Page 41 of An Arranged Betrothal with an Icy Duke
His brother shook his head. “I do not think that she ever intended for such a thing to happen. No doubt, our mother hoped that there would be some disaster at the orphanage and that, thereafter, Miss Tidemore would be blamed. Thereafter, she would be shamed not only in her own eyes but also in yoursandin those who live in this area. They would all hold her responsible for the destruction of the orphanage and, thus – ”
“And thus, the marriage would have to come to an end,” Henry finished, as his brother nodded, grimacing hard. “Even if I still wanted to marry the lady, knowing what reputation she had garnered for herself by such an action, knowing what it was that those around here thought of her, my hand would have been forced.”
“Precisely.”
Henry rubbed one hand over his face, his anger continuing to swirl as he fought for clarity, fought to even just take one full breath so that some of what he felt might calm itself just a little. He looked at his brother, seeing a fresh sense of relief in Frankton’s eyes and realizing just how much he owed him.
Henry‘s shoulders slumped. “Frankton, I should never have thrown your letters in the fire. I should have given you a chance to explain, a chance to – ”
“None of that matters at this present moment.”
“No, it does matter. I have shunned you for three years, I have treated Rachel with disdain and it was never her fault.” Shame threatened to rip him apart, replacing his anger as he bowed his head, one hand going to cover his face. “Goodness, Frankton, how abominably I have behaved! If I had only given you both a chance to explain, then I would have known the truth. To know that Rachel endured such suffering, such agonies and that I was not there to even listen to her… that tears my heart into pieces.” Closing his eyes, he let out a ragged breath. “Why did she not tell me?”
“How could she?” came the quiet reply. “She would have been speaking against the Duchess, against your own mother.”
Understanding it, Henry’s heart tore all over again. “I bear now such a weight of guilt which is entirely deserved.” He dropped his hand and looked back into his brother’s face, seeing him now for the gentleman he knew him to be, for the man he hadalwaysknown him to be. “You are the true gentleman. If you had not stepped into the place where I ought to have been, then who knows what would have happened to Rachel?” Stepping forward, he made to shake his brother’s hand, only for Lord Frankton to shake his head. For a moment, Henry thought that his brother was about to refuse him, about to withhold forgiveness, only for Lord Frankton to step forward and embrace Henry into a tight hug.
Henry swallowed tightly as waves of emotion ran over him, crashing into one another and threatening to overwhelm him. When he stepped back, clearing his throat gruffly, he could not even look at his brother for fear of what might come into his eyes should he do so.
“Thank you for believing me, Henry.” It was the first time his brother had used his Christian name in a long time and Henry swallowed hard, feeling that sense of restoration and healing coming between them again.
“Thank you for telling me.” Henry looked to the door, silently praying that the doctor would soon return and with good news also. “I can keep Edith safe now, though I have already failed her in that.”
“Youdidsave her, Fairglen,” his brother stated, emphatically. “And I am sure that one day very soon, I will be seated in church, watching the two of you wed.”
Henry looked back at him, his hopes barely daring to grow. “I can only pray that what you say will come to pass,” he answered, a little brokenly. “I can only pray that she will recover.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Edith pushed herself up in bed and reached for the tea tray. “I thank you,” she tried to say, wincing with embarrassment at the hoarse croak that was her voice.
“Please, do not try to speak!” Her mother hurried around the bed towards her, her face still pale and drawn. “Goodness, Edith, did you not hear what the doctor told you? You are still to rest for another sennight!”
“Iamresting,” Edith answered, her voice as a whisper. “But that does not mean that I must remain silent, Mama.” Catching her mother’s hand, she pressed it gently. “I am recovering well, I promise you.”
Her mother nodded, tears springing to her eyes as she squeezed Edith’s hand back in return. Smiling up at her for a moment, Edith then turned her attention back to the tea tray, finding herself rather thirsty.
“The Duke does want to come and see you again,” her mother reminded her. “The maid will do your hair and once you have taken your fill, I will call for him to come in.”
Edith shook her head. “My hair is perfectly fine, Mama,” she whispered back. “It does not need perfection.” She smiled at the thought of seeing the Duke again, though her smile quickly faded as she recalled how seriously he had looked at her the last time he had come to see her. His relief and his joy that she had recovered was obvious but there was clearly something else on his mind which, for whatever reason, he had not yet spoken to Edith about.
“The vicar came to tell us all what the Duke did in saving you,” her mother continued, her voice softening. “He torethrough that house looking for you and then threw himself through the window in order to take you from it.”
Edith’s heart squeezed gently. When she had first opened her eyes, she had seen his face looking down at her and all that she had felt for him was a swell of love. Quite how she had been saved from the orphanage, she had not known, but there was a certainty within her thathehad been the one to do it.
“You were foolish in going to save that child,” her mother finished, as Edith sipped at her tea, finding it a gentle warmth to her raw throat. “Though, to be truthful, I am very proud of your kind heart.” She shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. “You remind me of my sister. She always thinks of others. I suppose that is why she is so happy with the orphanage in London – and why you always were delighted to join her there.” She smiled, though a single tear dropped to her cheek. “I could not have borne it, had we lost you.”
“But you did not,” Edith answered, smiling back at her mother. “The Duke saved my life and returned me to his house.”
Her mother nodded slowly. “You care for him.”
Without a single flicker of hesitation, Edith nodded. “Yes, Mama, I do. And I believe he cares for me too.” Recalling that serious glint in his eye as he had come to speak with her the previous day, Edith’s heart lurched but she quickly shook her head to herself, refusing to let those thoughts take hold. Instead, she turned her thoughts back to the kiss they had shared, to the tenderness she had seen in his expression and to the sweet words he had spoken to her. She could not believe that he was about to turn from her now.
“Well,” her mother sniffed, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes, “I will go and call him now, shall I?”
Edith nodded and sipped again at her tea, choosing to dismiss the maid rather than keep her present. It was a little improper, of course, but given that she was recovering in bed,Edith did not think that anyone would complain. She pushed herself up again carefully, making sure that the long plait of her hair came over one of her shoulders, before looking to the door expectantly.
The moment the Duke stepped in, Edith’s heart leapt with the sheer joy of seeing him. He came over to her at once, reaching for her hand, bending his head over it, his lips brushing against her skin.
