Page 134 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

"Well, what?" Lucien demanded.

"I may have gotten rather animated. Gesturing. It was dark, there were candles..."

"You knocked one over," Arabella guessed.

"I didn't realise it! Not until later. I left angry, went back to my inn. It wasn't until morning that I heard about the fire."

"You caused the fire that killed her?" Lucien's voice was dangerous.

"Accidentally!"

"And you said nothing? For two years?"

"What good would it have done? She was dead. You were destroyed by guilt. Adding my involvement would have helped no one."

"It would have helped me," Lucien said quietly. "I spent two years believing I failed to save her."

"You did fail. She died."

"Because of you."

"Because of an accident!"

"An accident you caused and hid."

"I didn't hide it. I simply... didn't mention it."

"For two years."

"Yes."

"While I tortured myself."

"You were torturing yourself anyway. You always did enjoy suffering."

"Enough," Arabella interrupted, seeing Lucien's hands clench. "Why tell us now?"

"I didn't want to. But circumstances change."

"What circumstances?"

Cassandra's composure cracked slightly. "Mr. Harrington suggested it was time for truth."

"How noble of him," Julian said, studying Harrington with suspicion.

"I believe in truth," Harrington said.

"You believe in something," Julian agreed. "Though I doubt it's as pure as truth."

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing. Yet."

"The point is," Cassandra interrupted, "now you know. Matilda was leaving Lucien, I accidentally caused the fire, and everyone's miserable. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," Arabella said dryly. "Though I'm curious why Mr. Harrington brought you here."

"He didn't bring me. We travelled together."