Page 11 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
The weight of their parents’ expectations hung heavily on both of them, and the unspoken understanding of their shared reluctance added an additional layer of discomfort. As they moved through the elegant dance, the formalities of the steps couldn’t hide the palpable tension between them.
Arthur sensed Lady Margot’s unease, her forced smiles and distant gaze revealing her inner turmoil. She didn’t want to be here. Even more, she didn’t want to be here with him.
He knew she was aware of his hesitations, of his struggle against a match that felt imposed upon him. It was a union arranged for societal expectations, a merger of families, but not a bond of hearts. He also knew she had her reasons for dreading this union, perhaps seeing in him the same lack of genuine affection that he saw in her.
Arthur felt the weight of her gaze upon him, knowing she saw James, his older brother, in his features. James, whom she had admired and cared for deeply.
The resemblance was a cruel reminder of what could have been. In the midst of the dance, their eyes briefly met, and Arthur saw a flicker of resignation and understanding in Lady Margot’s eyes. They both knew they were trapped in a dance they hadn’t chosen, a dance of obligation and duty rather than love.
“I trust your journey here was pleasant?” he inquired, as the music seemed to mock their predicament, keeping them closer than they ever wanted to be.
“As pleasant as it could be,” she said as if each word required great physical and mental strain from her.
“Brighton is lovely this time of year,” he pointed out. At least this wasn’t a lie. In fact, Brighton was lovely any time of year, but not to someone who preferred the hustle and bustle of the big city.
…like Catherine.
Even in this stressed state of mind, Arthur could still not stop thinking about her. His eyes surveyed the ballroom, searching for a glimpse of her amid the sea of dancers and socialites. Margot noticed it immediately and sighed heavily.
“Arthur, I understand that this is difficult for you,” she told him. “Believe me, I feel the same way. But we must give this match a fair chance. Our parents have set their hopes on it.”
Arthur nodded, his gaze returning to Margot as he wrestled with his conflicted feelings. “You’re right, Margot. It’s just…complicated.”
She stared at him in the eyes as she spoke. “This is not what either of us imagined. But we owe it to them, to our families, to at least try and get along.”
Arthur struggled to stay present, his mind still wandering back to Catherine. He knew he needed to honor his family’s wishes, but his heart rebelled against the idea of a loveless marriage. The burden of responsibility and the clash of emotions weighed heavily on him, and he silently berated himself for being caught in this predicament.
While his brother was there, everything was different. All the responsibility had rested on his back. All the hopes were invested in him. And Arthur was there as someone who was allowed to live his life the way he wanted to, focusing on books, travel, and horseback riding. Now, with James gone and without any indication of him ever coming back, Arthur felt that he had to fill in his brother’s shoes, a role he had never been prepared to take on.
“You do not mean to break your mother’s heart twice over?” he heard Margot say, her voice pulling him out of the storm of his own thoughts.
Arthur swallowed heavily, shaking his head. He lowered his gaze away from Margot’s, but it fell on something even more piercing than her eyes: the locket that was hanging around her neck.
The locket was an exquisite creation, crafted from sterling silver, intricately adorned with delicate filigree. The surface was adorned with fine, swirling patterns that added an air of elegance to the piece. Small, glimmering sapphires were embedded within the design, adding a touch of subtle brilliance that caught the light in the ballroom.
In the center of the locket was a heart-shaped compartment, carefully concealed and clasped shut. The heart-shaped space held an intimate secret, a cherished memento of her prior engagement. The edges of the locket were embellished with tiny seed pearls, enhancing its beauty and lending it an aura of timeless grace.
James had gifted her that same locket, a token of his love on the day that they had become betrothed. It was a poignant reminder of the void that James’ passing had left in their lives. James had been a beacon of light, a presence that had filled their family with warmth and joy. The locket, once a symbol of love and commitment, was now a relic of loss and grief. It held the memory of a man whose absence was a constant ache in their hearts.
She noticed him looking at the locket. “I miss him very much,” he heard her whisper. Then, their eyes locked again, and he could see something else in them, some sort of fear, disbelief, something that wasn’t caused by just grief, but something else as well.
“Arthur…” she suddenly started in a way she had never spoken to him before, not even while James was still with them. “Do you…believe in ghosts?”
“Ghosts?” he echoed, not certain whether he heard her well.
“Mmhm.” She nodded as he swirled her away from him, following the sound of the music, only to have her return where she was standing a moment ago. She seemed to hesitate, not knowing whether she wanted to continue or not. Arthur had only known Margot as his brother’s betrothed, which meant that they had never been very close, but this was the first time he had seen her in such a strange state.
Then, she continued. “I know this might not sound as much to you, but something has been troubling me lately. Some things happened for which I don’t really have a plausible explanation.”
“What things?” he asked, then added more softly, feeling responsible for her. If not to her, he owed it to his brother to assure that she was all right in every way possible. “You know you can tell me anything, Margot.”
She paused, then decided to speak. “A shawl that James had gifted me the winter before he…disappeared, has gone missing from my chamber,” she divulged. “I know you will say that I probably just misplaced it, but I assure you, Arthur, that everything James has ever gifted me has a very special place in my chamber, and I know exactly where they are.”
“I believe you,” Arthur assured her.
Her eyes widened in slight shock. He could tell that she wasn’t expecting to have him believe her. A faint smile flickered in the corners of her lips.
“Also, I keep finding windows opened in rooms I’ve been in, when I was certain that I myself hadn’t opened them,” she added.
