'Yes because the children of harlots are not ladys' he laughed in her face, 'And father didn't demand anything,' he scoffed, 'he probably just told you that to make you go away' he knew his mother had certainly done nothing to arrange a debut for the little bastard - and even if one had been held, no one from polite society would have come. Halfblood illegitimate children didn't get happily ever afters, they got to be the paid companion of the legitimate children if they played their cards right, but Liliana had never been nice enough Hortense for that to ever happen. No, even if the entire Selwyn household were to be hit by lightning tomorrow Liliana would never be better off than she was at this very moment.

'I won't deny that my mother has too much dignity to bother trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse' he mused, consulting his finger nails. 'You can claim all the airs and graces you like Liliana, but no one in this world will ever forget you are a bastard. Father certainly doesn't' his voice was cold and detached now, 'Why do you think he let the mudblood woman organize your debut? Could it be because he didn't care enough to present you as his daughter? You'll note he isn't attending tonight, he didn't insist that you enter society as a woman of this house, as he will Hortense, you enter society as the pet of a mudblood, and as someone not worthy of being debuted as a Selwyn.'

He pushed off the wall, and with a last scornful look headed off down the corridor to find something more amusing to do. 'I hope your mudblood friend is well connected because you're going to need all the help you can get.' he called not bothering to look back and praying that the vapid little tart would crash and burn.

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