intractable. Where her sister didn’t possess a devious bone in her body, she herself had done things that could no doubt define the meaning of the word. Yes, they may be identical in appearance but that is where their similarities ended. Any gentleman seeking a wife would be a fool to choose her over her sister and Lucas Beaumont was not a fool in any shape or form.
“I can’t accept your suit knowing that—well knowing what I do. I simply cannot.” How could he not understand that this revelation changed everything? And how would she ever know for certain that his feelings for her sister hadn’t been redirected to her once it’d become apparent Charlotte was in love with someone else?
“Catherine.” His voice was coaxing.
Shaking her head, Catherine inhaled a deep breath, retreating several steps to create some space between them. “Lucas, I can’t. Please don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
When he made a move toward her, his mouth set in a determined line, she held her hand up to forestall him. “I would appreciate it if you would leave. I don’t believe we have anything left to say to one another.”
He pulled back, almost mid-stride and narrowed his gaze at her, accessing. “So that is it? There can be nothing between us because I met your sister first?”
“Not because you met her first but because you felt enough for her to ask for her hand in marriage.” Catherine fairly snapped out her reply, her fragile composure disintegrating to ash.
His mouth opened as if to speak but he abruptly closed it. A myriad of emotions flickered across his face: agitation, aggravation, hurt and anger. A look in his eyes and she could see he was all of those.
For nearly a half minute, he did nothing but stare at her as if he felt he could change her mind by the sheer will of his own.
Catherine traced the hard lines of his too-handsome features and the year-old yearning that had recently found relief since his reappearance in her life, started anew. Knowing they wouldn’t be together, that she would never again kiss those lips, be enfolded in his strong arms cut through her like a jagged blade. The pain, first a pinprick, bloomed and expanded until it encompassed all of her. She blinked back tears and endeavored to maintain her composure. God let her hold herself together at least until he was gone.
“Then I shall go.” His voice, hoarse and low, broke the cloying silence.
Catherine struggled to stifle the sob that was welling in her throat and the pain spearing her chest.
His gaze lingered on her one last time before he turned and walked to the door. He paused there, drew in an audible breath, straightened to his full height, his shoulders squared, and chin up. Seconds later, he was gone, the door left ajar.
Gone.
It took several seconds for the reality of what had just taken place to sink in. Catherine’s vision blurred as she walked backward until her mulberry plaid skirt brushed the sofa and the back of her knees made solid contact. Slowly, she sank down onto the sofa, her hands blindly seeking comfort in the plump cushions.
A sob caught in her throat. She heard the faint creak of the door opening. Charlotte. It could only be her. Catherine couldn’t bear to look at her, as she wanted nothing more than to be alone.
She didn’t lift her head when Charlotte sat down next to her and silently took both her cold, clammy hands in hers.
“Dearest, if you never believe another word I ever say, I know Lucas loves you.”
“No he loved you,” she sniffed.
Charlotte let out a heavy sigh. “This is precisely the reason I did not tell you about the proposal. I knew all it would do was hurt you and muddy the waters.”
“No, what it has done is made me aware of his true motives and you knew that would be hurtful.” Her sister’s first instinct was always to protect those she loved. Here was yet another case of that.
“Do you truly think if I actually believed that, I would tell
“I can’t accept your suit knowing that—well knowing what I do. I simply cannot.” How could he not understand that this revelation changed everything? And how would she ever know for certain that his feelings for her sister hadn’t been redirected to her once it’d become apparent Charlotte was in love with someone else?
“Catherine.” His voice was coaxing.
Shaking her head, Catherine inhaled a deep breath, retreating several steps to create some space between them. “Lucas, I can’t. Please don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
When he made a move toward her, his mouth set in a determined line, she held her hand up to forestall him. “I would appreciate it if you would leave. I don’t believe we have anything left to say to one another.”
He pulled back, almost mid-stride and narrowed his gaze at her, accessing. “So that is it? There can be nothing between us because I met your sister first?”
“Not because you met her first but because you felt enough for her to ask for her hand in marriage.” Catherine fairly snapped out her reply, her fragile composure disintegrating to ash.
His mouth opened as if to speak but he abruptly closed it. A myriad of emotions flickered across his face: agitation, aggravation, hurt and anger. A look in his eyes and she could see he was all of those.
For nearly a half minute, he did nothing but stare at her as if he felt he could change her mind by the sheer will of his own.
Catherine traced the hard lines of his too-handsome features and the year-old yearning that had recently found relief since his reappearance in her life, started anew. Knowing they wouldn’t be together, that she would never again kiss those lips, be enfolded in his strong arms cut through her like a jagged blade. The pain, first a pinprick, bloomed and expanded until it encompassed all of her. She blinked back tears and endeavored to maintain her composure. God let her hold herself together at least until he was gone.
“Then I shall go.” His voice, hoarse and low, broke the cloying silence.
Catherine struggled to stifle the sob that was welling in her throat and the pain spearing her chest.
His gaze lingered on her one last time before he turned and walked to the door. He paused there, drew in an audible breath, straightened to his full height, his shoulders squared, and chin up. Seconds later, he was gone, the door left ajar.
Gone.
It took several seconds for the reality of what had just taken place to sink in. Catherine’s vision blurred as she walked backward until her mulberry plaid skirt brushed the sofa and the back of her knees made solid contact. Slowly, she sank down onto the sofa, her hands blindly seeking comfort in the plump cushions.
A sob caught in her throat. She heard the faint creak of the door opening. Charlotte. It could only be her. Catherine couldn’t bear to look at her, as she wanted nothing more than to be alone.
She didn’t lift her head when Charlotte sat down next to her and silently took both her cold, clammy hands in hers.
“Dearest, if you never believe another word I ever say, I know Lucas loves you.”
“No he loved you,” she sniffed.
Charlotte let out a heavy sigh. “This is precisely the reason I did not tell you about the proposal. I knew all it would do was hurt you and muddy the waters.”
“No, what it has done is made me aware of his true motives and you knew that would be hurtful.” Her sister’s first instinct was always to protect those she loved. Here was yet another case of that.
“Do you truly think if I actually believed that, I would tell
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