Page 37 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
For a second, it flashed through her thoughts that she dreaded her own association with Robert ending.
She gave Henry a small kiss and nodded to Tabitha to take over. The nursery maid must have realized Arabella felt sad as Tabitha reached across and touched Arabella’s arm as she passed. They had been through so much sadness and then the drama of escape together. Tabitha was now a friend as much as a servant, and they had grown up together at her parents’ home.
“Look after yourself,” whispered Tabitha. “Find a quiet corner and a book or write some of your poetry. I don’t think you’ve taken any time for yourself since we moved to Horton Hall.”
“Thank you. I think I might do that,” agreed Arabella.
“I can look after Master Henry tomorrow if you would like a day to yourself,” Tabitha suggested.
She put her hand over Tabitha’s arm and nodded her thanks, feeling tears welling up in her eyes at the kindness. She knew she was lucky to have good people around her, and sometimes she almost forgot about the shadow of Christopher’s threats.
As she looked for a quiet corner to write, she reflected that she thought about Edward less these days. Memories ofhappy days together were always close, but the traumatic days of illness and death seemed further away.
As she took up her quill pen in a candlelit corner she let her thoughts drift. A heavy weight of sadness filled her body as if her legs and arms had transformed to lead. On the road ahead, even taking a tiny step might be a gigantic effort, and she felt exhausted.
Could she face heartbreak again? Love and loss were so closely entwined in her life.
Deep down, she knew she risked heartbreak if she became close to Robert – but realized with surprise that the growing connection between her and the duke might be worth taking that risk.
Green eyes like the shades of the forest. She nibbled the end of her quill as words flowed, and her pen scratched a pattern on the page.
Strong Soft Leaves
Green growth in the dark night,
Daphne, changed forever,
All alone, shining bright.
Softly growing, braver
Strong bark, covered by leaves,
Long roots reaching down
Soft tendrils of love weaves
A verdant, enchanting emerald gown
Luminous, lovely, brightening light.
By Lady Arabella Farrington
Chapter 14
Robert wanted to stay with the boys and linger a little longer with Lady Arabella Farrington, but he had work to do to get ready for Jason Brown to start his job at the castle later that week.
He envied the Reverend Colbrooke, who was working on the lake project with Henry and Freddy.
I’ll return later, he thought, and help with renovating the old boat. I’m not going to miss that.
He ignored a compulsion to look back and take a last glimpse of Arabella. Something about her gentle yet strong presence had overcome him in the forest.
He knew now what she had lived through. She’d lost her viscount husband at such a young age, and he knew life had been intolerable for her since she’d been widowed.
He thought about what a fine job Arabella had done raising Henry; that little boy loved life, he was kind and thoughtful to animals, and had a thirst for learning. Yet, it must have been tough to grow up without a father’s guidance.His father had been distant and strict about always needing to behave like a future duke.
He’d been away at school much of the time but remembered how, in the holidays, his father had ridden with him around the estate, showing him every field with its name and purpose.
