Chapter 22

“What is this?”

“What I owe you for our room and board.”

“You’re…you’re leaving?”

“We are. I won’t remain here to have my future bride abused like this.”

“But—but she doesn’t love you! Only a couple of months ago she was being courted by another man.”

“How do you know that?” he asked mildly.

“I read the society pages. Everyone wondered if there’d be an announcement, but of course, with her loose morals…And now she’s carrying his babe.”

He snorted and started to turn away, but she clutched at his sleeve.

“Stop! You can’t marry her. Don’t you realize if you do, she’ll break your heart?”

“Why would she do that? She’s a well-bred young lady.”

“Well-bred? Hardly that.” Mrs. O’Connor scoffed. “How can you trust her after what she’s done?”

“And exactly what is that?” His tone of voice must have made her realize she was going too far.

She cleared her throat. “She’s too narrow in the hips to safely bear children. Even if you marry her, you’ll wind up losing her.”