Eight

Amazingly he did.

He looked rather shocked by her outburst.

Sarah wasn't surprised.

The girl he'd known Some years ago had never screamed like that.

She'd never had cause to.

She tugged at her arm and said,Please leave me

alone."

"I don't want to.

Sarah's head snapped up.

What did you say?

He shrugged a shoulder and assessed her rudely.

I find myself rather interested in what I missed some years ago.

You're quite beautiful.

Her mouth fell open.

As if I would.

"I wouldn't be so hasty to refuse me.

He interrupted.

Of course you couldn't possibly hope for marriage, but there is no longer any threat of my being disinherited.

I, my dear am appallingly wealthy.

His father had called her my dear.

And he'd used that same condescending tone.

Sarah swallowed down the urge to spit in his face and said,

How perfectly lovely for you.

He continued as if he hadn't heard her.

I must say,

I never thought I'd meet you again under these circumstances.

I had hoped.

I never would, she retorted.

The governess,"he said, using an oddly thoughtful tone of voice.

What an interesting and precarious position she holds in a household.

Neither family not servant.

Sarah rolled her eyes.

I rather doubt you're as well acquainted as I with the 'interesting position' of the governess.

He cocked his head in a deceptively friendly manner.

How long have you been doing this?

I find it rather amusing that America's elite is trusting you with their children's moral education.

I could certainly do a better job of it than you.

He let out an abrupt laugh.

But then I never pretended to be good and true.

I never pretended to be a young man's dreams.

He leaned forward and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

His touch was chillingly gentle.

I never pretended to be an angel.

Yes, she choked out.

You did.

You were everything I dreamed of,

everything I'd ever wanted.

And all you wanted.

His eyes glittered dangerously as he pulled her closer.

What did I want,

Sarah?"

She twisted her head to the side, refusing to answer him.

He let her go abruptly.

I suppose there is no point in reiterating all my foolish hopes.

She laughed hollowly.

Your hopes?

Well,I'm so sorry you weren't able to get

me into bed with you.

That must have certainly broken your heart.

He leaned forward, his eyes menacing.

It's never too late to dream, is it?

That is one dream you will never see fulfilled.

He shrugged, his expression telling her that he didn't much care one way or the other.

God,I meant so little to you, didn't I?"

She whispered.

Edward stared at her, unable to believe her words.

She had meant everything to him.

Everything.

He'd promised her the moon, and he'd meant it.

He had loved her so much he would have found a way to pull that sphere from the sky and

hand it to her on a platter if she'd only demanded it.

But she'd never really loved him.

She'd only loved the idea of marrying a wealthy Billionaire.

Dior,he said, preparing to give her a blistering set down.

She never gave him the opportunity.

Don't call me Dior!

She burst out.

"I seem to recall that I was the one to give you that particular nickname, he reminded her.

You gave up all rights to it some years ago.

I gave up all rights?

He said, barely able to believe that she was trying to pin blame on him.

Memories of that pathetic night flashed through his mind.

He'd waited for her in the chilly night air. Waited for more than an hour,every fiber

of his being alive with love, desire, and hope.

And she'd simply gone to sleep.

Gone to sleep without a single care for him.

Fury exploded in his body, and he pulled her closer, his hands biting into her flesh.

You seem to have conveniently forgotten the facts of our relationship Dior.

She yanked her arm free with a strength that surprised him.

I said don't call me that.

I am not her anymore.

I haven't been for years.

His lips twisted humorlessly.

And who are you, then?

She stared at him for a moment,obviously trying to decide whether or not to answer his question.

Finally she said,I am Miss Sarah.

Or these days I am

more commonly just Sarah.

I am not even Sarah anymore.

His eyes swept over her face, not quite recognizing what he saw there.

There was a certain strength to her that she hadn't possessed at sixteen.

And her eyes held a steeliness that unnerved him.

You're right, he said with a purposefully

bored shrug.

You're not Dior.

You probably never were.

Sarah pursed her lips and refused to reply.

And for that I thank you,he continued in a mockingly grand voice.

Her eyes flew to his face.

He raised his hand as if making a toast.

To Sarah!

For providing me with an education no man should lack.

Sarah's stomach grew queasy and she took a step back.

Don't do this,

Edward.

For showing me that women are useless and vain Edward, no.that they serve one purpose only.

He drew his thumb across her lips with

agonizing slowness.

Although I must say they perform that duty exceedingly well.

Sarah stood stock still, trying so hard not to let her heart leap at the feel of his fingers on her lips.

But most of all, Miss Sarah, I must thank you for showing me the true measure of the heart.

The heart,you see, isn't what I thought it was.

Edward, I don't want to hear this."

He moved with startling speed, grabbing her brutally by the shoulders and pinning her against the hedge.

But you will hear this, Sarah.

You will hear everything I have to say to you.

Because she could not shut her ears, she shut her eyes, but this did little to

block his over-whelming presence.

The heart,I have learned, exists only for pain. Love is a poet's dream, but pain.

His fingers tightened around her shoulders.

