“The truth!”
“It is too easy to ask for something when you don’t know how close to danger you were.”
“I was in danger?”
Gerald looked at her and suddenly realized that Arabella thought that his distress came from an attack his family had planned against him. She was not worried about herself, but for him.
“It is all over now.”
“Gerald…”
“I said it is over!”
The emotions overwhelming him did not allow him to think clearly. He was caught between surprise, agitation, anger, and fear. He was expecting his fury to take the helm of his emotions, to lead him into plotting his next steps.
But Gerald had to be honest with himself. Rage would have been the easy emotion, the one he could deal with easily, like he had been doing his whole life. And yet, it was something else that predominated his thoughts. Fear.
Gerald was terrified. His hands shaking were not because of fury, but because he was afraid. In the middle of the silence, he realized something even more disturbing. He was not afraid because of gossip or scandal, or how his reputation would be ruined.
He was afraid for her, of how this would have affected her, how hurt and scared she would be if he hadn’t come into that corridor at the right time. He sat with that realization, not knowing what to do with it. It was incomprehensible, and then so very real that he couldn’t deny it.
Something had definitely changed tonight.
CHAPTER 22
Pic Nic Maze
Arabella was struggling this morning. She should finally use the private breakfast room in her quarters or follow her usual routine of joining the Duke for breakfast.
She decided that she would not give him the satisfaction of pouting and hiding in her room. So, she got ready and took with her some of the ledgers she had to work on. She needed to occupy her mind with something, or else she would lose her composure. Moreover, she would like to have a good excuse so that she wouldn’t have to look upon his stupid face.
When she entered the breakfast room, he was already seated there. He was usually earlier than she was, but in this particular moment, that truly irritated her. She reminisced on the timesthat the Duke would have his breakfast in his own office, but now here he was, like unavoidable fate.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she said politely and took her place at the table.
“I trust you slept well,” Gerald responded.
His words were perfectly timed with the placement of her cup in front of her, something that would have given her enough ammo to hurl at him. Luckily for him, she had enough self-control, and also, this happened to be her favorite tea set.
“Very well, Your Grace, thank you.”
She avoided eye contact, not out of childish impulse, but because that same self-control would have been shattered if she looked at him too long.
She poured herself some tea and pretended to enjoy breakfast, which was a glorious lie, given that she hadn’t enjoyed neither sleeping nor tasting the biscuits.
It was all because of him. She found it inexcusable to shut her out last night when clearly something terrible had happened. She thought that they had an understanding, a kind of partnership that was in equal measure, and yet last night Gerald had decided for both of them without her consult.
“I am told that you should like to redecorate the grand dining hall,” Gerald said.
“I think it is high time we host a few dinners,” Arabella said in a very controlled manner. “It is, after all, expected of us.”
“I had seen first-hand how popular you are, so all these friends must be anxious to see you in your new environment.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” she simply offered.
She opened the ledger and pretended to follow the numbers and the expenses. Whether he believed the ruse or not mattered little to Arabella.
“There is also the matter of the lake being cleaned,” he tried once more to drag her into conversation.
