Page 30 of The Earl and Miss Muffet
She felt someone come up behind her. She turned and saw the same stunned face on Sophia. Her friend was taller and could easily see the damage over Elena’s head.
“Why would you do such a thing?” Mortification lanced across Sophia’s beautiful face.
“I . . . I . . .” Her only friends thought the worst of her. Her lost joy was replaced with sheer agony. She pushed past Sophia and hurried back down the stairs. She barely registered Anton’s and Mary’s forms in the corridor as she flew past them. Before she knew it, she was outside in the rain and running past the garden toward the orchard.
“Elena! Elena, stop!”
She knew Anton’s voice, but she would not stop even to hear him call her by her given name again. Her life was ruined. She had tasted happiness, and she could not ever return to her former life. She would keep running until she was far, far away. She had no plans, just to escape and start new somewhere else. The splotched spectacles blinded her, so she ripped them from her face and pushed herself to run faster.
The rain soaked her gown through, and it clung to her legs as she ran. Her feet slid a few times, but she righted herself and pushed on. She was sure she had lost Anton but did not dare look behind her. Past the meadow, she turned into a copse of trees, not knowing what was beyond them. Her panic launched anewwhen Patches began barking, the noise growing ever closer. She stopped for a moment and leaned against the rough bark of a tree to catch her breath. Patches caught up with her.
“Go away! Please, go away!”
“Elena!”
She turned and saw Anton drawing closer. Thunder rumbled in the sky, and she bolted again, but she was not fast enough. After a few strides, he caught her arm and pulled her to a stop. She bent her head and turned away from him. He put his other hand on her arm so he was holding both her shoulders.
“I saw your sister when you were speaking to Mary. I don’t know what’s happened, but I know you are acting the way you are because of her. I don’t believe you want to leave here. Please, tell me I am right. Tell me the truth!”
Elena shook her head.
“Elena, I am not going to let you be anywhere near your sister until I know you are safe.” His gaze caught hers.
“Why do you care? Why can’t you leave me be?”
“Because . . . Because I love you.”
Elena’s agony tripled at his words. She wanted to be with him so much it hurt, but it also hurt to think of Bianca secretly destroying their lives in any way she could. Elena tried to pull away, but he tugged her closer. Her resistance crumbled, and she fell into his arms and sobbed.
“Darling,” he whispered, against her wet hair. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”
“I cannot,” she cried. She also couldn’t leave the protection of his arms. She wanted to savor this moment to carry with her for the rest of her life.
“Don’t let your worries control you, remember?”
She choked back a sob and nodded against him. “It’s so hard.”
“I will carry you. Please, let me carry you.”
“It won’t work. If she learns I care for you, she will make you regret ever looking at me. She will do it, I promise. She has tortured me my entire life.”
Anton’s arms tightened around her. “She cannot hurt me. I won’t let anything happen.”
Bianca was manipulative and unforgiving. What if she poisoned his food or spread rumors to hurt his career in parliament? She would not put either past her sister anymore. Her chest tightened with fear, and she pushed against his chest and stepped away from him. “Once my sister is married, my circumstances could change. Until then, I am not worthy of your attention.”
“You are more than worthy.” His eyes bore into hers. “My whole family sees what you cannot. I assure you, there is no need to wait until your sister marries.” When she could not agree, he shook his head in frustration. “Elena, I don’t want to wait for what could never happen.”
Elena took another defeated step backward. “I could never ask you to.”
“Please, let me speak with your father.”
Elena shook her head, tears and rain blurring her vision. “It is enough to know you care.”
He sighed. “It is not enough for me. I want a chance to fight for it.”
She searched his eyes. “What if fighting causes more contention? I will be forced to endure more than I can bear.”
“Do you trust me?”