Pain is so very, very real.

Without opening her eyes, she whispered,

I know more about pain than you

will ever learn.

Pain that you failed to snag yourself a fortune, Sarah?

That's hardly what I'm talking about. But.

He lifted his hands off her with a flourish.

I no longer

feel pain."

Sarah opened her eyes.

He stared at her face.

I no longer feel anything.

She stared back, her eyes every bit as hard as his.

This was the man who had betrayed her.

He'd promised her the moon, and instead stolen her soul.

Perhaps she wasn't such a noble person, because she was glad that he'd grown so bitter,

glad that his was an unhappy life.

He no longer felt anything?

She said exactly what she felt.

Good.

He raised a brow at the malicious pleasure in her voice.

I can see I did not misjudge you.

"Good-bye, Edward."

A right, two lefts, and another right.

She turned on her heel and stalked away.

Edward stood in the maze for an hour, his eyes unfocused, his body slack.

Dior.

Just the sound of her name in his mind made him shake.

He'd lied to her when he told her he no longer felt anything.

When he'd first seen her, impossibly sitting there in the maze, he'd felt such a rush of pleasure and relief—as if she could fill the emptiness that had engulfed him these past

Some years.

But of course she was the one who'd carved his heart hollow.

He had tried to erase her memory with other women—although never, to his father's great dismay, the sort one might consider marrying. He'd consorted with widows,courtesans,and opera singers.

He'd even sought out companions with

Sarah's unique coloring, as if thick black hair and blue eyes could mend the rift in his soul. And sometimes, when the ache in his heart was particularly strong, he forgot himself and called out her name in the heat of passion.

It was embarrassing, but none of his mistresses were indiscreet enough to mention it.

They always received an extra token of gratitude when it happened, and they

merely redoubled their efforts to please him.

But none of these women had made him forget.

Not a day had gone by when Sarah didn't dance through his brain.

Her laughter, her smiles.

Her betrayal.

The one thing he could never forgive.

Dior.

That thick Golden hair.

Those bright blue eyes.

Age had only made her more beautiful.

And he wanted her.

Lord help him, he still wanted her.

But he also wanted revenge.

He just didn't know which he wanted more.

Sarah awoke the next morning with only one thought in her head:

She wanted to stay as far away from Edward Billionaire of Valley, as possible.

She didn't want revenge.

She didn't want an apology.

She just didn't want to see him.

She rather hoped Edward felt the same way. Lord knew he had seemed uncommonly angry with her the previous night.

She shrugged, not quite certain why he would have been quite so furious.

She supposed she had pricked his male ego.

She was probably his only failure at seduction.

Sarah dressed quickly, mentally preparing herself for breakfast with John, which was always an unpleasant chore.

That boy had learned how to complain from a master—his mother.

If the eggs weren't too cold, then the tea was too hot, or the.

A sharp rap sounded at the door, and Sarah whirled around, her heart suddenly pounding triple-time.

Surely Edward wouldn't have the audacity to

approach her in her room.

She caught her lower lip between her teeth,

remembering his surly attitude.

He probably would go ahead and do such a

foolish thing.

Fury rose with in her.

Such behavior could cost her position, and unlike

Edward she was not appallingly wealthy.

She crossed the room in quick strides

and yanked open the door with an angry,

What?

"I beg your pardon, Miss."

"Oh, Lady Fairy, I'm so sorry.

I thought you were…

That is to say…"

Miserably, Sarah let her words trail off.

At this rate she wouldn't need Edward to lose her position for her.

She was doing a good job of it all by herself.

Lady Fairy inclined her head imperiously and entered the room without waiting for an invitation.

I am here to talk with you about your

unfortunate disappearance last evening.

"Master led me into the maze, my lady.

I could not find my way out.

"Do not try to force a boy of only four years to accept the blame for your actions.

Sarah fisted her hands at her sides.

"Do you realize," Lady Fairy continued,the extent to which you inconvenienced me?

I had a house full of guests to attend to, and I was forced to take time away from them to put my son to bed.

You should have been there to do it.

"I would have been, my lady,"Sarah said, trying not to clench her teeth.

"But I was trapped in the maze.

Surely you—

"You may consider this your final warning, Miss Sarah.

I am most displeased with your performance. One more mishap and I shall be forced to toss

you out.

Lady Fairy whirled on her heel and stalked back into the hall.

Then she turned around to say, Without a reference."

Sarah stared at the open doorway for several seconds before finally letting out a deep breath.

She would have to find a new position.

This was unacceptable.

Unbearable.

It was—

Sarah.

Edward's frame filled the doorway.

As if the day could get any

worse,"she muttered.

Edward raised an insolent brow, glancing at the clock on her bedside table.

"Really now, how bad could your day possibly be at this time in the morning?

She tried to brush past him.

I have to get to work.

"And feed young John?

His hand closed around her arm, and he kicked the door shut behind him.

Not necessary.

John has gone riding with my good

friend Jack, who has graciously volunteered to entertain the little brat all morning."