Page 37 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
The garden, usually filled with blooming flowers and the gentle rustle of leaves, was now enveloped in winter’s cold embrace. Its serenity was now juxtaposed against the storm within Catherine’s heart.
Catherine leaned against a stone pillar, feeling the coldness seep into her. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, tangled and tumultuous. The revelation of her writing being exposed felt like an invasion of her inner sanctuary. It was a part of her that she had chosen to keep separate from the expectations and judgments of her family, namely her father.
As she looked up at the sky, a storm seemed to brew within her. Anger at Marcus for exposing her secret clashed with the understanding that he was hurting and lashing out. Yet, amid the turmoil, there was a glimmer of hope.
A realization that perhaps, through this upheaval, they could finally confront their demons and start to heal. The truth, as painful as it was, had the power to set them free from the suffocating grip of secrets.
Just as she was beginning to turn to hope, she heard footsteps behind her.
“I’m sorry,” she heard a man’s voice, which she immediately recognized. “I don’t mean to intrude. I just wanted to see if you were all right.”
She inhaled deeply, not turning around, but rather allowing Lord Thornton to come near her and stand next to her, staring into the distance, at some invisible point visible only to her.
“I must say that I’ve been better,” she replied, not wanting to sound rude, but at the same time, wanting to let him know that he was not family, and he could not help in any manner.
“I…” he started in a way that made her immediately wary of his next words. “I also have a secret to share.”
She turned to him, her eyes wide and incredulous. “Even you?”
He nodded, speaking gently. “I’ve known your father for a while, and also…I’ve known of your family’s financial struggles,” he confessed. “We’ve met several times at a pub in London called theLion’s Den.Aided by a few cups, he revealed everything to me.”
“Everything?” she frowned. She didn’t understand.
He ignored her comment and continued. “This is actually the reason why I’m here. I came at your father’s request.”
Everything was starting to make sense now. His sudden appearance, his unwillingness to give a clear response regarding his reasons for visiting Brighton, and finally, her father’s insistence on her spending time with this gentleman. It could mean only one thing.
“Catherine, your father wishes me to marry you,” he finally revealed, although the thought had already materialized in Catherine’s mind. “Now that all the secrets are finally out, I see no point in creating any more.”
With those words, he took her by the hand as she trembled like a frightened little bird, staring at her, locking eyes with her.
“Catherine Winters, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Chapter 16
Being my wife…
Arthur, his heart heavy, overheard the hushed conversation between the couple standing in the garden amid the winter’s chill and the approach of what was supposed to the most joyous time of the year. The air was frigid, their breaths forming ephemeral clouds as Arthur could not bear to listen to the rest of the conversation.
As Arthur refused to listen any longer, he turned around and headed back to the house. His heart sank in the winter’s cold, heavy with the realization of the depth of his own emotions. This insight did not sneak up on him. Rather, it caught him completely off guard, now that another man had vocalized his desire to have Catherine by his side as his wife.
Arthur had no idea how to deal with this. To be quite honest, there were too many things he had to think about. The pain of this newfound knowledge was too overwhelming, so he retreated hastily into the warmly lit interior of the manor. There, he stood in the main hallway, in the solitude of his own thoughts, grappling with the complex emotions that swirled within him, feeling a deep sense of loss and longing that he knew would remain unfulfilled.
He found Marcus and his father in the drawing room in a heated debate about the duel.
“This is utter madness.” Lord Saltdean couldn’t stop pacing about the room like a caged animal. He was with his back to both Marcus and Arthur.
Arthur knew that this would be a challenging task, reconciling Marcus with his father.
“I know it sounds hopeless,” Arthur spoke. “But there is no doubt in my mind that we can reason with Henry if only we speak to him calmly. The holidays are upon us, and they are a time for forgiveness and reconciliation.”
“If anyone has something to forgive, it is me,” Marcus growled, but Arthur gave him a look, signaling that now was not the time to contradict anyone. They were all on his side, and Arthur wanted him to know that.
“Things were spoken in the heat of the moment,” Arthur continued. “I’m sure that Henry himself has been guilty of that crime in his life. If we reason with him, we might be able to put this conflict behind us in a calm manner, avoiding the duel.”
Lord Saltdean didn’t say anything to that. He was still standing facing the window, his hands locked behind his back. Arthur knew that a man who was calm about something like this was very upset. Usually, Lord Saltdean would be much more vocal about his displeasure, but not this time. This time, he was brooding and silent, which showed not only how displeased he was but also that he was fearful for his son’s life.
At that moment, the man turned around and faced both his son and Arthur. His eyes were determined, his voice deep and sorrowful.
