Page 14 of Cruel Hearts

Right now, I would have even welcomed a mannequin with a clipboard. Anything to balance the numbers and make this disciplinary feel like less of an ambush.

The archbishop peered at me through his half-moon glasses. I pushed away thoughts of Dumbledore and focussed on the present. Despite the upbeat sermon, his kindly exterior had to hide a rotten core. How else could he have created a malevolent creature like Elizabeth?

“Delilah Hancock, do you understand why you’re here?” he asked.

One thing my stepfather drilled into my thick skull was never to admit anything under a police interrogation without the advice of a bent solicitor. So, I replied, “Not completely.”

Lady Liddell leaned forward, her perfect teeth bared. “Lewd conduct, disturbing the peace of the academy, and the distribution of drugs.”

Mrs. Campbell bristled. “Madam Chairwoman. It’s my understanding that the police exonerated Miss Hancock of the drugs charge.” She turned to Camden Liddell. “Is that not correct, Deputy Chief Constable?”

Camden Liddell grunted his agreement.

Mr. Burgh leaned back in his seat. “The real culprit of disturbing the academy’s peace is whoever called the police out of malice.”

Lady Liddell’s self-righteous expression flickered so rapidly I nearly missed it, but a quick glance at the archbishop told me he hadn’t been part of this conspiracy. I leaned forward and narrowed my eyes. How far would this upper-class bint stoop to cater to Elizabeth’s whims?

“Will you also claim innocence of lewd conduct?” Lady Liddell smirked.

My hands twitched to slap the Botox off her face. Fuck this toffee-nosed bitch and her snooty daughter. “If I’d known it was against school rules to be naked in my own bedroom, I would have gotten dressed in the bathroom with the door locked.”

She turned to the crooked policeman. “You arrested a half-naked boy in her room.”

Before he could reply, I said, “The police arrested him in the hallway on Elizabeth’s command.”

“But he was in your room,” she said.

“He probably wandered in to investigate the noise.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I would have reminded the officers to secure their supposed crime scene, but I had a giant police dog on my chest.”

Lady Liddell pursed her lips. “Before his arrest, Mr. Deloraine confirmed that you were…” She turned to her husband. “Please pardon the expression, Your Grace.”

I tamped down the urge to roll my eyes. She acted as though they’d never talked dirty in bed. Underneath all the makeup and fillers and fancy clothes, the woman looked like a hard-nosed skank.

As though it pained her to utter the words, Lady Liddell said, “Mr. Deloraine claimed that Miss Hancock was, and I quote, ‘an unbelievable fuck.’”

Mr. Burgh stiffened, and my insides tightened into knots. Avoiding the disappointment in his gaze, I turned to the archbishop, who raised his brows, seeming impressed.

Seriously, if I wasn’t facing expulsion, hurting my grandfather, and a one-way ticket back to the wrath of Billy Hancock, I would have laughed my ass off.

The archbishop leaned forward, his blue eyes twinkling. “Is this the same Mr. Deloraine we suspended for questionable conduct with Mr. Nevis?”

A week ago, I might have spoken up and explained that I’d tricked Maxwell into getting hard and naked with Orlando. Now, I was happy to throw that fucker under a double-decker bus.

In my best archbishop’s pet voice, I said, “Yes, sir.”

His expression brightened. “I expect Mr. and Mrs. Nevis will be delighted their son has departed from the ways of Oscar Wilde.”

I clamped my lips together, not wanting to ruin things by telling the old fart that one good, hetero fuck wasn’t the cure-all for homosexuality.

Camden Liddell shook his head. “Miss Hancock is a terrible influence on our students. The sooner we send her back to Richley, the sooner we can restore order in the academy.”

The old woman at his side nodded.

“No.” The archbishop steepled his fingers.

“What?” Lady Liddell spat. “Nudity and fornication aren’t lewd?”

“I believe Miss Hancock might benefit from the environment of Templar Academy.” The old man gave me a kindly smile.