Page 93 of Wicked Rivals
Rosalind shook her head. “No, I’m sure you’ve been a wonderful mother.”
“I’ve spent years taking out my anger on him.” She bowed her head. “I wish he knew how sorry I was for everything.” She stood and walked over to her son to press a kiss to his forehead.
Rosalind rubbed her fingertips along his jaw. “If there’s one thing I know about this man, he’s too mule-headed to surrender to an illness.”
Ashton’s mother’s nodded but didn’t speak.
Emotions whirled through Rosalind as she watched Ashton sleep. She’d hated his determination to own her and to win every battle before, but now she felt she was beginning to understand him. He was a man trying to take control of his life because he’d been so young when everything had spun out of control. He’d watched his father die, and his family responsibilities in the aftermath had weighed heavily upon him. It was no wonder that he was so set on having his way. It was the only way he felt secure.
Just like me…
When Ashton’s hand suddenly twitched, Rosalind curled her fingers around his.
“I’m so happy he met you. You’re the right woman for him.”
Rosalind was moved by her words and the sentiment behind them. She wanted to be worthy of Ashton and wanted his family to welcome her as a worthy match for him.
“Thank you, Lady Lennox.”
“Mother?” Ashton spoke, his voice hoarse.
Rosalind and Regina both turned to him. His eyes were open, but his gaze was still murky.
“I’m here, my boy, oh my darling boy.” Regina brushed fresh tears from her eyes as she touched his forehead and smiled, her hands trembling.
Rosalind had trouble breathing. He’d asked for his mother, and she shouldn’t have been jealous, but she had hoped for him to speakhername.
I should go. He doesn’t want me here. She started to get up from the bed, but Ashton caught her wrist.
“Stay,please,” he whispered. “I need you here.” His blue eyes were filled with the echoes of his haunting dreams, but she saw his need for her as well.
He wants me to stay.But what she had really wanted to admit to herself was,I am wanted.
“See?” Rosalind said to Regina, a smile curving her lips despite her concern. “Stubborn man. I knew no illness would keep him abed for long.”
Regina chuckled, and Ashton nearly smiled.
“I see you two have been bonding over my many flaws.” It was a mere rasp of a reply, but she could see a glint of merriment in his tired eyes. He squeezed her wrist.
“Oh my sweet boy.” Regina leaned over to kiss his forehead again. “I feared I might lose you.” Regina’s voice broke a little, and Ashton blinked slowly, a tear dripping down onto the pillow.
“Mother, please. I’d rather you be angry with me than to have you cry.”
She sniffed but straightened herself. “I must tell you something, Ashton. It has weighed on me all these years, and you deserve to hear me say it. I’ve been a wretched creature, simply wretched toward you, my darling child. I…” She paused but waved a hand when Ashton tried to interrupt her. “You remind me so much of your father. You have his looks, his intelligence, his warm heart, but…but what I mistook for coldness all these years, it was strength. You are a good man, Ashton, and a good son.” Regina had kept herself quite firm as she spoke, but at last a little sob choked her throat. “You aremyson and I love you. Please forgive me for being so harsh on you all these years.”
Rosalind leaned against the bedpost close to Ashton’s head, and she saw him struggle for words. He still clutched her hand and was squeezing it hard now, as though what he was hearing was too good to be true. Had her father had ever uttered such words it would have astonished her.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Mother,” Ashton promised, and after a quiet moment of simply gazing at his mother in a weary contentedness Rosalind suspected he hadn’t felt since he was a child, he sighed and smiled. His eyes brightened, and he tried to sit up. “Rafe…how is he?”
“A little better than you. Sitting up in bed and taking food. I should get back to him now that you are awake.”
“Mother, if you fall ill, I’ll be most upset. I asked for no one else to tend to Rafe.”
“Yes, well, someone had to.” Regina sniffed. “Rosalind was quite insistent she wished to take care of you, and since we were the only two brave enough to risk tending to you both, I took charge of Rafe. No one else has fallen ill in the house. I believe we may be safe.”
Ashton shook his head. “I won’t feel safe until a week has passed with no one else falling ill.”
“You may fret all you like, but for now you will do so from your bed.” She leaned in again and kissed his cheek. “I must go see to your brother. Get well, my boy.” She patted Rosalind’s shoulder and exited the chambers.
