Page 27 of Unforgiven

“Not really. But going to an ex-con’s haus by yourself will damage your reputation.” He felt like pulling his hair out. What had happened to Bethanne over the last couple of years? It was like she’d forgotten how everything functioned in the real world.

“Oh, please.”

“Bethanne, you are an unmarried woman. You aren’t supposed to go to any man’s haus without a chaperone. It’s going to cause talk.”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake. Do you really think I’m worried about my reputation?”

“You should be.” Though, he was starting to realize that he was sounding ridiculous.

After glancing over her shoulder, she lowered her voice. “You know that a lot of people think that Seth started fighting Peter after he’d already raped me.”

“No one thinks that.”

“Sure they do. Everyone is sure that I’m ruined. That’s why no man has come calling since it happened.”

He shook his head. “You don’t know that’s—”

“I know, Lott.”

She sounded so sarcastic, and he was starting to regret not going through their front door. “Is this another one of those times when you’re wishing that you’d kept your mouth shut?”

She chuckled. “Nee, but I have a feeling this is one of those days when you wish you didn’t have to talk to me.”

“You’re right about that.” They both knew he was kidding.

“Please help me, Lott.”

“Why do you need to see Seth?” he asked.

“Because I want to apologize to him.”

“You already did apologize in your letter.”

“He never wrote me back. I don’t think it was a good enough apology.”

“Bethy, that’s sweet, but you don’t owe anyone anything.”

“That’s not true. I owe Seth a conversation, you and our parents a break, and me a fresh start. It’s past time.”

He studied her. Something had changed. Maybe it was that she suddenly had hope, maybe it was just that she’d had enough of reliving the one night that changed everyone’s life. She’d made her point. “Fine.”

Her eyes brightened. “Really? You’ll help me?”

“I’ll ask Seth if you can see him.” Thinking through it, he added, “Maybe he’ll be okay with seeing you if both me and Melonie are there.” He relaxed, imagining that scenario. Melonie would make things go smoothly. She had that way about her.

“I don’t want Melonie to be there. Or you.” She waved a hand. “I mean, you can go with me, but I’m not going to want you to be in the same room. You’ll have to wait for us someplace else.”

“I’m already involved. So’s Melonie.” Feeling impatient, he added, “Why are you being so difficult?”

“I’m not, but I want some space when I speak to Seth.”

“Listen, we also need to be there because none of us live in a vacuum, Bethy. I wasn’t in the woods when Peter assaulted you, and Melonie wasn’t at the party that Seth left, but we might as well have been there. Everything that happened affected us all.” It had changed his life. All of their lives. He wished she would realize that.

He also wished he hadn’t brought it up.

The expression on her face told him that she had been affected by his little speech. It had made her feel guilty too. Even though she had nothing to feel guilty about.

But seconds later, Bethanne pulled herself together. “All right. Fine,” she said around an exhale. “When will you see Seth again?”

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