Evil seed

The whole truth? Eleonor holds her breath, trying not to look affected by those words. She crosses her arms and asks him with an uninterested tone, “What's there for me to know, other than what I've already experienced in my own skin?”

“I know you resent me, Eleonor.” James didn't have the heart to face her, so he kept his eyes attached to the floor, “Of course, I don't expect you to forgive me. I just want to say that none of this is your fault…”

“Nothing is my fault, of course.” Her voice falters as her heart begins to pound desperately and anxiety settles in every part of her body. “Even if my only sin was being born, even that was beyond my power. I didn't ask to be born, Father. Nor did I ask to have a miserable life in this family…”

James finally looks up at her, and his eyes are resentful… no, he's looking at her with pity. Doesn't it seem too late to regret your negligence?

“The last thing I would want is for my daughters to have a forced marriage like I did. In the end, I was