Page 38 of The Earl's Heiress
“That would be all.”
“My lord.” The butler bowed and hastily left the room.
Temple clenched his jaw until it ached. For the past few weeks, he dealt with the difficult problems of the estate. Now, there are monumental ones in his marriage. His wife left him. He had expended all his energy to restore his family’s wealth and standing, and while he succeeded, it would be bittersweet without his wife. Why couldn’t he get it right? She had taken himcompletely by surprise, and he should have been able to see it. Life had ground to a halt in a flash.
He banked his fists against his desk, and it seemed to echo in the library. He had not taken responsibility and he would suffer for it. He couldn’t blame Arabella for his failure to be more sensitive to her needs. Although she would have sailed by now, he wouldn’t let her go. He couldn’t. He jumped from his chair and paced back and forth across the room. A knock on the door brought him to a halt.
“Come in.” He beckoned, and his mother crossed the threshold.
“Temple, I inquired after Arabella, and I understand she isn’t here.” Furrowed brows amplified the concern in her eyes.
“News certainly travels fast. Yes, mother. Apparently, she’s returned to America,” He replied contritely.
“Good heavens! What happened?”
“It’s all my fault.” He declared, knowing he would have to put it right.
Her delicate brow arched. “What have you done?”
The throbbing in his head intensified. “I’ve been arrogant and inconsiderate. I postponed our honeymoon, and if that wasn’t enough, I’ve been visiting the other properties and estates, which took me away from her. Even when I was home, I didn’t give her the attention she deserved. She was unhappy and I refused to see it. This is no way to start a marriage.”
“Son, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t know Arabella felt that way. She never mentioned it to me. I can hardly believe she left. It won’t be long before the news is all over London.”
Temple ignored the comment about gossip. He had more important things to consider. “I’m certain she has already set sail, but I will leave immediately so I will not be far behind.”
“You’re going after her?”
“I must, Mother. My wife belongs at my side.”
Arabella had made the effort to communicate with him and he realized how important it was to talk about issues that were not going well. He settled into their new life and went about his business without much concern for her feelings. She was more vulnerable in her loneliness. She shared her thoughts and feelings and expressed her needs, yet he did nothing but disregard them. She was open, curious and confident but she couldn’t be confident in their marriage. He had made no effort to nurture the start of something special and to spend quality time with her.
“I must go, Mother. I will write to you.”
“Of course. Time is of the essence.”
Temple kissed her cheeks and descended the stairs where his carriage and trunks awaited him. He entered, rested his head against the scab and closed his eyes. As the carriage swung into motion, he wondered if he could solve this problem. Arabella wasn’t optimistic about their future together. She was no doubt frustrated and disconnected, which meant he had his work cut out for him. She was wounded, and he must heal it. He wasn’t quite sure how he was going to do that, but he would have time to find out. For starters, he had to make a commitment to changing the way he communicated, otherwise it would be detrimental to the marriage. He had to learn from his mistake and never revert to his selfish behavior because he had to hold himself accountable.
A little over a month later, Temple arrived at Arabella’s family estate. The sprawling grounds were breathtakingly beautiful, and everything gleamed in the warm sunshine. His garden paled compared to the lush one that lined the driveway to the main house. He was weary from traveling, but the pleasant sight uplifted his spirit.
He was excited to finally arrive and to see his wife. He disembarked from the carriage and walked to the main door. Hehad plenty of time to think over the last month and realized how much he missed Arabella. He was here not only because she was his wife and belonged at his side but because he cared deeply for her. He wanted to show her that he could nurture and protect her and that she was an important part of his life. He truly didn’t want to contemplate life without her.
Before he could even knock at the door, it was opened, and a smartly dressed butler greeted him. “I am Temple Grey, the eighth Earl of Stanford, and I’m here to see Lady Stanford, my wife.”
The butler gave a bow. “Good day to you, Sir. I’m afraid Miss Arabella is not here.”
The ground shifted under his feet. “Not here!” He exclaimed. “What the hell is going on? Where is she?”
“I am not at liberty to say—”
Temple didn’t allow him to finish. Was she so angry that she would turn him away? He would see Arabella, and no one would stop him. He took a few steps, and the butler stood aside to let him enter.
Temple rushed into the grand hall and said, “Arabella, I must speak to you. Arabella.”
A door close to the landing opened and Temple breathed a sigh of relief, but it wasn’t Arabella who stepped out.
“What is this disturbance? What are you doing here, Lord Stanford?” Winnie asked.
“I’m here to speak with my wife.”
