Hidden No More by Christina Mcknight

Author:Christina Mcknight [McKnight, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Christina McKnight

Chapter 13

“HAVE I DONE something wrong?” Loss filled her even with him still present. She could not comprehend why he’d seek to leave after she’d laid herself bare, given in to her deepest desires and touched him so. It was as if she’d taken a dagger and opened her soul to him—and he was content to walk away. “You must rest. I will have a guest room prepared for you.”

Although, this was his home—and she should tell him.

Possibly he already knew. If her father hadn’t told him, then surely Mrs. Dutton had.

Had he been deceiving her all along? No, Ellie knew him enough to know he was very much unlike her. If he’d learned about his lineage, she’d be the first person he told.

“You understand why I cannot accept your offer,” he replied, glancing about the room.

Panic set in as Ellie realized the heart of the matter—she’d come on to him like a complete wanton. A trollop, the same as her mother. She’d thought all these years that everything about her was tainted by her father’s blood, but truly, it was her mother’s that would push the only man she cared for to leave. She never should have taken such liberties with him, never should have set her lips to his neck or whispered in his ear. A man as honorable as Alex would never allow himself to fall into the clutches of a woman like Ellie.

She should apologize and beg for his understanding. His forgiveness. Tell him her emotions from the entire evening had gotten the best of her, that she regretted it all.

Ask him to return things to what they used to be. Master and servant.

But, she didn’t regret a single action she’d taken after finally stepping in to stop Eckles.

“Lady Ellington, we have already been seen together more than is proper—and now with the problems with Eckles, I think it best I give up my position here. The servants will gossip and it will only be your reputation that is tarnished.”

“But…” She searched for the words to convince him to stay. If he left now, it would be before she could tell him everything she knew—and chance him finding out from someone else. He should have connected the information from Adams already, but he was not one to think the worst of others, especially that Mrs. Dutton and she would keep something of this magnitude from him. Unfortunately, his broad chest and muscle-toned arms were making it difficult for her to concentrate. “My arm…it is hurting ever so much.”

She wanted to flee the room and hide the second the words had left her mouth—they were the utterings of a feeble woman, and the opposite of everything Ellie had always worked to be.

She could easily tend to her own arm.

But she wanted him to stay—and she’d given him the perfect reason. He was a noble man, and he’d never leave a woman in need.

She fought internally, the battle between needing him close and her anger at him possessing all that was needed to take her home from her almost overwhelming.

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