Page 8 of His Revelation
The phrase sent a spike of guilt into Lysander’s gut, but he scowled and forced it aside. Ruining her future? That wasn’t hisintent. He just wanted her to knowheknew who she was, and he wouldn’t be marrying her, now or ever.
“I’m no’ ruining her future,” he mumbled, as much to convince himself as Athena.
“Are ye no’?” His sister hummed. “It sounded as if ye intended to destroy her chances at a marriage, no’ just with ye, but with anyone, even if she repents.”
The premonition, coming from Athena—a gorgeous young woman who’d been raised with every advantage, only to have her own prospects ruined because of one mistake—was especially chilling.
“I dinnae want toruinher, especially no’ if she repents,” Lysander snapped. “But I wantherto acknowledge how wrong she was.”
Thankfully, his sister let that argument drop. “And how are ye intending on doing this?”
“I’m going to present myself to her—in her own space, no’ here, where she’d expect something different. The Oliphant Inn has been the area’s primary lodging for two generations now, even though it was once a manor house belonging to the Barons Oliphant. Despite her airs, and that of her mother, they’re used to hosting all types of people in their home.”
“And am I correct in guessing ye will appear to be a…less than desirable type?”
“I’ll be the least desirable,” Lysander snarled, “at least according to her standards. I’ll be the ugliest, dirtiest, most barbaric man she can imagine. Perhaps I’ll pretend to be less than whole.”
“Missing an eye perhaps?” mused his sister.
“Oh, excellent! I’m certain my valet could scrounge me up an eyepatch.”
“Ye would need to grow a beard.”
Thoughtfully, Lysander rubbed at his chin. “That will be simple enough.” His valet sometimes had to shave him twice a day.
“If ye allow that bush on yer chin to grow for a few days, it is possible evenIwill not recognize ye,” Athena admitted. “And if ye add in some dirt…”
“Aye, I’ll be the worst-looking wretch she’s ever encountered, and when she dismisses me, I’ll no’ go.”
“And will ye growl and bark and act otherwise like our brother, the Beast of the Oliphants?”
Lysander shook his head, warming to the idea. “Nay. I’ll treat her with the utmost respect, so when she dismisses me, turns me away, there’ll be nae confusion as towhyshe did it. She’s too obsessed with appearances to do anything otherwise. And then…”
“Ye will simply point out her error?” There was a trace of laughter in Athena’s voice as her horse picked its way around a puddle from last night’s rain.
“Nay,” muttered Lysander as he considered his plan. “I’ll reveal who I am, and when she begs and pleads for my forgiveness, I’ll no’ grant it. She must learn to see value beyond how a personlooks. She must acknowledge how vain and self-centered she really is.”
Their horses reached the top of the hill which marked the property divide between the Dumpkins Estate and the ancient Oliphant lands.
“And ye will be able to do all that without hurting her? Without ruining her future?” Athena’s voice had more than a touch of doubt in it as her animal picked its way in a circle. “So this will not be a public repudiation?”
Unlike whatshehad suffered.
Lysander wasn’t certain whereit would happen, but the thought of harming Tiffany made him want to scowl. “I dinnae want tohurtthe lass. I just want her to acknowledge?—”
“Yes, yes, that she is a terrible person.” Athena nodded. “Hopefully, she will change her ways, eh?”
Still scowling, Lysander nodded. “That is all I want. When she realizes who it is she’s treated so poorly, she’ll walk over coals to beg my pardon, I’m certain. She wants to marry me after all.”
“But ye will no’.” Still trying to hide her smirk—obviously not very well—Athena leaned across the space and placed a hand on the back of his forearm, her gaze suddenly serious. “Good luck, brother. I look forward to hearing how yer scheme progresses.”
With a curt nod, Lysander patted his sister’s hand and urged his horse into motion, heading toward his family’s castle. But as the sun sank further in the west, and a chill wind picked up, Lysander’s stomach tightened once more.
Ruin her future?
He didn’t want that, did he? But his plan was a good one and would make her realize the errors of her ways.
In fact, he might argue he wassavingher future. By helping her see and acknowledge her own glaring faults, he would be helping her to fix them before she went marriage hunting again.
