To Defend A Duke

Chapter 21

The further the carriage travels away from Edward's house, the more the anger overtakes the hurt and the betrayal is overcome by bitterness. It is hard for Evelyn to describe the exact feeling that is haunting her every thought however it feels all too familiar.

"Why didn't you marry him?"

The question catches her off guard and Evelyn's tongue sticks to the back of her throat.

"I am sorry?" She chokes out.

"He seemed to be all over you despite your shortcomings," Henrietta explains. "And it's not just him. You had so many opportunities to become a married woman, a rich wife to societies finest, but you never did." She says with a dreamy expression, it vanishes and she becomes serious, "Why?"

"I don't know why you ask me these questions." Evelyn glares, "You never believe my honest answer, it's almost as though you want me to admit that it is all my fault."

"I want to know the truth." Her cousin insists. "You could have had everything."

Evelyn gives her a cryptic look but replies, "I didn't marry because marriage, is the greatest lie of them all."

"I don't understand." Henrietta pouts, Evelyn frowns,

"It doesn't matter." She dismisses the subject, too much anger in her mind to act rationally. She turns to look out the window.

"Goddammit!" Henrietta swears, "Stop treating me like a child!" She is on the edge of her seat, fists clenched, her voice raised and full of resentment.

"Henrietta!" Evelyn's eyes widen in shock and she sits back as the annoyed girl hits at the soft velvet cushions.

"Everything you talk about you say as though I am a struggling child who needs to be protected. I am not stupid and I am not a little girl!" Henrietta shouts. "You are patronising and demeaning all the time and I have had enough, I deserve respect!"

There is a pause, the energy crackles like fireworks and a black storm has swirled into appearance behind Evelyn's eyes, she has gone quiet, too quiet.

"You deserve respect?" Evelyn repeats, almost too low to be heard.

"More than anyone!" Henrietta cries.

"Henrietta, in order for you to earn anyone's respect you need to stop acting like a child, starting with this tantrum," Evelyn says, feigning calm.

"I am not having a tantrum." Henrietta howls, tears streaming down her face. "You are just a jealous whore that sabotages my every chance of happiness because you refuse to admit that you are washed up and old! You act like you know everything but in reality, you just can't stand anyone taking what you used to have!" Henrietta takes a gasp as she finishes, a vile and twisted look of sick triumph on her face.

Evelyn is shaking with anger. "I treat you like a child because that is the only way you know how to be, you are reckless and stupid. I don't claim to know everything but I know what hard work, loyalty and pain are,  but you, you, with your ungrateful attitude and general disregard for anyone's feelings, will never understand that."

Henrietta's tears have turned into full-on sobs that wrack her entire body. Evelyn continues in the same controlled tone but a harshness has slipped in.

"I only ever acted in consideration of your position on the behest of my father and out of respect for my late aunt but I won't interfere anymore. You can flirt with every man now, don't worry about consequences of your actions, be passed around like yesterdays newspaper, marry a duke will sleep with a younger version of yourself while you raise the children you don't care about, I won't stop you.'