Page 81 of How to Start a Scandal

‘You insist on seeing me.’ She put her hands to her hips. ‘I’m here to inform you that I wish for you to leave.’

Seth widened his stance. ‘I won’t go.’

‘I don’t want you to stay.’

Seth shook his head. ‘Please give me a chance.’

‘Seth.’ Her voice cracked.

‘Violet,’ he said her name with all the regret roiling inside him.

Her face crumpled. ‘Leave me be.’

He rushed to her side. There was a pink tinge to her nose and a red-rimmed, bloodshot appearance to her eyes told him what her stoic demeanour tried to mask: she had been crying.

And he’d been the cause.

‘I will not leave you.’ Seth reached for her.

‘I trusted you.’ She pushed him away. ‘Leave me to pick up the pieces you left when you shattered me.’

‘No.’ He didn’t reach for her again, not if she didn’t wish him to. But he wouldn’t leave, damn it. Not until they had this conversation.

She shot a hurtful glare at him. ‘So you can break me again? And again? And again?’

He winced. She was right. He had spent a lifetime hurting her when all he’d ever wanted to do was be there for her, with her.

‘I want to help you pick up the pieces.’ He stepped closer and the ache in his chest was nearly more than he could bear. ‘I want to ensure you will never be anything but whole again.’

Even if he was not.

She drew in a shuddering breath and strode towards the chair nearest the tea tray that had been laid out by a servant some time earlier.

He followed her. ‘I’m an idiot.’

She lifted her head and regarded him. ‘I believe we’ve had this conversation before.’

‘And I told you I’d changed.’ He gave a mirthless chuckle. ‘Clearly, I have not.’

She did not contradict him. Instead, she poured them both tea with hands that trembled so badly, the delicate china rattled.

Seth sank on to the chair beside her. ‘You accepted me as I am. I have not afforded you the same courtesy.’

She lowered her head, appearing to be rather taken with her teacup, and gave a little sniff.

‘Violet,’ he said softly. ‘Forgive me.’

‘Even if I forgive you, it does not change what I’ve done.’ She set the teacup down untouched and wrapped her arms around herself.

He shook his head. ‘I don’t care what you’ve done. It was never the act in any event. I certainly cannot judge you with my tarnished past. I confess...’ He grimaced. ‘I confess, it was a shock to discover you had...’

‘Lost my innocence?’ she supplied with a bitter note.

‘No.’

Damn. This was harder than he’d anticipated. He got to his feet and paced. ‘I mean, yes. It’s only that, well, the idea that William had taken such liberties with you, it was hard to accept.’

She furrowed her brows. ‘William?’