Page 53 of An Earl's Scandalous Return
Seraphina rose from her place in Arabella’s arms, and she wiped her tears.
“You may be new to me, but I do not feel we are strangers. Even in meeting Alvin, I could feel a kinship that I had for so many years been longing for.” Seraphina smiled through her tears. “It was as if some piece of me was missing, but it has now come back to me in full. Do you understand what I mean?”
Smiling, Arabella took her sister’s hand. “I know exactly what you mean, and I felt just the same when I first laid eyes upon you and saw our similarity. A sister come to me. What a treasure.”
“Thank you, Arabella. And if Alvin approves, then yes, I would like to stay with you both as family. For, even if Gregory has been the only father I’ve ever known, I am glad that he is not really my father. For I have never felt truly connected to him. In fact, I am glad that he is on trial, that I will never have to see him again if I do not wish.”
“We will do whatever you wish in regards to him, Seraphina. You have the protection of a family now.” She smiled at her. “Are you enjoying yourself here? Are you enjoying learning so many things? I know that it must be difficult and overwhelming. I hope you don’t think we are rushing you.”
“Not at all! I love every minute of it; I only worry that I will be a disappointment to you all, with all my country ways. You can still hear it in my accent.”
Arabella laughed and got to her feet, reaching out a hand to help her sister. “It will take time, all these things. But do not fret about disappointing us. You must be just as you are.”
She thought then back to Edward and his decision not to depart. She loved her sister without condition, but it seemed that he could not. That hurt her deeply, for she believed him to have a very big heart, to be full of kindness and compassion.
Yet he was so angry at her that he could not forgive her for the past. Very well, then. She would not sit around and wait for him. She would focus all her attention on Seraphina and prepare her for the Season.
“Shall we return to the sitting room?”
“Yes,” Seraphina said. “I hope no one thought me rude for rushing away.”
Arabella took her arm as they walked towards the door. “No. You have been through much. They are all very understanding.”
They were just about to go in when Seraphina paused, stopping Arabella from going forward. “Since we are sisters now, I wondered if I might ask you something.”
“Oh?” Arabella turned to face her. “What is it?”
“I know that I should not assume, but I can’t help being curious. And I want to make sure that all that is going on with me and my current situation will not get in the way of your happiness.”
Arabella furrowed her brow. “Whatever do you mean?”
Seraphina cleared her throat and looked down for a moment before she returned her eyes to Arabella’s. “I mean that I wanted to ask you if … well, are you in love with Edward? Lord Jameson, I mean? I know that it perhaps is none of my business, but I noticed something between you, and I just feared that the recent changes have affected your situation with him.”
Arabella did not answer right away; her desire to keep their love a secret was an old habit that she was used to engaging in. But this was her sister, and they had already shared such a scandal already. If she could not tell her sister, then whom could she tell?
“Yes, I am,” she admitted quickly, “But he does not feel the same, and so it does not matter.”
Then, she took Seraphina’s arm, and they strolled back into the sitting room to face the other guests.
Chapter 58
Edward did not wish to join everyone for dinner. He was up in his father’s room, watching as his father settled himself in bed. After the revelation, his father desired to rest, and Edward helped him up the stairs to bed. A servant was to come shortly with a tray of food for him.
“You do not have to stay with me, son. You must go and join the others. Unless you plan on wearing your grim look all through the dinner.”
Edward smirked, enjoying that his father could still tease him, even though he had just come a long way and had unburdened himself after so many years. And now that he had, he looked so much smaller, sitting there in bed, ready to rest.
“I do not plan on it, but after everything I’ve heard here today, it is difficult not to be so grim,” Edward replied.
“Of course.”
His father’s wizened hands spread over the soft coverlet, and he sighed.
“But after Seraphina and Arabella returned, they seemed very happy, indeed. And the young Seraphina came to speak to me. What a lovely girl. She has her mother’s eyes, for certain. And she and Arabella look so alike. I only wish that Robert had lived to learn of her existence. He would have been so happy to have another daughter, as well as to have a little something of Jane after she’d passed.”
“Father,” Edward said, looking down at his father’s hands. Once upon a time, those hands had been young and strong, and they had always encouraged Edward to be strong as well. Seeing his father weak made something inside him feel weak, too.
“I wanted to ask you why you disapproved of Lord Montrose marrying the housekeeper. Was it truly only because of class and society, what people would think?”
