The gulf between she and her brother had never felt so wide. Not even on the eve of her wedding when she was all but begging him to stop her, to pretend to care, to pull at a single thread and unravel all that had been done to her, had she felt so far from him. But now, watching him willingly cast aside all sense of righteousness and chivalry in favor of ruining a woman, Verity felt as though she had never known him at all.
Perhaps, if her experience had been different, if she had found a husband without the trauma involved, she wouldn't have thought twice of ruining Miss Farley. There were worse things to happen to a family's reputation than having a philandering brother. Clementine and Grace might have suffered for a few months, but by autumn this whole thing would be largely forgotten. (So long as Ford kept his scandals to a minimum anyway.) However, Verity hadn't at all considered as she stormed up to Ford that he wouldn't do right by Miss Farley. She'd just assumed their being caught meant the deal was sealed, that he would soon have a wife their family likely couldn't afford.
"You repulse me." Verity spat at him. "There are brothels for that sort of behavior, opera singers or ballerinas even. You could have gotten your fill without - without ruining that girl." She stalked closer to him, her eyes blazing with a fury she hadn't felt in years. Verity was certain she would have slapped him by now if they were home with how her body shook with violent energy. "I truly believed you better than this — better than - " she broke off, shaking her head as if to shake the very thought from her mind. "You're the same as them. I can only hope you'll choose your affairs better next time."
She didn't wait for his response before turning on her heels to head towards her own home.
Perhaps, if her experience had been different, if she had found a husband without the trauma involved, she wouldn't have thought twice of ruining Miss Farley. There were worse things to happen to a family's reputation than having a philandering brother. Clementine and Grace might have suffered for a few months, but by autumn this whole thing would be largely forgotten. (So long as Ford kept his scandals to a minimum anyway.) However, Verity hadn't at all considered as she stormed up to Ford that he wouldn't do right by Miss Farley. She'd just assumed their being caught meant the deal was sealed, that he would soon have a wife their family likely couldn't afford.
"You repulse me." Verity spat at him. "There are brothels for that sort of behavior, opera singers or ballerinas even. You could have gotten your fill without - without ruining that girl." She stalked closer to him, her eyes blazing with a fury she hadn't felt in years. Verity was certain she would have slapped him by now if they were home with how her body shook with violent energy. "I truly believed you better than this — better than - " she broke off, shaking her head as if to shake the very thought from her mind. "You're the same as them. I can only hope you'll choose your affairs better next time."
She didn't wait for his response before turning on her heels to head towards her own home.
set by mj