Page 35 of The Earl's Forbidden Governess
“Do you remember how happy they were when you told them that you were going to court me? Your parents, I mean.”
Edward nodded stiffly, his heart twinging painfully at the mention of his parents. “I remember,” he admitted through stiff lips. “My… my mother always cared for you greatly.”
“As did I for her,” Isabella spoke softly. “We were so similar in what we enjoyed, what we did not… And…”
She moved closer to him, then took his hands in her own. “Oh, Edward. I lost them too. I lost them just as you did, though they were not my blood.”
Edward nodded stiffly. “I know,” he said at last. “And… I am sorry for pushing you away, but…”
“You were protecting yourself… and Emily, and perhaps me,” she said with a sad smile. “But… But I cared for this family too. I just… want you to know that.”
Edward sighed deeply, then nodded. “I understand, Isabella.”
Her hands felt foreign when she touched his wrist.
“We share so much history,” she insisted. “I am one of the few people who experienced that loss with you. Oh, Edward, I wish you would lean on me!”
Though it was quite strange, it felt familiar when she wrapped her arms around his waist and he leaned his head forward, resting it on her shoulder.
Save for his sister, Isabella felt like the only other link he had with his family.
What choice did he have but to lean on her if she offered it so readily?
***
Catherine’s heart raced as she rushed to her room. What had she done? Mr. Harper's words echoed in her mind, feeding the doubts that had taken root there. Had she truly jeopardized everything she'd worked for? And for what? A few stolen moments, a kiss that left her breathless but could lead nowhere?
Catherine sank onto her bed, burying her face in her hands. Edward’s intense gaze, the way his touch sent shivers down her spine was suddenly alive in her thoughts. But then Isabella’s beautiful face swam before her eyes—Isabella, who was everything Catherine was not. Wealthy, refined, and clearly from Edward’s world—in a way Catherine could never be.
“Foolish, foolish girl,” she muttered softly to herself. “To think that he could ever... that we could ever…”
But even as she chastised herself, Catherine could not quite extinguish the warm glow in her heart when she thought of Edward. There was no denying that there was something. Something she could not name, for she had never experienced it before…
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. That way would lead to madness. She needed to focus on her duties, on Emily's education. That was what truly mattered.
With a sigh, she rose from the bed and moved to the window, thinking that some fresh air might help calm her tumultuous thoughts. She pushed it open, breathing in deeply. The cool breeze felt soothing against her flushed cheeks.
As her gaze drifted over the grounds, a movement caught her eye. Two figures were making their way down the path toward a waiting carriage. Catherine's breath caught in her throat as she recognized them: Mr. Harper and Lady Isabella.
They appeared to be arguing, their heads bent close together as they whispered furiously. Isabella's face was twisted with anger, while Mr. Harper's expression was one of barely contained panic.
A chill ran down Catherine's spine as she watched the scene unfold. There was something secretive, something almost... conspiratorial about their interaction. As if they shared knowledge that they desperately wanted to keep hidden.
Suddenly, Mr. Harper gripped Isabella's arm, his face intense as he spoke to her. Isabella jerked away from him, her eyes flashing dangerously. She said something that made Mr. Harper blanch before climbing into the carriage.
As the carriage pulled away, Mr. Harper stood watching it for a long moment. Even from a distance, Catherine could see the tension in his posture, the way his fists clenched at his sides.
A feeling of dread settled in the pit of Catherine's stomach. What had she just witnessed? She could not help but wonder if Mr. Harper was warning Lady Isabella to stay away from the earl as he had done with her.
As Mr. Harper turned back toward the house, his gaze swept upwards. For a heart-stopping moment, his eyes met Catherine's. She jerked back from the window, her pulse racing.
Had he seen her?
A frown played between her brows. She supposed that it made some sense at least for Mr. Harper to be particularlyprotective over Edward… though she could not understand what would compel the man to warn everyone away from him.
Edward, noble as though he was, was after all not an island—everyone needed someone. Why would Mr. Harper insist on being the only one?
Chapter 17
