He crossed the room straight towards Emma. The room seemed to quieten as he approached her.
“Emma,” Tobias said, “I need to speak with you. Now.”
Emma looked up at him, surprised by the urgency in his tone. She hesitated for a moment, glancing towards her fiancé, who was engaged in conversation with another guest and seemed unaware of the sudden tension between them.
“All right,” she agreed softly. “Let’s talk.”
Tobias didn’t wait for further confirmation. He turned and led the way towards the garden. Behind him, Emma followed suit.
Harriet, who had been watching the exchange intently, knew this was the moment she had been waiting for. She excused herself quietly from the table, slipping away unnoticed, and followed them at a discreet distance as they made their way over to the garden.
Harriet stayed just out of sight as she watched them from behind a tall hedge. She could see the stiffness in Tobias’s posture, the way his hands were clenched at his sides. Emma, too, seemed tense, her steps slower, as if she were bracing herself for whatever was about to come.
When they reached a secluded spot near a stone bench, Tobias stopped and turned to face Emma. Harriet edged closer, her heart in her throat as she strained to hear their conversation.
“You are marrying him?”
Emma seemed to flinch at the harshness in his tone.
“What choice do I have, Tobias?” her voice trembled with emotion. “You left me.”
Tobias stepped closer, his fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to keep his temper in check.
“Did you decide to do this, or was it your parents?” He gestured angrily toward the house, where both her fiancé and family were oblivious to the storm brewing outside.
“Why does that even matter?” Emma shot back.
“It does,” Tobias pressed. “It matters to me. Did you choose him?”
“It was my parents’ decision. But they were only looking out for me. Need I remind you again that you left me to fend for myself? You left our daughter?”
Tobias was silent. He paced around, his fists curled.
Come on, Tobias. Admit it. Tell her that you love her.
Harriet was hoping against all odds.
“You cannot marry him,” Tobias finally spoke — his voice devoid of emotion.
“Unless you have something better for me, I cannot listen to you,” Emma’s own words were anguished.
“You wish for me to ask for your hand?”
“It is what is expected.”
“Emma, you cannot make me take a decision like this so hastily,” Tobias argued.
“Is that the case?” Emma said. “Well, then I have no business speaking to you. I thought that you would come to your senses, but I was mistaken. I was blinded, once again. I…”
Emma ran off before she could complete her sentence, overwhelmed with emotion.
Oh no.
Oh no. No.
This was not how Harriet had expected things to go. She watched Emma run off in the distance, and knew that it was too late to catch her.
But it was still time for her to talk to Tobias.
