Page 93 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
The next morning, some of the house guests found sudden reasons to depart. Lady Dorothea Sutton and her daughter Anne were the first to leave, and Robert reflected that he still had to see either of them smile.
Sir Benjamin Hanslope, who spent much of his time sleeping in the drawing room, and his wife, Constance stayed on. Lady Hanslope wanted to give her friend the dowager as much support as possible at this difficult time.
Colonel and Lady Lloyd were welcome as guests for life as far as he was concerned. Until Farrington was apprehended, he was glad of the colonel’s presence.
The surprise departure was Rosalind. She left in her elegant black chaise, a cloud of exotic perfume surrounding her as she left the castle. Robert noticed Simon was not there to wave goodbye. Something was off about this departure, and he sought out his brother to talk. He found him in the garden, looking at the hills with a forlorn expression.
“She’s gone,” Simon said simply.
“Gone from your life?” queried Robert.
“Finally, and forever, I think.”
“Do you want to talk?”
“There isn’t much to say, Robert. I had my suspicions that something was wrong when we were in Harrogate to see that opera. That trip was all Rosalind’s idea, and we all went along with it. I thought I saw her with another man as I left the inn, but I put it down to mistaken identity.”
“I see,” said Robert, wishing he could say more to help.
“She became very overwrought after the ball and more or less confessed to ruining Lady Farrington’s ball gown,” Simon told him. “She seems to think that she can do whatever she wants to get her own way in life.”
“I suspect it has worked very well for her so far in life,” said Robert, not disagreeing
“Anyway, she’s off to pursue a marquis and ended our engagement this morning,” Simon confessed sadly.
“There is a certain deja vu to some of this. I’m truly sorry it didn't work out for you,” replied Robert with genuine sympathy.
“I believe Rosalind is ill. She has such an obsessive dislike of some people,” said Simon.
“I was being truthful about when she waylaid me on the path that day,” Robert told him.
“I know, brother. I’d like to stay here a little longer if that's all right. I believe you could do with as many men around the place as possible right now.”
“Castle Montbury is your family home. You can stay as long as you choose,” said Robert, with genuine affection for his jilted brother.
***
Later, Robert found his mother for a conversation. He knew she was always delighted to be approached for advice.
“I know it might not last,” she said after Robert had told her about what had happened between Simon and himself. “But it does my heart good to see you and Simon have resolved some of your differences.”
“I can’t help feeling sad for him, the way Rosalind has enticed him and cast him off for the second time. I hope he finds love in his future.”
“Like yours, with dear Arabella?” said his mother, although it was more a statement than a question.
“That’s what I wanted to speak with you about. I’m thinking of taking her to France,” Robert told her.
“For your honeymoon?” asked his mother.
“No, today, so she and Henry are far away from Farrington.”
“Ah, I see. Do you plan to marry before leaving?” his mother enquired.
“I’d like to, but even with the special licence to marry, which I can get as a peer of the realm, it would delay our departure. I’d like to leave by tomorrow morning.”
“Let me just have a moment to take this in,” his mother replied, looking at him with concern. “You need to talk with Arabella and involve her in your decision-making. That’s essential. However, you can’t go on your own, or tongues will wag.”
“But we will marry as soon as we return to England,” explained Robert.
