Daughter of the Rebellion

Chapter 24

Richard pulled me down the hallway and into the sitting room, slamming the door once we were inside. He released my arm and angrily paced the room, muttering about how pretentious and pompous Elliott was, and how he'd like to string him up by his neck. He mumbled a lot of other things that I couldn't understand when his back was to me, as well as a lot of things that I wished I couldn't understand when he faced me. I'd never seen him so upset, and I didn't have a clue as to what caused him to be this way. If I wasn't already positive that he wouldn't hurt me, I'd have been afraid of him.

"Richard?" I hated to draw his attention while he was in this state, but he needed to calm down before we rejoined the party. I wished we didn't have to, but we really didn't have a choice.

I'd hoped that since we were alone now, he would behave as he always did with me - patient and rational, but he was still furious. What's more, he looked accusing, and that hurt.

"You like him, don't you?"

He expected me to deny it, although I didn't know why he assumed that I would, or what difference it made.

"I...well yes," I said. "He was very nice." Was, I mentally emphasized. The way he behaved with Richard wasn't nice at all. "I enjoyed talking to him." That seemed important since Elliott was one of the first people in this place I actually liked talking to aside from Richard and Charlotte.

Richard frowned. "Well, that's obvious!" he yelled. "The way you were behaving!"

"What?" There it was again - the insinuation that I'd done something wrong. But all I'd done was dance and talk, just like everyone else.

Folding his arms across his chest, he watched me skeptically and didn't respond.

"Richard please," I tried. "I don't know what you mean."

He seemed a little less sure of himself, but still very angry.

"A girl does not dance more than twice with a man, unless they are very serious about one another, Cecily," he spat. "And as close as you two were! People only dance that way if they've been intimate."

My mouth fell open and my face burned. Were we really dancing that close? Why would Elliott have done that, knowing the association people would make? I'd forgotten about the two dance limit, but even if I hadn't, I didn't remember Richard's mother saying it was such a problem. It had been more of a guideline.

"And the whispering! People probably thought you two were making plans for a rendezvous!"

No wonder he was so angry. I was angry knowing all of that. Did I really make such a fool of myself?

"Richard, I'm sorry! I didn't know! I didn't mean anything like that!"

He continued to scowl, clearly not convinced.

"You know I don't know anything about this place!" I cried. "I had no idea! Please! You have to believe me!" I went and threw my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

He didn't push me away, so that was something, but he didn't embrace me either.

"I told you I didn't want to do this." Tears flooded my eyes and spilled over. "I don't know what I'm doing! I'm sorry!"

After several endless, silent minutes, Richard heaved a weighty sigh and put his arms around me. I cried harder out of relief.

"I believe you," he said quietly.

"You do?" I pulled back to see his face. He still didn't look very happy, but the anger and accusation had fled from his eyes.

He nodded. "I don't like what I saw - and with Elliott Edgecombe of all people! But I know that you didn't understand the implications of your actions."