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Richard swallowed.

What have I done?

* * *

Jo rushed out of the ballroom and into the gardens, Selena on her heels.

“He is betrothed!” Jo cried as she wiped her eyes with her wrists.

“Yes, I saw,” Selena said behind her.

Jo turned on her, her eyes wild, her breathing labored. “This kind of thing does not get decided in one day, Selena. He has been betrothed this entire time!”

Selena stepped closer, her arms outstretched as if Jo was a wild animal she was trying to befriend. And Jo did feel like a wild animal at this moment.

“You don’t know that,” Selena soothed.

“To hell, I do not know!” Jo hurled the expletive, not caring about her ladylike demeanor anymore. She was not a lady. And she would never become one.

“Why does it matter?” Selena reasoned. “The affair has ended anyway.”

Tears pricked at the back of her eyes again. “It matters because he lied to me,” she said quietly. “I do not care about our short-lived affair being ended so abruptly. It bruised my heart, yes. But when I just started to trust again, he had to come and ruin that for me.” She shook her head and sat on the stone bench. The bench they had made love on just a few days ago. “I shall never trust another man again.”

Selena slowly sauntered toward the bench and sat next to Jo. “Perhaps you shouldn’t.”

Jo turned and burrowed her face in Selena’s shoulder as she sobbed. She suddenly wished that she had left the house party earlier. He had asked her to stay away. Was this the reason why?

Jo wished she hadn’t listened to Selena. She wished she’d never let Richard close to her.

They sat like that for a few minutes. Just as her sobs quieted, and she wiped away the tears, sharp steps sounded around the corner. And then Richard called, “Jo?”

Jo raised her questioning gaze to Selena.

“Well, it’s not me calling you.” Selena shrugged.

“Jo, are you here?”

Jo grimaced irritably. She didn’t want to answer. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

But Richard rounded the corner just then and stopped, looking at her with a wild gaze.

Jo stood and turned to leave, but Richard reached her in two strides and put a hand on her shoulder. “Wait! Please, just hear me out.”

Jo shook off his hand and turned toward him, her gaze defiant.

Richard turned toward Selena, who was still occupying the stone bench, and raised a brow. “Miss Bromley.” He sketched a bow. “I was hoping to speak to Miss Claremont in private.”

“I shall just leave then,” Selena said and made to stand, but Jo raised a staying hand.

“No, Selena, do not move. We have the right to be here just as much as the viscount. And I would prefer if he left instead. Which means the only intruder here is the viscount.”

Richard frowned. “Jo, I understand you are angry, but if you just let me explain—”

“Explain.” Jo waved her hand, granting him permission.

“I will just—” Selena started, but Jo cut her off again.

“No, you stay. If the viscount has anything to say, he can say it in your presence.”