Scandal Of The Heart

Chapter 7

The grand dining hall of Thornton Manor was awash in the golden glow of chandeliers and the murmur of polite conversation. Eliza sat at the long, polished table, her hands folded in her lap, her heart pounding beneath her chest. The guests were seated, laughter and small talk floating through the air, but she heard none of it. All she could focus on was the looming presence of Lord Daventry, seated directly across from her.

His eyes hadn’t left her since the moment he arrived, his smug smile suggesting that he already considered her his prize. The idea filled Eliza with dread, but tonight was not just any social gathering. Tonight, her future was on the line.

Her father had made it clear—either she accepted Lord Daventry’s proposal, or she would be cast out, alone and without support. The thought of losing her family was terrifying, but the thought of marrying Lord Daventry… it was unbearable.

As the first course was served, Eliza pushed her food around on her plate, her appetite nonexistent. Across the table, Lord Daventry raised his glass in her direction, catching her eye.

“To Lady Eliza,” he said, his voice cutting through the hum of conversation, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. “A beauty and a delight, destined to become my wife.”

The toast was met with polite applause, but Eliza’s stomach churned. She forced a tight smile, knowing that all eyes were on her, waiting for her to respond. Her father’s warning echoed in her mind—Apologize, make amends, accept his proposal.

But she couldn’t. Not like this.

The dinner continued, each course more extravagant than the last, but the tension at the table was palpable. Lord Daventry watched her closely, his gaze predatory, while her father, seated at the head of the table, cast her stern glances as if to remind her of her duty. Eliza’s mother, always concerned with maintaining appearances, smiled pleasantly, but there was a tightness around her eyes that betrayed her worry.

As dessert was served, the moment Eliza had been dreading arrived. Lord Daventry stood, his tall frame towering over the table as he cleared his throat, demanding attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, his voice oozing with arrogance, “it has been my greatest pleasure to know Lady Eliza these past few months. I have come to admire her beauty, her grace, and her loyalty to her family. Tonight, I wish to formalize what has long been expected.”

Eliza’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew what was coming, but the reality of it made her blood run cold.

Lord Daventry reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a small velvet box, holding it up for all to see. The room fell silent, every guest leaning in to witness the spectacle.

“Eliza,” he said, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction, “will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Eliza could feel the weight of the room pressing down on her, every eye trained on her, waiting for her answer. Her father’s stern gaze bore into her from across the table, his unspoken ultimatum hanging in the air—Say yes, or lose everything.

Eliza’s breath caught in her throat. She glanced down at the ring in Lord Daventry’s hand, the large diamond glinting in the candlelight, but all she could think about was how much she despised him. How his touch made her skin crawl. How his arrogance and entitlement filled her with rage.

She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t marry him.

But if she didn’t… what then?

Her thoughts raced, a storm of fear and defiance swirling inside her. And then, like a beacon of hope in the midst of her turmoil, she thought of Thomas. The way he had looked at her in the stables, the way his hand had felt in hers, the unspoken connection they shared. She thought of his quiet strength, his fierce loyalty, and how he had risked everything to defend her.