The woman who had denied Bridget entrance previously, Mrs. Clove, took a careful step to the Dowager Duchess. “Stay calm, Your Grace.”
“And I want to be a part of your life, too,” Bridget said. “Lewis speaks so highly of you.”
The Dowager Duchess slowly nodded. Although her body still trembled, her eyes remained fixed firmly on Bridget’s face. The woman was no longer yelling, at least. That was an improvement, however slight it might be.
“Bridget!” Lewis’s voice filled the room like a crack of thunder.
Bridget started at the unexpected sound, her head snapping in the direction he had come. Her heart plummeted. Lewis should have already returned to the townhouse, but he stood before her. His face was hard; his brow furrowed in anger.
“What are you doing here?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“I—I came to see your grandmother,” she stammered. “I—I know that I?—”
“You should not have come!” Lewis snapped.
“I know,” Bridget said, “but I—at least, she is feeling better!”
Bridget’s eyes darted to the stairs, where the Dowager Duchess still stood. Mrs. Clove had reached her and was attempting to coax the frail woman up the stairs and back the way that she had come.
“Your definition ofbettermust differ significantly from mine!” Lewis snapped, storming to Bridget.
She stared at him with wide eyes, her heart thundering against her ribcage. Lewis had never been well and truly angry at her before. A chill traced the path of Bridget’s spine. She swallowed hard and forced down all the guilt she felt in favor of the smoldering fury in her chest.
“This would have never happened if you had been honest with me!” Bridget retorted. “If I had known, I could have planned another way of doing this, but you would not tell me anything useful!”
The Dowager Duchess let out a sharp sob.
“You will never set foot in this house again!” Lewis commanded. “When are you going to realize that you are a married woman and the Duchess of Wheelton? This behavior is entirely unbecoming!”
Bridget’s eyes burned. She blinked, trying to force away the tears.
“You cannot continue to behave like a child!” Lewis exclaimed. “You cannot continue to be so callous and reckless, as if you are the only person in the world who matters!”
The world was too much, and Bridget did not know what to do. No one had ever yelled at her before. No one had ever made her feel so small before. With no other options, she turned on her heels and fled.
CHAPTER 28
Lewis could not forget the look on Bridget’s face as she fled his grandmother’s townhouse in tears. Her lovely face had been flushed with uncomely red spots and her eyes bright with tears, and the sight of her so distraught because ofhimmade his chest tighten. They had not spoken much since that day; his wife was avoiding him.
And Lewis, who was so accustomed to being in control, had found himself at a loss as to how to confront his wife. He had not been in the wrong, but he felt as though he had been. Instead, he went to his grandmother’s house as always, taking care to ensure that Bridget remained far away. That would have to be sufficient for the time being.
Lewis stepped inside his grandmother’s townhouse and gave a curt nod of acknowledgement to Mrs. Clove who awaited him at the base of the stairs.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” the woman said, dipping into a curtsey.
“Good afternoon,” Lewis echoed, shoving thoughts of Bridget as far away as he could. “How is my grandmother?”
“Her Grace is having a good day,” Mrs. Clove said. “There has been no disruption to her routine.”
“Wonderful,” Lewis said. “I was concerned that Bridget might have caused my grandmother’s condition to worsen.”
“No.” Mrs. Clove hesitated.
“What is it?” Lewis asked.
“Her Grace has asked after the Duchess of Wheelton,” Mrs. Clove said. “She wants to meet her again.”
Lewis shook his head. “I do not anticipate another meeting any time soon.”
