“Is there anything else you require?”
Arabella wanted to scream in his face what she truly wanted. She wanted quiet mornings and casual dinners. She wanted small laughter and easy comfort, walks in the maze, and making love at night.
“No, Your Grace. I need nothing more.”
CHAPTER 26
Decisions Made
The drawing room in her father’s house felt even smaller than she remembered. Perhaps it was always this small, but now she had grown up. Then again, she got used to the big drawing room in the Duke’s estate.
“I had the cook prepare your favorite biscuits,” her father said.
She smiled at the familiarity of this statement. Every time she was not feeling well, her father would comfort her with the same line. Unfortunately for Arabella, it didn’t have the same effect anymore. All she could do was smile back.
It’s been days since the wedding breakfast, and Arabella fought the urge to cry every time she was alone. And here she was not alone in her house. Her father was here, and her sister was always by her side. It was an excuse not to think or feel.
“I can’t believe one season more is over,” your father commented, looking outside the window. “The weather is getting nicer, and everybody’s getting ready to leave for the countryside. Are you going away with Gerald as well?”
When she heard his name, her heart constricted as it did each time she thought of him.
“His Grace has to stay for business deals.”
She didn’t convey that she had to make plans of her own. It was the perfect opportunity to keep their distance without raising too much suspicion. After all, the gentry will be in their summer houses, and no one would question why the newlywed Duke and Duchess of Albury are.
Not that she knew where she would be, or how to spend her time away from him. Where could she run and hide from her feelings?
“OK, girls, I have to go. Will you stay for lunch, Arabella? I will make sure to come back.”
Her father left the house after a peck on the cheek. Arabella felt that she belonged nowhere right at that moment. She was no longer his little girl, under his care. And she was neither Gerald’s, not really, not anymore. This house, that was once a sanctuary, felt alien to her. But the older estate that she had grown so accustomed to was also not hers.
Gerald had mentioned that he had more houses in Mayfair that she could use. But right now, she was not ready to make any decision or any move; she just wanted to get away.
“I should like to take a walk,” Bridget suddenly said. “It would be refreshing to go out without the escort of a chaperone. The perks of having a married sister.”
Arabella realized that she must have been in a very bad mood if Bridget was the one trying to cheer her up. But she could not comment on that.
“I think it would come as a release, Mrs. Evans,” Arabella tried to say lightly.
* * *
Not long after, Arabella and Bridget, arms linked, were strolling by the Serpentine. The weather was indeed splendid, the first hint of spring wafting in the air. Roses blossomed slowly, and the grass was peppered with wildflowers. Even the air smelled different. More fragrant, more alive.
Arabella pretended as best as she could that she enjoyed the beautiful scenery with her beloved sister by her side. They chatted as cheerfully as they could, stopping whenever someone approached, receiving invitation after invitation to summer estates.
And yet, for the first time in her life, she found everything irritating. The sun was too hot, the pollen in the air made hernose twitch, the grass was overgrown, and why did everyone have to stop and talk to her?
“You can go home if you don’t want to walk,” Bridget said softly.
“Why would you say that?” Arabella protested.
She looked at her sister and realized that she was not doing exceptionally well at hiding her feelings, especially not from her.
“Arabella,” Bridget said, “it has been just you and me for many years. I know what you feel, just like you know about me. Is this about the wedding incident?”
Of course, her behavior at the wedding had been leaked into the gossip of the ton. It never made it to the sheets, of course, because they all feared the Duke of Albury, but there were some whispers.
Nothing too damaging, since Arabella always had a happy reputation and was much beloved in the town even before she became a powerful Duchess. On the contrary, Joseph was known for dubious behavior and some gambling bets.
