Page 38 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
“What if we cannot make Henry see that a duel would be a disastrous act?” he asked.
Arthur swallowed heavily, exchanging a meaningful glance with Marcus. “If, for any reason, we cannot convince Henry to annul the duel, I am prepared to act as Marcus’ second. It is my hope that it won’t come to that. We shall do everything in our power to make Henry see reason, that he, too, is in danger if it comes to a duel. But…if fate is stacked against us, well then…we must be prepared.”
“Father, you must understand why I am doing this,” Marcus suddenly spoke, emboldened by Arthur’s offer to be his second.
A duel at a time like this, Christmastime, when all families should come together instead of being torn apart, was something unimaginable. But Arthur could understand this feeling, as he himself was caught in the tumult of a love triangle. Only, he didn’t believe that his confession might change anything. Catherine would soon be returning to London, where she belonged, and he himself would be left here. That was all there was to it.
“No, I do not understand,” Lord Saltdean stormed. “What has been going on in your mind all this time, Marcus? What made you do this ridiculous thing that has put us all in jeopardy?”
“I love Isabel!” Marcus exclaimed. “I can finally admit that to everyone, especially her.”
His father frowned. “And you couldn’t realize this sooner?”
Arthur immediately interfered, feeling as if the same finger of blame had been pointed in his direction as well. “I think what Marcus is trying to say is that sometimes, we do not see what is right in front of our nose. And we…we realize some things too late.”
“But you don’t foolishly put your life at risk for it,” Lord Saltdean was adamant that this was a mistake.
“There is no point in dwelling on what could have or should have been done, Lord Saltdean. You know that as much as Marcus does. What matters now is finding a solution to this predicament, and you cannot do that if Marcus and you are two separate fronts,” Arthur pointed out. “You are a family. Family is the most important thing in life, and when you lose that…trust me, I know better than anyone what that feels like.”
Everyone knew what Arthur had been referring to. They stood silently, acknowledging his comment. Lord Saltdean looked at Marcus in a way that assured Arthur that there was hope for them yet.
Just as he was about to continue, he heard Catherine’s voice coming from down the corridor. With the agreement of reconciliation hanging in the air, Arthur gave a nod of assurance to Marcus and his father before excusing himself.
He rushed in the opposite direction, not wanting to catch even a single sight of Catherine because he couldn’t bring himself to speak with her. The pain of that man’s proposal still stung, and he knew that his feelings were too raw to bear any conversation with her right now.
***
As Arthur made his way back to Hollygrove Hall, his footsteps echoed in the grand foyer, but his mind was a tumultuous sea of emotions. The events of the evening weighed heavily on him, and he couldn’t escape the constant whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that had gripped his heart.
The dimly lit corridors of the hall seemed to mirror the somber state of his soul. He passed by portraits of ancestors, their eyes seemingly observing his inner turmoil. In the solitude of the hall, he couldn’t help but replay the scene in the garden and the harsh reality of Catherine’s impending marriage to Cedric.
Suddenly, just as he was headed to his study, the sound of soft, muffled sobs reached Arthur’s ears as he passed by his mother’s solar. Concern etched across his face, he hesitated for a moment, and then he quietly pushed the door open. Inside, his mother sat with her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking with grief.
“Mother?” he called out to her gently as he approached and laid a hand on her trembling shoulder.
Lady Eleanora lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and relief upon seeing her son. She reached out to him, and Arthur took a seat beside her.
“Oh, Arthur,” she sighed heavily, as if the weight of the world was pressing upon her shoulders, and she was unable to hold it any longer.
“What is wrong, Mother?” he asked tenderly. “Why are you crying?”
With a deep breath, she finally spoke. “Arthur, I…I cannot bear it any longer. Your father and I…we’ve become strangers to each other. I feel as if our marriage is nothing but a charade, devoid of any meaning.”
Arthur didn’t know what to say to this. To be quite honest, he noticed this himself, with his father’s constant absences and lack of interest in anything concerning his wife and his family.
His heart ached for his mother, but he also felt a sense of understanding. “Mother, I am so sorry you are going through this. But you aren’t alone. You have me.”
She smiled, caressing his cheek. He could see her eyes were red and swollen, and it caused a tidal wave of tenderness for this woman who had always been a stoic mother and wife.
“You will marry soon,” she reminded him. “And you will lead your own life, as it should be. I guess I am just sad that I will be left alone in my old age.”
“You won’t be left alone,” he assured her. “Ever. I promise you that.”
She wiped away her tears and looked at her son with gratitude. “My sweet boy. I’ve been so consumed by my own pain that I’ve hardly had the chance to ask you how you are doing, how you are coping with…everything.”
He knew that she was referring to James. It had been too painful for them both to talk about him, even when they were burying the empty coffin. They couldn’t express their grief in words. They simply sat side by side, a broken mother and son, unable to find their way back to each other.
“Losing James was difficult, Mother. It still is,” Arthur admitted. “But I’ve tried to find solace around me. And in my duty to the estate. It is hard, but I take it one day at a time.”
