“Adrian, you must go see to Bridget immediately,” Elara stated.
Adrian’s head shot up as his sister forewent pleasantries and started off the conversation with such strong words as she strode into his study. The ledgers before him were completely forgotten; he shot to his feet and walked around his desk.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“It was Mama,” Elara answered with a worried expression. “The moment she saw Bridget, she started babbling all of this nonsense, and I fear that Bridget might take offence or worse…”
Adrian’s brow furrowed.
“What nonsense?”
“First, that Bridget was married to Evander. Then, that she was responsible for his death. Then, that Evander was not dead at all…”
Though her words made no sense to him, Adrian left Elara without another word and hurried to Bridget’s quarters. Heopened the door to find her packing, tears trickling down her cheeks. His heartbeat stuttered at the sight, and he moved to take Bridget’s hands as she tried to place another dress in her luggage.
“Bridget, what do you think you are doing?” he asked, trying his best to keep his tone calm.
Bridget tried to pull her hands from his, but he would not let go.
“Adrian, you must let go,” she pleaded. “This was a mistake. You meant well. I genuinely believe you wanted to marry me to protect me, but this is all too much for your mother. My presence here confuses and hurts her, and I do not wish to be responsible for someone else’s pain.”
Panic rose in Adrian’s chest at the thought of Bridget leaving.
“No, Bridget, you must believe me; it is not you that has my mother so frayed,” he insisted, but Bridget shook her head.
“You did not see her, Adrian,” she replied. “You did not see the utter agony on her face when she looked at me.”
“The agony, I believe,” Adrian admitted, willing his nerves to calm so he could speak to her gently. “But Bridget, it is not you who causes her such feelings. My mother has struggled with accepting Evander’s passing from the moment she found out. Since the body was deformed, she never truly accepted that the man she buried was Evander.”
He shifted in discomfort, letting the truth wash over him. He let go of Bridget’s hands, knowing he could not force her to stay, and to his relief, she did not move.
“I am very sorry for everything that has happened, but I do not feel comfortable with being the reason you become estrangedfrom your family.”
“You have nothing to do with it. It is not just my mother who has struggled,” he rasped. “But my brother was everything to her.”
Bridget’s gaze softened, and she took a step toward him.
“You matter to her, too, Adrian,” she said softly.
Adrian shook his head.
“Not the way Evander did. She cannot let him go. It is why she became so confused. When Elara called you Duchess, she immediately presumed you were Evander’s wife because she would never accept that I now hold the title.”
He let out a mirthless laugh and bowed his head as sorrow consumed him.
“And if he were alive? If my mother were somehow right and he were not dead? I would hand that title back to him in a second. He was always meant to have it, not I. I have never been good enough for it.”
Adrian bit back a groan as he felt Bridget’s hands gently caress his face, and it took all he had not to nuzzle into her touch.
She has no idea. No idea the effect she has on me.
“Please do not say such things about yourself,” she said softly, and he let her lift his gaze to hers. He found her vivid green eyes pleading with him to believe her; a sight that made his body flood with need and affection.
“You are a good man, Adrian,” she urged, stroking his cheek with the back of her fingers. “Your dedication to finding your brother’s killer has been nothing short of extraordinary. Not to mention the way you have managed to keep things prosperousand in order.”
His brow furrowed as he watched pain flood over the pleading look in her eyes, and all the warmth from her touch fled from him as she let her hands drop away.
“Which is another reason I must leave,” she said quietly. “I have become a distraction for you. You must continue with your investigation. Even if Warren is dead, I am sure there are ways to find out if he murdered your brother or not. I am keeping you from that.”
