Page 68 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
“I was hoping to speak with you today. There is a matter of business, and also something more personal that has been on my mind,” the duke interrupted her.
His eyes found hers, and the spinning sensation returned, but now there was no chair to grasp to hold her steady. Please don’t let me swoon, she thought. Not here, not now.
“It’s er, rather delicate, but I think you saw me with Rosalind the other day?”
Her cheeks coloured, blushing crimson red. “Please, it’s nothing to do with …” she started to say.
“Oh, it has everything to do with you, Arabella, which is why I need to explain. It wasn’t what it must have looked like. I’m going to be honest and tell you what happened. You don’t need to say anything. I’m just hoping that you will do me thehonour of listening and then going away and thinking about what I’ve said.”
Cheeks still a flaming shade of crimson, all Arabella could do was nod slightly.
“I cannot tell you everything because even though I despise the lady in question, I cannot humiliate her by telling you all she said that day. I can tell you that I came upon her by surprise,” the duke explained.
He guided Arabella to a wooden seat under an arbor covered by the roses and honeysuckle in full flower. “I think it better if we sit while I tell you the story.
“She had been waiting for me and began a conversation where she talked about when we were betrothed. As you know, she is engaged to my brother Simon.”
Arabella nodded again, eyes averted from his.
The duke continued, “To my surprise, she suggested we might resume our engagement. I’m assuming that would mean she would break off her engagement with Simon.”
Arabella drew a sharp inward breath.
“That’s better,” he said with humour in his voice. “You held your breath so long then that I was worried you’d stopped breathing. There isn’t much more I can share. When I turned down her offer, she became angry. I suspect Rosalind has always had her own way in matters of the heart. Before I knew what was happening, she stepped forward, and whether she stumbled or purposefully fell into my arms, I honestly don’t know. I suspect the latter,” explained the duke.
He took both her hands in his, and she let him hold them. “I looked up the hill and saw you running away. I’ve been worried ever since about what you might have seen. I know how it must have looked. I just hope you know enough of my character by now to know that I would not say what I said to you earlier that afternoon and then, a short time later, embrace a lady who is currently engaged to my brother. What’s more on a public path where I could be seen by half the estate workers.”
“But why would she do that when she is engaged to be married to your brother?” exclaimed Arabella.
“It seems I am a better prospect. I am the older brother. I’ve been thinking about this since it happened and saw you running up the pathway. My heart plummeted when I saw you, and I can’t honestly remember what I did at that moment. Could I have pushed Rosalind away sooner?
“I know I’m the innocent party, but maybe I could have done something differently.” He looked down as if searching forthe words to explain. “I have to be courteous to Rosalind, as she is engaged to Simon. However, I have no desire to begin a liaison with her. The very thought of it makes me shudder.”
I believe he is sincere, she thought.
“I cannot bear that Rosalind, through her scheming, ruins our friendship. I think you know that this has become more than a friendship for me. I won’t say any more, but I wanted you to know that what you saw must have looked like a romantic liaison, and it truly wasn’t.”
He still held her hands in his, and she let them rest there. He was silent for a moment while they sat together.
“There is another matter I wanted to talk to you about,” said the duke. “I went to Harrogate today to see Dawkins, my solicitor. He has enquiries underway about Christopher Farrington. He’s had some preliminary paperwork back from London, and Farrington has been manipulating the facts. One of the investigators is travelling north to report in person and is due to arrive on the stagecoach from London.
“Dawkins will ride over to Montbury late tomorrow and spend the night here at the castle. My suggestion is that you and Sir Joseph join me to hear what has been discovered so far,” the duke told her.
Arabella gasped and whispered her thanks. “I’ll speak to Uncle Joseph and ask him if he can come. I believe he’ll want to be there, and I certainly do,” she answered.
“Now let’s find that gig and get you home to Horton Hall,” he said, helping her rise to her feet.
Chapter 21
Next morning, Robert evaded breakfast with the houseguests and went straight into a meeting with Jason Brown. Jason was proving invaluable as the new steward, and he hoped he would stay for many years.
The estate workers had cleared brambles from some of the lakeshore, so there was access, but other parts had been left wild.
“The brambles are a menace, as they grow so strongly that wildflowers beneath them are smothered. It will do no harm to pull some of them out. They will no doubt grow back quickly enough,” said Jason.
“And the island?” asked Robert.
“It’s surprisingly accessible. The little beach still remains, and the grove of trees needed little attention. It’s full of wildflowers, and it’s very pleasant.”
