It was for that reason that Thalia came to a decision on that same night. Once she had finished tucking her daughter into bed, she found herself walking the dark halls in the direction of Ronan’s office. He might have wished never to see her again, he might have even had good reason, but as long as they lived in this house, concessions needed to be made.
And Thalia… well, she just hoped that the duke was reasonable. Although that felt like a dream that was unlikely to happen.
The door to his office was closed but she could see light coming from beneath it. She was shaking with nerves, and never had she been so frightened. As much as she hated to admit it, she was excited to see him. Shewantedto, as if that might remind him of what they’d nearly had.
But it would do no good wondering if this small encounter would change his mind, and Thalia pushed that hope down so deep that she strangled it. This was about Olivia…
She knocked softly on the door, she waited, and the duke’s voice called from within. “I’m busy!”
She grimaced, ignoring the order, and pushed the door open a fraction. “Please,” she spoke through the crack in the door. “This will only take a moment.”
The duke said nothing, which Thalia took as an answer.
She pushed the door open further and stepped inside, keeping the door open behind her because this would not be a long visit… and she needed an escape should things become tense.
Ronan was sitting at his desk, head bent and at work. He glanced up when she entered and then looked down. “I said I am busy,” he grumbled.
“I heard you.” She stood with her back straight, her hands folded, fixing on him an impassive look devoid of emotion. “But this cannot wait.”
He sighed. “Please, make it quick.”
A flash of anger roared inside of Thalia. To treat her as a stranger was one thing, but this was just plain rude. She knew he was doing it on purpose, wanting to dismiss her so that she would not get the wrong idea. But still… it would have been nice to have been given some sense that he still cared for her. A hint of what he had once felt…
“First, I want it known that this is not some attempt by me to go back on our promise,” she started. “I am not here to try and change your mind or… or to trick you, or whatever you think I might have done. So please, drop the charade, as there is no need.”
“This is not a charade…” He continued to work. “As I said, I am busy.”
“Be that as it may, I am here on behalf of Olivia.” It was subtle, but she saw him stiffen at the mention of her daughter’s name. “I understand why you do not wish to spend time with me. I do not accept the logic, but I accept that you think it is necessary. But what I cannot accept is what it is doing to Olivia.”
She watched him closely, desperate to see the regret. But his head remained bowed, so she could not see his reaction.
“She misses you,” Thalia continued. “All day and all night, she asks where you are and why you have not come to see her. She thinks that you hate her, Ronan.”
“I…” He winced. “I do not hate her. Youknowthat.”
“Do I?” she said. “And even if that was the case, how is she to know? She is a child, Ronan. She does not understand what is going on. To be treated so lovingly one day and then spurned the next is confusing, and it is breaking her.”
He no longer looked as if he was working. But he kept his head bent, refusing to look up and meet her eyes. “I… I never meant to upset Olivia. You know that. I only wanted?—”
“What was best for you,” she cut over him. “Ignore me if you want. Avoid me, I am a big girl, I can handle it. But do not do the same to Olivia. You promised to protect her.”
“Which is what I am doing.”
“Which you cannot do if she thinks that you want nothing to do with her,” she snapped, the anger getting to her. This wasn’t just about Olivia, but her own feelings. “Tomorrow, I am planning on going for a walk into town, and I would like to leave Olivia behind. Now, if I do that, will you be here to watch her?”
Thalia hadn’t planned any such thing. However, the thought came to her in the moment, and she knew that for the duke to spend time with her daughter, it would be best if she was nowhere in sight.
“Well?” she demanded.
Ronan said nothing at first. Head still bowed, body still stiff, she could only imagine what was going on inside that head of his. She folded her arms and glared at the top of his head, desperate for the only answer she could possibly accept.
“Fine,” he said eventually. “I will look after her.”
“Good.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I will make sure to let Olivia know.” She waited then, watching the duke, her expression pleading because she needed him to see her standing there.
Only, he started working again, and she had the sense that he had already forgotten her.
She exhaled, her shoulders slumping, and left the office.
