Page 18 of A Brooding Christmas Promise
“Please, do let us talk for a moment,” she said, never once looking to Miss Millerton, seeming to choose now to ignore her. “I know that I am the last person you might wish to see but so much has happened, so much has changed and I – ”
“You perceive correctly, Lady Grifford,” Samuel interrupted, a little harshly. “Now, if you will excuse us, we are currently in the depths of conversation.”
“Grifford is dead.”
Samuel stopped short, his heart slamming hard against his ribs as he looked back into her face, seeing glistening tears in her eyes.
“I am not mourning for him,” she continued, lifting her chin just a little. “I have done a few months but that is all. I refuse to do more given how he treated me.”
Something stirred in Samuel’s heart but he refused to listen to it. “I am sorry to hear that your husband is dead,” he managed to say, seeing the way her eyes glistened though her expression softened as he spoke, perhaps seeing something more in his words than he meant to give. “You have returned to London for Christmas, I see. I do hope that you enjoy your time here back in society.”
“I did hope that we might speak. There is much that I wish to say.”
Samuel swallowed tightly, looking back into Maria’s face and becoming aware of the hope shining in her eyes. What was it she was expecting of him? A great and dreadful fear began to wind around his heart, suddenly afraid that she was expecting a rekindling of their affections, that she would see him as her saviour from the difficulties she was now experiencing.
Could it be that my heart would ever be willing to return to her again?
That frightened him all the more, dreading the thought of letting his emotions burn hot for the lady who had not only broken him apart but betrayed him in doing so. He was surely not as weak as that, was he?
“Forgive me, I have not introduced you to… Miss Millerton.” An idea struck him and before he could stop himself, he saidthe words that he knew would not only shock Miss Millerton but would also stun – and mayhap silence – Lady Grifford. “My betrothed.”
Miss Millerton did not even flinch. Instead, she went very still, her eyes fixed on Lady Grifford – for that was how he had to think of her now, not as Maria any longer. She did not speak, she did not even make a single sound and Samuel silently prayed that she would understand what he had said and why he had said it.
“Your betrothed?” Lady Grifford blinked and then turned to face Miss Millerton. “I did not know. But, then again, why should I know such a thing?” She tried to laugh but it came out as a broken, harsh sound. “How very good to meet you, Miss Millerton.” Her gaze went back to Samuel. “Might we meet for even a few minutes, just so that I might speak with you? There is much that I wish to say, much that I wish to apologise for.”
“It would not be seemly for me to be noticed by thetonin your company and your company alone,” Samuel stated, with a lift of his chin. “However, if you wish to speak with Miss Millerton and me, then we might arrange that at some point soon. Now, if you will excuse me, I must continue walking with Miss Millerton.”
Without another word to her, with only a nod, Samuel stepped away. Miss Millerton while walking with him, he realized, had not said a single thing either to himself or to Lady Grifford. As he glanced at her, Samuel saw the white in her face, the pinched expression and his gut twisted.
What had he done?
Chapter Nine
“Crestwood?”
Charlotte stopped just as Lord Crestwood caught his breath as he turned. The next moment, he had not only taken a step back but had also dropped his arm so that her hand fell back to her side. His eyes were wide, his face now like parchment and Charlotte’s concern grew rapidly. She turned, seeing a young lady standing before Lord Crestwood, her blue eyes searching his face, a familiarity with him in not only her expression but in the way she had spoken to him.
“Maria.”
The manner in which Lord Crestwood's voice droned upon the lady conveyed
to her a sense of profound unease. She did not know what to do, whether she ought
to say something, whether she ought to introduce herself or if she should remain
silent and permit Lord Crestwood to speak.
“Samuel. Forgive me, I…” Her gaze went to Charlotte who offered her a small smile, still uncertain as to what else she ought to do. The lady then dropped into a curtsy, speaking a good deal more formally now. “Good evening, Lord Crestwood.”
Lord Crestwood did not answer. The way that he was looking at the lady made Charlotte frown, wondering what it was about her that was causing such a strong reaction.
And then, she remembered.
Could this be the lady that had broken his heart? The one whom he had been meant to marry, the one who had chosen someone else over him? He had never spoken of it to her, of course, but Charlotte recalled what Amelia had told her. Surelythat could be the only reason for a gentleman to respond so strongly. She cleared her throat gently and just as she did so, Lord Crestwood took in a long, deep breath and then closed his eyes before, much to her relief, he spoke.
“Good evening.” Without warning, he reached for her hand and then set it again on his arm, twisting towards her as he did so. “I – do excuse us.” Without offering her a word of explanation, Lord Crestwood began to take his leave of the lady and Charlotte went willingly, sensing that this was not a situation that she needed to be a part of, only for the lady in question to move in front of them, preventing Lord Crestwood from making his way forward.
“Pray, do let us talk for a moment,” she said, her gaze firmly fixed to Lord Crestwood rather than looking at Charlotte. “I know that I am the last person you might wish to see but so much has happened, so much has changed and I –”
