She Is My Wife

"What does it say?" Lord Carlisle's voice rang with nonchalance.

"'What does it say?'" Lord Cossington repeated with disdain. "Unbelievable." A small chuckle. "It says here that you move to end, might I add, your long engagement to my sister, with compensation." He scoffed. "You end your engagement with us for her." He pointed at Beth. "For your mistress?"

Mistress! Beth pressed her lips together. She knew the life that awaited her and the unkind things would be said about her, but to have such things said while she was in the room, it was agonizing. But it was not untrue. She had indeed had an affair with Lord Carlisle, she had been his mistress even for the shortest of time.

"I thought we agreed," Lord Cossington continued. "that you can keep her as your mistress even after your wedding to Harriet. We_"

"Keep her as a mistress?!" Lady Cossington exploded. "I would never share him with the most noble of women, let alone with that tramp!"