A Dangerous Game (Regency Spies & Secrets Book 2) Laura Beers (best summer books .txt) 📖

Her mother.

She wondered if her mother would have approved of what she had done.

Her aunt’s voice broke through her musings. “You have some nerve showing up here like this.”

Emmeline opened her eyes and met her aunt’s gaze. “I wanted to come and apologize to you and—”

Betty cut her off. “I don’t want your apology,” she spat. “You betrayed us.”

“That was not my intention,” she argued.

“No?” Betty asked. “You were set to be married to the Duke of Billingham tomorrow. A duke!” She tossed her hands in the air. “But instead, you married the lowly second son of a marquess.”

“I know my reasons may be confusing—”

Speaking over her, Betty pressed, “You gave up the chance to be a duchess.”

“I didn’t want to be a duchess!”

Betty looked at her like she was a simpleton. “What a foolish thing to say.”

Clasping her hands in front of her, Emmeline tried again. “I did not come to argue with you, Aunt Betty.”

“No?” she asked. “Then what did you expect would happen?”

“I was hoping to explain why I chose Oliver.”

Aunt Betty walked over to the settee and sat down. “I know perfectly well why you chose Lord Oliver.”

“You do?”

“You did so out of spite.”

Emmeline shook her head. “I did not,” she replied. “Oliver and I have always remained friends, despite what happened with him and Charlotte.”

“You married a rakehell!” Betty exclaimed. “You willingly chose a rakehell over a duke. I shall never understand your reasons.”

“Oliver is more than what he appears,” she attempted.

“Then he has fooled you,” Betty argued. “I hope you realize that all of Society is laughing at your foolhardy decision.”

“I don’t believe that to be true.”

Betty’s lips curled into a smile. “I just read an interesting article in the Society page about whether Lord Oliver is even capable of remaining faithful to one woman.”

“That is just someone’s opinion,” Emmeline said, jutting out her chin.

“Where did we go wrong with you?” Betty asked. “Were we too indulgent?”

Emmeline pressed her lips together for a moment before responding. “I assure you that has nothing to do with this.”

“Well, you will be happy to know that the duke will not be suing George for breach of contract,” Betty revealed.

“That is a relief.”

“But your uncle is not pleased with your decision, either,” Betty shared. “I daresay that we can never forgive you for what you have done. You have embarrassed us terribly amongst the ton.”

Coming to sit across from her in an upholstered armchair, Emmeline said, “And for that, I feel awful.”

“Do you?”

“I do.”

“Pray tell, why would you give up a future that most could only ever dream of?” Betty asked.

With a straight back, Emmeline replied, “I didn’t love him.”

“Love. Not this again,” Betty scoffed. “There is no place for love in a marriage.”

“I disagree.”

“Do you love Oliver?” Betty asked knowingly.

Emmeline’s gaze shifted to her lap to avoid her aunt’s piercing gaze. “I hold him in some regard,” she admitted.

“Oliver will break your heart and destroy any chance of happiness in your future,” Betty predicted.

“I don’t believe that will happen.”

“Charlotte wasn’t fooled by Oliver’s charms,” Betty said, “but you have never been quite as clever as Charlotte was.”

Emmeline’s eyes snapped up to meet her aunt’s. “That was a rather cruel thing to say.”

“I am only speaking the truth.”

Before she could respond, a maid walked into the room with a tray in her hands and placed it on the table in between them. “Would you care for me to pour, milady?”

Betty shook her head. “No, I shall see to it, Anna.”

The maid walked out of the room as her aunt began to pour two cups of tea. After placing the teapot down, she extended a cup and said, “What is done, is done. You are now a married woman and you must deal with the consequences of your actions.”

“I understand,” Emmeline replied as she accepted the cup and saucer.

“How did you convince Lord Oliver to marry you without a dowry?” her aunt asked over the rim of her teacup.

“He didn’t care that I don’t have a dowry.”

“No?” Betty asked. “That is interesting, considering he frequents disreputable gambling hells.”

Emmeline took a sip of her tea. “He has informed me that he has made a small fortune from gambling.”

Betty laughed cruelly. “I can’t imagine it being comparable to the Duke of Billingham’s fortune.”

“Most likely not,” Emmeline admitted.

“What you did was unbelievably stupid,” Betty said as she placed her teacup and saucer onto the tray with a clank, “and I find I am not in the right mindset to continue this conversation.” She abruptly rose. “I have no doubt your parents would have been mortified by your decision.”

“Please don’t say that,” Emmeline breathed.

“Why?” Betty asked. “It would make it no less true.”

“The duke and I would have never suited,” Emmeline pressed. “He only wanted to marry me because he needed an heir.”

“That is what marriage is in our circles!” Betty exclaimed.

“I wanted more in a marriage.”

Betty put her hands up in front of her. “I can’t talk to you when you are behaving like this,” she said as she started walking to the door. “You are an impossible child.”

“Wait,” Emmeline said, setting her teacup on the tray.

Betty stopped at the open door and gave her an expectant look. “What is it?”

“May I pack my clothes so they can return to Hawthorne House with me?”

With a shake of her head, Betty replied, “You are no longer welcome in this home. I shall have Mary pack your clothes and have your trunks delivered to you.”

“Thank you,” Emmeline murmured.

Betty’s expression held a look of disgust. “Your uncle worked hard to negotiate a fair contract for you, and it was all for nothing.”

“I never meant to hurt you or Uncle George.”

“Well, you did not succeed in that regard,” Betty replied. “Your selfish decision has broken our hearts.”

Tears formed in Emmeline’s eyes. “I am sorry, Aunt Betty.”

“Go back to Hawthorne House,” Betty said firmly. “You are no longer our responsibility.”

The tears started rolling down Emmeline’s cheeks, and she reached up