Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 74

Dear readers, thank you for your generous feedback. I'd like to hear more from you. For you who requested for more Maggie and Jacob scene, they will appear in Chapter 76 or 77 since the next chapter will still revolve around Matthew and Arabella. Hope you're okay with that. Anyway, I'm trying my best to keep up and I hope you like this chapter! And please don't forget to drop your comments below! They really made my day!

Jeremy spun around and froze when his eyes met hers in the dark. His surprised expression lasted for a second, then his brown eyes turned cold.
"Is there anything I can help you with, my lady?"

"I need to talk to you."
She looked around, afraid to be seen.
"Is there any place we can talk in private?"

Eyes fixed on her face, Jeremy remained silent for a long moment. She thought he wouldn't answer her, but finally he said,
"Follow me."

He led her away from the open space into a secluded, shadowy path. Arabella looked around the darkened surroundings as they traveled further away from the main building. Nobody was likely to hear her scream from here, but she wasn't the slightest bit scared. She knew Jeremy more than anyone else in the world. He might be a cad, but he wouldn't seek to hurt her, that she knew for sure. She continued to follow him and before long, a shed came into view.

Jeremy pushed the rickety door open and turned to face her, motioning her to precede him inside. She complied and brushed past him over the threshold. A step into the room, the musky smell of sweat filled her nostrils. Obviously the room had poor ventilation, for there was no window. She paused, her eyes scanned the interior of the small, dimly lit space.

A worn table stood against the wall. A small candle, a water jug and a tin cup lay on top of it. Next to the table, sat a spartan chair with an unwashed shirt draped over it. In one dirty corner, lay a pile of crumpled, old newsprint that had been placed on a simple wooden structure for a makeshift bed. She shuddered to imagine what it might be like to sleep in a place like this.
"Is this where you sleep?"

"Yeah."

Arabella felt a pang of pity. How could one sleep comfortably in a pile of trash like this? This was far worse than his old bed in the stable in her family estate. Jeremy seemed to be aware of the way she felt about the condition of his accomodation, and his lips twisted into a sardonic smile.

"I'm very sorry if this place is not up to your standard, but we don't have much of a choice if you don't want to be seen by your brother."
He paused and let out a mocking chuckle.
"I thought Adam was the only son of your parents. I don't know if you have another brother."

"Stop teasing me, Jeremy." Arabella threw him a warning glance but Jeremy completely ignored it.
"He is your lover, isn't he? Are you both eloping? What's the problem? He looks like a rich fellow."

"That's none of your business." She snapped. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Alright then, what do you want to talk about, my lady?

"And stop calling me that!" She fixed him with an angry stare.
"You have no idea how much you hurt me. How long it took to heal the pain of your betrayal. I just want to know, have you ever, even for one second, felt guilty for cheating on me? Have you no scruples about lying to me and that girl, taking advantage of both of us?"

Jeremy's cynical expression fled. Indignation hardened his features.
"You need to know it was a made up story. Your father created it to blacken my name. He has bribed the other servants to back his action. I never did what he accused me of."

Arabella's eyes widened for a moment, but then she shook her head.
"I don't want to hear more of your lies, Jeremy."

"I tell the truth. You've been fooled all the time. I've never cheated on you when we were together. I didn't impregnate the scullery maid. I didn't do anything wrong. I swear on my father's grave!"