Page 16 of Her Heart's Rightful Earl
“Then drink,” he eventually said. “Sleep here on this settee over the next few hours. Rise early, and we will talk.”
Alexander looked gratefully at the long, damask upholstered seat that stretched the length of the study wall with its intricately engraved rosewood surround.
“When you have rested a little, we shall devise a plan. I will advise my staff that I have confidential papers laid out in my study, and they must not enter.”
“Thank you, Thomas,” Alexander said as he knocked back the last of his brandy, setting the glass on the liquor cabinet.
“Her face is haunting my thoughts …” Alexander clutched onto an embroidered cushion to use as a pillow. ‘The utter betrayal. Knowing how much I hurt her …”
“Ssh. You must rest now,” Thomas encouraged.
“For three years, I have imagined how it would be to see her face again; to be within her presence. In my mind, our reunion would be beautiful, warm, and loving. But it was raw and caustic. I do not believe she will ever forgive me for the years of difficulty I have caused her …” Alexander continued, as he settled himself on the settee, his eyes closing even as he spoke.
“Our plan would have worked perfectly, and she would have been fine,” Thomas told him as he stood to leave.
“Under what variable?” Alexander barely repressed a yawn.
Thomas was striding to the door, but he turned briefly to reply, “If she had stopped loving you.”
Chapter 6
Arabella took several minutes to butter her toast. Her eyes were transfixed on how the solid yellow melted into an oily slick as it was spread upon the hot, crumbly bread, but her mind was working on how to project some sense of normality when she was jangling from her experience of the previous evening.
“Arabella?” Charlotte’s gentle voice cut into her reverie. “What do you think?”
Arabella raised her eyes and seemed surprised to find her sister sitting across the vast dining table and Margaret sitting to her side.
“Think? About what?”
Charlotte laughed good-naturedly. “Were you not listening?”
“My apologies, I was distracted …” Arabella batted her eyelids as she looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time. The long oak table was adorned with white linen and laden with breakfast items such as jam, pastries, toasted bread, small rolls, marmalade, and pots of tea and coffee.
Above the table sparkled a crystal chandelier, and Arabella cast her eyes around the dado rail that encircled the walls; a mint green paint above the rail and a warm beige below it. She had sat in this exact chair at this very table on many occasions, but this morning the world felt obscure and unfamiliar.
“Distracted by your toast?” Charlotte laughed again, looking to Margaret to join in with the banter, but Margaret had momentarily closed her eyes against the chatter and leaned her head back to rest.
“No matter,” Charlotte assured her sister. “We were discussing the Wentworth exhibition later this week. You recall Thomas was telling us about that impressive new painter? He is showcasing there! Should you be interested in visiting?”
“Oh …” Arabella placed her buttered toast absent-mindedly on her plate without having eaten any. “Possibly. Yes. Why not?” Arabella forced herself to breathe.
“Are you feeling quite well, sister?” Charlotte frowned with concern.
“Yes, of course,” but Arabella’s smile did not meet her eyes. “Just a little tired.”
Charlotte simply stared at her sister as though she didn’t believe her reasoning.
“We stayed up late reading last night, didn’t we, Lady Wellwood?” Arabella prompted Margaret to support her plight.
Margaret slowly opened her eyes and leaned forward a little. “We certainly did, and I am quite exhausted as a result.”
Arabella’s eyes flicked between her sister and the countess to verify her story had been believed.
“Hmm.” Charlotte frowned. “The two of you should ensure you catch enough sleep. Particularly you, Lady Wellwood. You need to keep up your strength.”
“Yes, dear.” Margaret picked up a small ginger cake and nibbled delicately at its edge.
“What evening is the Portchester ball?” Charlotte asked.
