Page 20 of Rescued from Betrayal
Eddie nodded.
Anger bubbled within. No one needed to know. Sir Nathaniel had promised her he would not share her secret. He’d betrayed her trust. And why tell her brother of all people?
“You will be kind to him, won’t you, Mel?”
She gritted her teeth. “I cannot promise anything.”
He frowned.
“I will do my best, but it will depend on how Sir Nathaniel treats me as well. Especially if he goes about spreading information you should not have been privy to.”
“Why not? I am your brother.”
“First because youaremy brother, and I know how much of a numbskull you can be. Do you think I wish to have such a terrifying and private experience jested about at my expense for the rest of my days?”
Eddie’s crossed arms dropped to his sides. “I would never twit you about this, Mel.”
She blinked at him. “Really?”
“Yes,” he said solemnly.
Melior returned to her packing not sure if she believed him. Eddie always had loved a good jest, but he appeared sincere enough. “Even so, Sir Nathaniel still should not have broken his promise.”
“I suppose I can understand that, but you can call him Nate, you know. You will be married in fifteen hours and I certainly hope you do not plan on calling him Sir for the rest of your lives.”
Was there really so little time? She stared at the open box.
“He is a good man, Mel. I have never known one so willing to help those in need, as is evidenced by your current state.”
“Yes and one so disapproving of me.”
“He does not dislike you.”
“Come now, Eddie. You cannot possibly have been so blind these last five years. He detests me.”
“And yet he willingly sacrificed himself for your sake.”
“What sacrifice can it be on his side? He will be gaining status, wealth, and a diamond of the first waters.”
Eddie scoffed. “I see you are still so humble. You know, sometimes you sound exactly like Mother.”
“Is that so bad?”
“You tell me.”
Melior cringed. As a little girl all she’d wanted was to be as beautiful and refined as her mother and to gain her approval, but over the years her eyes had slowly opened to her mother’s distasteful side.
Eddie sat on the bed. “Are you so blind to Mother and Father’s crassness?”
She wrapped up a pearl necklace. “Can we speak of something else, please?” The last few days she’d had far too much time to think about her parents. And while she’d slowly awakened to their mother’s poor character, her father’s permissiveness had not been quite so evident as it had since her incident at the ball. He might as well have written her off with how much he ignored her existence.
“At least Lady Stanford will be gaining a daughter again,” Eddie finally said.
Melior’s head shot up. She had completely forgotten about Nathaniel’s mother. Would she be traveling to London for the wedding? Most likely not. It had been three years since she’d last seen her in Town. The poor woman was so bent with rheumatism that she resembled a question mark. It had to be painful to simply exist, let alone ride post chaise.
She shook her head. “Yes, but I doubt I am the daughter for whom she hoped.”
“Probably not.” Eddie grinned at her unrepentantly.
