Her Assassin's Heart - Book 2

Chapter 18

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"Graham McRoberts has offered to accompany you on your rides in future, Cassie. He knows the area and the weather patterns. You can be sure you're safe with him close by." Irene smiled at the lily she was transplanting.

"How kind of him." Cassandra struggled not to voice her anger. Of course, he had. That was his plan to see her, to force her to see him. Fine. "But I think I've had enough of riding for now." She smiled sweetly.

"Oh, that is a shame. The horses could use the exercise. Sometimes, I'm afraid they'll forget what it's like to have a human on their back." Irene laughed softly, seemingly unaware of Cassandra's inner feelings. "Lavinia tells me you're an excellent rider, as well."

"Livy enjoys complementing others." This time, Cassandra's smile was genuine. "Which reminds me, I wanted to thank you for all the kindness you've shown to her. It's good to know that someone was looking out for her before I got here. I hated thinking of her being up here all alone."

"Oh, there's no need!" Irene waved a dirt-covered hand in dismissal. "It's nothing more than could be expected of a true friend. Besides, I've quite enjoyed seeing to her. I haven't had a good friend in a long time." A pained look passed across Irene's fair features for a brief moment. "I know what it's like to be ostracized."

Irene's eyes were fully of understanding as she looked up from her work. Cassandra sat on the ground, mindless of the dirt on her dress.

"Lavinia told me that things weren't easy for you back in London after they left." Irene explained gently.

Cassandra scoffed. "I believe the difficulty lay in the fact that I was in society and couldn't get out." She'd never told Lavinia the full extent of the situation back home. It would have made her sister feel worse about the things that were out of her control, and honestly, there'd been no need.

"How do you mean?" Irene frowned.

"As a lord's daughter, I was in the thick of everything, and when I realized I didn't want to be, it was too late. After the wedding, I was invited to parties and gatherings just so people could see how I was taking my 'tragedy' and gossip about me. I wasn't shut out as one might think. True, not one of them would stoop to speak to me as a friend, but that didn't stop them from wanting me present." As she spoke, she felt a twinge of guilt. Benjamin had called her 'friend' despite his sister's obvious disgust; he'd been willing—no, eager—to call her more than that.

"I guess I don't understand how that feels." Irene bit her lip. "Did Lavinia tell you my story?"

"She mentioned there was something in your past that involved Ethan, but she's never been one to talk flippantly about others' misfortunes."

"Of course not." Irene fiddled with a clump of dirt. "Would you like to hear it?" There was something almost hopeful in the dark eyes as Irene looked at Cassandra, and Cassandra could do nothing more than nod slowly. "I was young and foolish—a little girl really—always romanticizing about things I'd never experienced. Love and 'romantic entanglement' had been forbidden until I was older—fifteen is hardly an age to start a courtship; there's so much more about life that needs to be learned about oneself at that age before another person is added into the mix.

"I was resentful about my father's rule. I thought it was unreasonable—he and my mother and been rather young when they first met. In fact, when David Manuel came along, my attachment to him was almost formed out of spite. I wanted to prove that I was old enough to know my own mind, that I was a grown woman who could decide when she feel in love. My parents didn't have any idea what my feelings were about David, or they would have forbidden him from coming here.