Isabella burst into tears, her knees giving way beneath her.
“Are you hurt?” Arthur asked urgently, his hands moving all over her body. He had never touched her so freely, and though there was nothing romantic about it—he was checking her for injury,nothing more—she was still so comforted by the familiarity and safety of him that she collapsed into his embrace.
“I’m not hurt,” she said. “But Felicity—I think she is. In the hall outside my bedroom…”
“Go and see to Miss Felicity,” Arthur called, and Isabella saw that a handful of footmen had gathered, finally drawn by the commotion. “And you—send for a physician for both ladies.”
“I don’t need a physician,” Isabella objected. “I’m all right, truly.”
“I want you examined,” Arthur said firmly. “This isn’t a discussion.”
And it felt so good to be cared for, to know that it mattered to him what happened to her, that Isabella didn’t object any further even though she knew she was perfectly all right.
Arthur helped her along the hall. Instead of her bedroom, he brought her to his own. “What about Felicity?” she fretted.
“Felicity has been put in your bed.”
“I should be with her. I want to be with her.”
“I’ll take you to see her soon enough,” Arthur assured her. “Please, Isabella, let me take a moment with you to make sure you’re all right first.”
“He didn’t hurt me,” Isabella said.
“You’re crying.” He cupped her face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.
“He frightened me,” Isabella whispered. “I thought he was going to take me away and that I would never see any of the people I care for again—and I had no idea who he was or what he wanted with me. I still don’t know the answers to those questions.”
“He didn’t say anything to you?”
“Nothing at all. Do you know who that man was?”
Arthur wrapped his arms around her. “This is all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault. How could it be your fault?”
“I should have been here,” he told her softly. “I should never have left you alone, Isabella. If I had stayed, if I had been a proper husband to you, no one would have come after you like this. I’ll never leave you alone again. I swear it. I’ll never put you in harm’s way like that again.”
Isabella didn’t know why he held himself so responsible for what had happened. Yes, he had left the house, but that wasn’t such a terrible thing to have done. It had been hard for her that he’d left her for such a long time, not intending to come back, but this could have taken place if he had left for an afternoon, and it was foolish to expect him to sit right by her side at all times. That didn’t make it his fault, and he was too wise to think that it would. And yet he seemed convinced that hewasto blame for what had happened. Why would he think such a thing?
She couldn’t worry about that right now. There was simply too much else on her mind. “Do you promise that Felicity is being cared for?” she asked. “I’d really prefer to be with her.”
“You need to lie down, and so does she,” Arthur said gently. “I know you want to see her. Caroline is with her now, and I have some footmen watching her room as well, and we’ll go to her soon. I know you think you’re all right, but at the very least, I can see that you’re shocked and a bit dizzy. I want you to drink some water and try to relax, and we’ll go to her soon. All right?”
Isabella nodded. This thing she was feeling—it was trust, she realized suddenly. She had never allowed herself to put her trust in anyone before. Not in this way. She had always had her little sister as a confidante, but she hadn’t relied on anyone to protect her or care for her since her mother had died.
She hadn’t fully given anyone the power to break her heart.
Not even Arthur.
How could she blame him for having left—for never having opened himself up to her? She hadn’t opened herself up to him either though she’d told herself again and again that she was doing just that. She had expressed to him that she wanted more out of their relationship, but she had never gone up to him and simply said,I am in love with you.
She was ready to do it now, but the time was wrong. She didn’t want him to think that she was only saying it because she’d had a shock or because she didn’t want him to go away and leave her alone again. She wanted him to understand how true it was.
So, she would wait. But she kept a hold on his hand as he began to pull away from her, and he allowed that, keeping one arm around her, holding her close.
“You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?” he asked.
“I’m sure. He only dragged me away.”
