn’t agree. “Shall we just call my life The Tragedy of Elowyn’s Lost Seasons.”
Persephone sighed. “I should never have abandoned you with him for archery.”
Isadora nodded, looking regretful. “And lawn bowls.”
“Please do not blame yourselves. You couldn’t have known Lady Gabrielle would arrive at that moment. This was bound to happen sooner or later. Besides, if you ever find yourself in similar situations, I’ll be sure to abandon you, too.”
Her friends sent her eager looks.
“We give you our permission,” Persephone chirped, Isadora nodding along.
“I can’t believe she had Mandeville followed,” Isadora said with a scowl. “Something is wrong with that woman.”
Ah, yes. That was one of the rumors that were spreading rampant. Apparently, most of Gabrielle’s friends had abandoned her side. “I think her uncle encouraged her,” Elowyn admitted. “Mandeville alluded to that much in our dance.”
“He tried to warn you?” Persephone scoffed. “So the man has a heart after all.”
Elowyn’s throat went tight.
Yes.
And no.