Rules to Be Broken by Bree Wolf

Author:Bree Wolf [Wolf, Bree]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bree Wolf
Published: 2017-12-28T07:18:38+00:00

***

The moment he caught sight of her, Arthur froze. What was she doing here? And in that dress? Had she not heard a word he had said to her the other night at the theatre?

Dragging his gaze away before his mother would notice, Arthur did his utmost to ignore her until it was in fact Lady Stanhope who became aware of her daughter’s intimate conversation with a woman she deemed undeserving of their mere presence.

“Unbelievable!” she huffed and immediately set off to save her daughter−or rather her reputation−from Mrs. Reignold’s toxic influence.

Arthur sighed as he saw his sister’s smile vanish the moment their mother interrupted them, and he felt guilty for not interfering on Eleanor’s behalf…if only he knew how. At the moment, short of defying her mother and marrying Mr. Waltham without familial consent, there was no possible way for Eleanor to be with the man she considered her other half. Had Mrs. Reignold’s company truly presented a temporary distraction? Was she a potential friend Eleanor would be able to confide in?

As his mother and sister returned to his side, Arthur once more averted his gaze, pretending he had not even noticed Mrs. Reignold’s presence…and it made him feel as cowardly as he never had before.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her beautiful face light up as she caught sight of him, and he drew in a sharp breath, feeling the sudden urge to approach her, to look into her eyes and ask why she had come that night. Had it been for him? Had she truly desired to see him? That couldn’t possibly be.

Reminding himself that any connection between them was impossible, Arthur forced himself not to acknowledge her, but instead stared right through her as though she wasn’t even there.

Instantly, he felt even smaller.

Turning back to his family, Arthur stepped forward as his mother lectured Eleanor on her misstep. “I do believe Eleanor was merely being kind to her,” he interfered. “After all, all people do is whisper behind her back. She must feel rather lonely.”

Lifting her head to stare at him, his mother shook her head, her eyes narrowed in confusion. “Are you suggesting that society ought to welcome a woman who displays not even the smallest bit of decency and manners?”

Arthur drew in a careful breath as his muscles tensed. “I merely meant to point out that everyone condemns her without knowing her reasons.”

“It does not matter what her reasons are,” his mother huffed. “There is no excuse for such an open portrayal of impropriety.”

Arthur swallowed, and his heart sank as he realised he could not rationally refute his mother’s argument. Stepping back, he looked at his sister apologetically, for the first time in his life feeling utterly incapable of resolving a situation to his liking.

The remainder of the night, Arthur spent almost rooted to the spot, only moving in order to keep his eyes firmly fixed on Mrs. Reignold. Every once in a while, he would curse himself, berate himself for his inability to simply enjoy the evening and ignore her latest escapade.

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