Page 60 of Married to the Lord

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Are you quite well?” Joanna asked, taking Augusta's hands in hers as Augusta greeted her and Chloe on the doorstep of the family home.

Augusta managed a tiny nod. She glanced at Chloe, who gave her a sympathetic smile. It seemed Joanna had apprised her of the situation with Miles. After he approached them two days ago, shaken and upset, Augusta had no choice but to confess all to Joanna. She could not claim to feel much better but she had at least come to a firm decision...

Regardless of what had happened between her and Miles, she could not marry Henry. It was not fair to him and it was not fair to her. For the first time in her life, she was going to make a decision for herself, regardless of what their families might think, regardless of what the future may hold for her.

“Thank you for coming,” she said, her voice hoarse.

She had cried herself ragged yesterday but had awoken with a strange sense of strength today. She supposed she had been feeling it grow since the moment she'd decided to cease awaiting Henry's return but it had blossomed overnight, somehow born of her frustration and heartbreak at Miles's confusing behavior. Why did he think she cared for his past? Why did he let it haunt him so?

Well, if she could do nothing about him, she could at least do something about her fiancé.

“I was hoping you might take me to Charlecote House.” Augusta gave a hopeful smile.

“Oh?” Joanna's brows lifted. “To see Miles? Or Henry?”

“Henry,” she replied.

“We will do whatever you need us to do, is that not right, Chloe?” Joanna looked to Chloe.

She nodded firmly. “Including giving that Lord Ashwick a piece of my mind if I need to.”

Augusta's smile widened. “That will not be necessary, I promise.”

“Well, let us get on our way.” Joanna gestured to the carriage, awaiting them on the road.

Ignoring her shaking hands and the nerves swirling in her belly, Augusta settled on the seat next to Chloe, aware that both of her friends were watching her as they went on their way. She wished she could tell them more but, if she was honest, she had hardly considered quite what was going to happen when she'd penned a quick note to her friends, asking for their help. If she went with her mother, there was no chance she could speak with Henry honestly.

And today was a day for complete honesty, for the first time in a long time.

“What if Lord Ashwick is at home?” Chloe asked. “Surely you have no desire to see him?”

Augusta shook her head. “He will not be. He, um, is usually at the estate offices at this time.”

Heat rose in her cheeks when she recalled her last visit there. It would be something she'd never forget. She bit back a sigh. If only she could fathom what had been running through Miles's head...if only she could come up with some way of fixing the situation. But she was at a loss. He had seemed so determined, so anguished. It had taken a good deal of strength to even drag herself out of bed today let alone contemplate whether there was some way of reassuring him that she did not care for his past. Even if it did seem it was far more awful than she had realized...

“Chloe and I may take a walk around the ground before joining you, if you do not mind,” Joanna suggested when they drew up outside of the house.

“Or we can stay with you, if you prefer,” Chloe offered quickly.

Augusta felt herself blanch as the reality of what she was to do struck hard. Regardless, she shook her head. “No. I should do this alone.”

Joanna gave her hand a little squeeze before they disembarked and went their separate directions. Augusta straightened her spine and climbed the steps to the front door on shaky legs. She was led to the drawing room and only had to wait a few moments until Henry joined her. He smiled, flashing white teeth at her. She could not help but smile back. Once upon a time, that smile would have sent her belly tumbling over itself, but that easily swayed young girl was long gone.

“What a pleasure to see you, Augusta. You will have to forgive my recent absences, I was—”

August held up a hand. “I need to say something, if you do not mind,” she said hastily. Any longer and she would lose her courage.

Both brows rose but he nodded. “Of course.” He gestured to one of the seats in the elegant gold and red room but she remained standing. Hands clasped in front of her, she drew in a long breath. “I...I wish to break off the engagement.”

He blinked at her several times and silence fell over the room. The chitter of a bird and the humming of a maid somewhere were the only sounds. Several ticks of a clock went by. Henry rubbed his forehead with a finger. “If this is because of my behavior, then please be assured—”

“No, it is because of mine.”

“Yours?”

She nodded. “I love another.” There. It was said. And, goodness, how good it felt. She loosened her hands and lifted her chin. “I'm sorry, Henry. I believe our engagement was a mistake and that you do not want me for a wife any more than I want you.”

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