Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 75

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Once inside the privacy of his room, Matthew strode to the table at the center of the room and braced his hands on the solid wood for support. The pain of Arabella's betrayal struck him like a blow to his head. No, worse. Much worse. It felt like a twist of dagger to his heart. Trying to calm down, he dragged a lungful of air, but every breath seemed to drive the knife further in.

Matthew had heard his friends weeping over heartbreak, but he could have never understood the reality of how painful a broken heart could be until it happened to him. It hurt like hell. But he deserved all this. He'd lied and neglected another woman who truly loved him and cared for him. He was a fool to think that because Arabella had given him her virginity, that meant she reciprocated his feelings. She'd told him that a woman's hymen was just a useless part of the body. That it was of no value. Of course she had no problem having it taken by any man. And the fact that she chose him to be her first lover didn't make him special. He closed his eyes until the pain eased into a hard, bitter knot in his core. The cold numbness that once had carried him through his darkest days descended upon him again.

Shoving away from the table, he began to throw his things into the valise. In hardly any time at all, he'd left his room and hurried downstairs. His noisy footsteps made the innkeeper turn her head in his direction. The woman's eyes widened in surprise when he said ,
"Please have my carriage readied as soon as possible."

"Are you going somewhere nearby, Sir?"

"I'm leaving." He replied curtly. The older woman gasped,
"What's the problem, Sir? Is the room not to your liking? We have plenty of rooms for you to choose from—"

"Please, I must leave as soon as possible." He cut the woman off, placing a pouch of coin on the countertop. The innkeeper gawked at the generous sum. Without another word, she hurried to leave her perch behind the counter and out of the front door. Within less than fifteen minutes, the woman returned. Matthew, who had already been waiting in the lobby, stood up when she rushed in.
"Your carriage is ready, Sir."

He picked up his valise and strode out. Watching him in confusion, the innkeeper called,
"Sir, are you going without your sister?!"

Matthew's jaw clenched at the question, but he kept walking.
The hell with her.

She said she wanted to be an independent woman but she relied upon him to fund her silly escape. What can she do on her own? She'd never worked a day in her soft, privileged life. Come to think about it, she'd taken advantage of him all along. Wagner was damn right when he said that she only used Matthew to avoid being pressured into marriage. He was nothing but a means to an end. He should have known it from the start, since she never seemed to care about his feelings. How could he be so blind? This betrayal is the punishment he so dearly deserves.

A gust of wind slapped icy snow into Matthew's tautened face as he stepped out onto the porch. The coachman jumped out of his seat to open the carriage door for him. He hurried over to help store Matthew's valise but Matthew just carelessly threw the thing inside. He was about to climb up into the carriage when Arabella's angry voice rang out,
"Are you planning to go without me?!!"

He stopped and took a deep, calming breath before turning around to face her. Arabella stood on the porch with her valise, her furious gaze directed at him. Hoisting her belongings, she marched towards him.

"I can't believe it. Are you going to leave me in the lurch when I have no one else to turn to? How could you do that?"

No one else to turn to? And she'd just returned from a tryst with her former lover.