Page 133 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

The room went silent. Even Julian, rarely at a loss for words, seemed stunned.

"You were here?" Lucien's voice was deadly quiet.

"She invited me," Cassandra said, settling back on the settee. "We had... things to discuss."

"What things?"

"You, of course. She wanted my advice."

"About?"

"How to leave you without causing scandal."

The words landed like blows. Arabella felt Lucien flinch beside her.

"She was leaving me?"

"Oh, darling, didn't you know? She'd been planning it for weeks. Had everything arranged." Cassandra's smile was sharp as glass. "She was going to Italy. To pursue her music."

"You're lying."

"Am I? Ask Mr. Harrington. He was helping her."

All eyes turned to Harrington, who shifted uncomfortably.

"It's true," he said quietly. "Matilda was my cousin. She wrote asking for help. She said she was desperately unhappy."

"And you agreed to help her leave?" Lucien's voice was ice.

"She was miserable. Said you barely spoke, that you were cold, distant. She felt like a prisoner."

"That's not..." Lucien began, then stopped. "Perhaps it was true. I wasn't... I didn't love her."

"No," Cassandra agreed. "You loved me."

"I never loved you."

"You did once."

"I thought I did. I was young and foolish."

"And now you're old and foolish?" Julian suggested helpfully.

"Now I'm married to someone I actually love," Lucien said firmly.

"How touching," Cassandra purred. "But we're getting off topic. Don't you want to know what happened that night?"

"Tell us," Arabella said, though she suspected they wouldn't like what they heard.

"Matilda and I argued. She said horrible things about Lucien, about me. She said we were cold, calculating, perfect for each other in our emptiness."

"Sounds accurate," Julian observed.

Cassandra shot him a venomous look. "I defended Lucien, naturally."

"Naturally," Arabella said dryly.

"She laughed. Said he'd never love anyone but himself. That's when I... well."