Arabella was still looking at her, and from the corner of her eyes, Margot could see how desperate her cousin was to help. Not to pry, not to seek gossip, but to offer a hand because she loved her cousin and would do anything for her.As I would do anything for Arabella.
Sadly, Margot knew there was nothing to be done.Sebastian has made that perfectly clear.
That was the current state of things. Following on from their conversation the previous evening, Margot had resolved herself to the belief that nothing was going to change and there was nothing she could do about it. Sebastian was the reason for how things were, and if he wanted to tell her why he was acting this way, it was up to him.
I will not beg him. I will not badger him. I will not let him know that I care. Not again.
It was frustrating to admit. And she knew that the likely outcome was a marriage that would remain this way for the rest of her days. But Margot was sick of hoping, tired of wondering, done with giving her time to a man who did not wish to give her his in return. Such was her life from now until forever…
“So…” Arabella spoke carefully. “The two of you… Have you spoken since yesterday?”
“Arabella,” Margot groaned. “Please, do not –”
“I will,” Arabella spoke over her. “Not because I am trying to annoy you, but because I care about you. You used the word resolved, which means that something was said between you.” She was looking right at Margot now, forcing her attention. “Come on then, what did he say? At least give me some indication so I know how much I should hate the man.” She tried for a disarming laugh. “That is, when we complain about him, we will know what for.”
Margot laughed softly, for she could not help it. “I do not hate him.”
“Oh?”
“No…” She bowed her head, annoyed that such a thing was so easy to admit. “I want to. It would be so much easier if I did. Only, well, he makes it hard to do.”
“What did he say?”
She clicked her tongue. “Not much, truth be told. We spoke yesterday evening, and he admitted that he does care for me – he even apologized for how he has been behaving toward me.”
“He did?” Arabella brightened. “That is good, no?”
“It would be, if he cared to tell me why.” She scowled at the memory. “I just don’t understand it, Arabella…” Despite herself, Margot felt her frustrations pouring from her. “He stood right there –” She pointed across the garden. “—all but admitting thatthis last week was his fault, that he did not wish to behave as he did, that hewantedmore from this marriage. Ha!” She scoffed. “He even went so far as to claim that he was attracted to me and how difficult it was for him to not act on this attraction.”
“No!” Arabella gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” Margot sighed. “He nearly kissed me…” Her stomach flipped at the memory. They had been so close. He had stepped into her, taken her by the face, leaned in, lips puckered so she could feel the warmth of his breath tracing her lips. And then… the world had turned around her. “He did not kiss me, however.”
“What… what do you mean? What did he –”
“He pulled away,” she said with a sneer. “Then he offered some vague excuse about how he could not allow himself to fall for me. How he could not let this marriage transform into anything other than what it was. And when I begged him to tell me why…” She scoffed again. “He refused.”
“And then what happened?”
“I stormed away…” She laughed bitterly. “He does not want to tell me why – he does not even want to explain himself. Then I am not going to beg him or chase after him or… or… or hope that things change. He made it perfectly clear that they won’t be.”
Arabella did not answer immediately. She studied Margot, her face scrunched tight, biting into one lip as she considered what she had heard. And then, she smiled. “So, things are nowhere near as bad as they could be.”
“Excuse me?” Margot gaped. “Did you not hear what I just said!”
“Oh, I heard you.” She waved her down dismissively. “And where indeed things did not go as planned, they are not nearly the travesty you seem to think they are. In fact, I might choose to see the positive in them.”
“It’s the sun, isn’t it?” Margot said. “The heat is getting to you.”
“Think about it, Margot.” She was sitting up, looking eager now. “The duke admitted that he cares for you – that he is attracted to you. Was that not what you feared all this time? That he had been lying to you? Trying to trick you? That he was a cold fish playing a game with you at the center.”
“What difference does it make!” Margot cried. “If the result is the same.”
“But it does not have to be,” Arabella insisted. “Clearly, the duke is dealing with something. And that is what is holding him back – not you. Not even this marriage. By the sounds of it, hewantsyou, Margot. He wants this marriage to work.”
She scoffed. “You were not there.”
“Which is why my opinion is impartial and thus more important.” She nodded rightly. “And if you just give him time, I truly think that he will change his mind and –”
