Page 90 of The Duchess' Replacement

Nora furrowed her eyebrows as she looked back to Sarah. “I suppose so. I’ll be in the library if you need me.”

Nora entangled herself from her brother and left the drawing room.

Sarah and Eli stood facing each other as if they were in a duel. Neither one of them took their eyes off of each other as Nora left, nor did they move after she closed the door.

Sarah lifted an eye brow in a challenge.

Eli pursed his lips and rocked back on his heals. “I owe you an apology.”

Sarah cocked her head to the side. After dealing with his brother, a man who rarely offered up his thoughts so freely, Sarah was not expecting such a forward opening from Eli.

“For what?” She mused as she walked over to a tea cart Mrs. Bates must have left in here when Eli arrived.

Eli pushed out a breath. “You have been around my brother for too long.”

Sarah scowled. “And whose fault would that be?” Sarah knew she was being obtuse and difficult, but she was done with the Brandon brothers and their ways. If the one she really wanted to rage at wasn’t here, his younger brother would do. Besides, Eli wasn’t innocent in all of this.

“I deserve that.” Eli admitted. “You must understand, Sarah, you did not want to marry me.”

Sarah dropped a sugar cube in her tea. “I did not want to marry your brother and yet here I am.”

Eli considered her words. “Why did you then?”

Sarah slammed the tea cup down onto its saucer on the cart. “You left me no choice! You humiliated me in front ofthe ton. Everyone we knew was at that church and you left me there. If you didn’t want to marry me why did you court me? Why did you ask me? Why did you let me walk down that aisle?”

Sarah’s throat tightened and tears prickled the corners of her eyes. Her pride was trying to stave off the flow of tears but after keeping all of this locked up inside of her for so long her emotions were getting the best of her.

Eli winced. “You’re right. I should have, but I was forced to find a wife.”

Sarah guffawed. “By whom?”

Eli stared at her. “Your husband.” Eli stated as he cocked his head to the side.

Sarah turned to Eli. “I don’t understand.”

Eli sighed and walked over to where Sarah stood by the tea cart. He picked up a tea towel and wiped up the tea that had spilled out of her cup when she slammed it on the cart.

“It is no secret that I am a man of many… let’s say, interests, yet being married was never one of them.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Yes. I was aware of your rakish ways, and yet I still said yes to you. What does this have to do with Charles?”

Eli handed Sarah her tea and gestured to the sofa in the drawing room. They both sat down next to each other.

“Charles was getting tired of my philandering ways so he demanded I get married and settle down or he would cut me off. So, I took the season to find the amiable girl I could to marry so I could get him off my back and still live the way I wanted to.”

Sarah’s cheeks heated in embarrassment. Hearing that she was simply at the right place at the right time cut her. Once again, she was reminded that she simply just existed for other’s benefits, and not because they want her.

Realization dawned on her. That’s exactly how Charles has been treating her. When he wants to scratch an itch, he comes to her, but when she needs her own opinions and interests to take precedent he shuts her down.

Sarah’s heart began to break piece by piece.

“Sarah, please don’t take this as an offense to your character. This says more about me than you. I’m not a good guy.” He shrugged lazily. “You would have been miserable married to me. I wouldn’t have taken care of you like Charles does.”

At the mention of his name a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

Eli brought a finger up to her cheek to wipe the tear away. “Please don’t cry, Sarah. You are better off here.” He looked towards the door. “I only saw Nora for a moment but the fact that Charles even let you meet her tells me how much he revers you.”

Sarah’s laugh hiccuped. “I doubt that.”

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