Page 60 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
Robert pointed to a cottage halfway up the hill from the lake. “That cottage is vacant. I was thinking of making it the lake keeper’s cottage.”
“That would mean they could marry. Tabitha would be over the moon with happiness to have her own home. I think you might have found yourself a lake keeper,” Arabella told him.
They walked back to the others to find the boys busy building a dam, piling pebbles high at the side of the lake, while Nathaniel and Emma worked on treasure hunt clues.
“I must leave you all now. Estate business beckons,” said Robert. “You’ll hear from me soon about the other matter,” he said to Arabella, and she nodded her thanks.
Returning to the castle, he looked back longingly at the lake. His life in London had been empty, and now his days had more meaning. He enjoyed overseeing the estate and collaborating with Jason Brown on their ideas for developing it further.
He’d realized at the lake how much she meant to him when he thought that Arabella might leave Horton Hall. He’d been aware of an attraction and had intended to follow that and see where it led. Then suddenly, in an instant, he knew he could not bear the idea of not seeing her. Something had grown between them, a fine web of gossamer thread, gradually extending since their first meeting. The thread was so fine that he had not noticed until he was entwined deep within this web.
This was different from any other relationship, and he had lived a life about town in London. He felt drawn and entangled emotionally with Lady Arabella Farrington, and he felt there was a purpose to his life again, and it felt right.
He didn’t notice the figure standing at the end of the woodland path where it joined the park.
Rosalind. Her voice, sultry on a summer’s day, called his name.
“Robert. I suspected if I waited, I might find you here,” she told him.
He told Mickle to lie down, conscious of an unusual growling sound coming from the dog’s throat.
“Can I help you, Your Grace? It’s a difficult path down to the lake for an elegant lady like yourself.”
“I remember when we spent several hours down by the lake. As I recall, you were very solicitous in helping me find my way down to the shore,” she reminded him.
“If you are lost, then the pathway is over there,” he replied, ignoring the undertone in Rosalind’s reply.
“Robert. Stop this now. I’ve been trying to find you alone for days. You’re always out on estate business. I asked Mr Brown if he had seen you and he suggested you might be near the lake. So, here I am,” she protested and pouted in annoyance.
“Rosalind, there is no need for us to meet alone. None at all. I can think of no reason for us to have a conversation.”
He began to walk away, but she stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
He stopped and waited. Her words shocked him. “I want us to be together. I know we belong together. Robert, I know you must feel the same way. I’ve never forgotten you.”
“I will listen to no more of this. You left me within weeks of our wedding and went off with my brother. Then, after one of the shortest relationships with Simon, you jilted him and married your duke.”
He looked at her with eyes of steel. “Yes, I thought I loved you. I thought my heart would break when you deserted me. It did take me a long time to recover from the loss and humiliation.”
“Then we can be together again?” Rosalind replied.
“Anything I felt for you is in the distant past,” and without thinking, he continued, feeling icy rage at her audacity. “I realize now that what I felt for you was a youthful passion. I know I never loved you because I now know what love is,” he assured her.
She stared at him in shock.
She isn’t used to being turned down. From the look on her face, I doubt it’s ever happened to her before.
“Robert, listen to me. I’ll call off my betrothal to Simon. He means nothing to me. Robert, return to me,” her words came back in a high-pitched pleading tone.
He stood back, staring at her in horror and disgust.
“Madam. I ask you to stand aside. This conversation cannot continue.” He began moving forward, but she continued to step before him. He heard the low growl behind him and turned to tell Mickle to stay still. Nothing would be helped by his dog attacking Rosalind.
As he turned back, he smelt her exotic perfume as she moved close to him. He stumbled, and as he fell forward, their bodies touched. Rosalind clutched his hand and put a hand around his waist.
He stood still as he asked her in a calm, quiet voice to release him and move away.
“But Robert,” she whispered in his ear. “You know we are intended to be together.”
