An Inconvenient Arrangement (Inconvenient Matches Book #2)

Chapter 38: Claire

In a while, Elizabeth returned from the dance she had promised her soldier and cajoled the Marquess to take her for the turn about the room, looking like a handsome pair indeed. Claire felt her stomach lurch when the two bent their heads together and began an intimate conversation, sharing secrets and jest. Claire snagged a flute of champagne and took a deep drink, turning away to speak to her acquaintances before she had to witness more of their sickening intimacy. If there was anything that Claire hated more than the fact that she was weak enough to be hurt by him, it was being jealous of Elizabeth and the attention she garnered. There was nothing more pathetic in her eyes than envying Elizabeth her youth and beauty.

And that too for a man as dishonorable as The Marquess of Lindsey.

About an hour or so had passed when Claire noticed that she had not spied Elizabeth since she had danced with the Marquess. She looked for Helen who made a casual wave in the direction of the balconies, saying that Elizabeth had gone for some fresh air in the company of friends. A perusal of the ballroom showed her that the Marquess was nowhere to be seen, either. Her head, already a touch light from the champagne she had consumed, began to spin as lead settled in the pit of her stomach, chains wrapping around her lungs making it difficult to breathe.

She could not recall being in so much pain. Not even when her husband had spurned her company for his mistress time and again. At least Northhaven had never tricked her, Northhaven had never made her feel as if she was worthy of adoration. In a way, James St. Alexander had been more cruel to her in these short months than Northhaven had been in almost two decades. He had, for the briefest moments, allowed her to hope that she could have had all those things she had stopped wanting, and then he had set that same hope aflame.

Losing something was infinitely harder than never having it at all.

With each step she took towards the relatively secluded upper floor where the balconies looked over a beautiful garden that Claire had been unable to enjoy due to the tempest that had been roiling inside her, threatening to take her apart at the very seams. Her footsteps felt heavier and heavier the closer she got to the section that was furthest away from the ballroom, the area that was most secluded from the rest of the party. Somewhere ideal for an assignation with a lover. She was unsurprised to find the door closed. She twisted the nob and was unsurprised to find both her quarries within. And though she had expected this very scene, she was still hit so hard with disappointment that she had to close her eyes for a moment. She opened them again, the view was still heart-wrenchingly dismal; Elizabeth staring up at him with naked adoration, James returning her gaze with one of tenderness.

There was a tear along Elizabeth's sleeve and the rest of her dress was mused as if she had been in a passionate encounter.

Claire's rage erupted like a volcano.

"Get away from him, Elizabeth!"

"Claire! Thank heavens-!" The Marquess began, cut off by her when she placed her hands on his chest and shoved him with every ounce of strength she had in her body. He stumbled backward, tripping over something that she could not see in the darkness of the balcony.

"Claire!" Elizabeth shrieked in horror as the Marquess grabbed the railing for stability, gaping at her. Claire felt so strange, as if her mind was disconnected from her body and she was merely a spectator to the disaster that followed.

"You disgusting, faithless bastard!" Claire snarled at him as she grabbed Elizabeth's arm, pulling her behind herself. Her voice was dripping with haughty condescension. "Did it amuse you to string her along all the while you were kissing me? Does it amuse you to tamper with women's sentiments? Though why should I even ask, when your faithlessness embarrassed your first wife to the extent that she would rather be a pariah than stay married to you? Come to think of it, aren't shaded alcoves and dark balconies exactly your domain? Seems it is true that a leopard cannot change his spots, indeed."