CHAPTER 21

Oh my…!

The carriage taking Verity away from Faye's home lurched unexpectedly, jolting her from her thoughts. She slid violently to the side and knocked into the door, nearly whipping the air from her lungs completely.

What just happened?

Curiosity mingled with a sense of unease as she leant forward, peering through the window to discern the cause of the commotion outside. Her gaze fell upon a gathering of people, their faces etched with concern, huddled around what appeared to be the scene of an accident.

Verity's heart pounded violently against her rib cage as she creaked open the door. She wasn't sure if this was the right thing for her to do, but she absolutely had to know what had happened. She needed to know if she could help.

With a growing sense of trepidation, Verity stepped out of the carriage. She could hardly feel her feet touching the ground as she approached the crowd. Nerves zig zagged through her system as she made her way through the throngs of people watching.

"Did you see that?"

"What happened to him?"

"Is he…?"

Snippets of hushed conversations reach her ears, and a cold dread seized her when she heard a familiar name whispered among the onlookers: The Marquess of Eliendale.

Unable to take it any longer, Verity pushed through the throng of people, desperate for answers.

Please, she begged silently. Please don't let it be…

But as Verity broke through the crowd, her worst fears were realized.

Philip.

Her heart broke as she saw him, lying motionless on the ground. his once vibrant form now still and vulnerable. His horse, the same one that he had been riding on the day that he joined her family for a picnic, trotted hurriedly nearby. Horror struck her as the footmen carefully lifted up Philip's limp body, their movements gentle yet urgent as they carried him towards a waiting carriage.

The sight of Philip's unconscious state sent a wave of panic surging through Verity. She could hardly remain standing up right as she watched him, her whole body trembling with disbelief.

Louisa appeared at her side, offering a steadying hand to calm her.

"He will be fine," she murmured to Verity, trying to console her, but there was nothing that could get through to Verity right now. Not in this state of shock. "The physician will care for him, and he will be back on his feet in no time."

Verity leant into Louisa's support, her legs threatening to give way beneath her as the gravity of the situation crashed over her like a suffocating wave.

This cannot be happening, she thought sadly to herself. He cannot be hurt like this…

But nothing was shifting and changing the scene in front of her. Nothing was making any of this feel better. She could not blink and bring Philip back to full health.

Philip's carriage quickly disappeared from view, leaving Verity standing there with a shattered heat in her chest. Uncertainty plagued her mind, but one thought became terrifyingly clear. It was crystal clear, so perfectly obvious, that she could not believe it was only hitting her so powerfully now.

Love…

She wasn't just falling for him. Verity truly was in love.

She did not mean to fall in love with a man that was off limits to her. She never meant to feel so deeply for the Marquess of Eilendale, but it had happened regardless. Her heart thundered for him, the blood pumped around her body just for him, and the idea of losing him before they had even had chance to explore the connection that had blossomed between them was a crushing weight upon her soul.

"Come on, Lady Verity," Lousia said quietly to her. "Let us get you back into the carriage. I think it best that we leave here."

She did not want to go.

Verity did not feel like she deserved to go anywhere, but she also could not just stand here in the middle of the chaos and the crowds. That wasn't helping her either. There were far too many whispers and fingers pointed her way, which Verity really did not need. So, she allowed Louisa to lead her back inside the carriage.

It felt like she was clouded in shock, but that did not stop the tears from streaming down Verity's face. It was heartbreaking to see Philip like that, to know that there was nothing she could do to help him. Nothing she could do to make him recover.

"Louisa, what am I going to do?"

Louisa clearly did not know what to say, but she slung her arm over her shoulder to comfort her. It was admittedly a nice feeling, to know that she wasn't alone in this, but it also made her feel even more isolated in her emotions.

Perhaps that was why she allowed them to come spilling out without meaning to.

"I am in love with him, Louisa, and now I might have lost him." Verity gasped loudly as she finally spoke those words aloud and processed them. "I know that I am not permitted to be in love with him because he is a marquess, but I cannot help myself. I am unable to stop my feelings. I have fallen for him completely."

She rested her head against Louisa's shoulders and wept painfully. Agony absolutely ricochetted through her body as the pain of this broken heart really took her. Verity was in a hopeless position, and it looked like it was only going to get so much worse.

Upon arriving home, Verity felt a numbness settle over her, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions she had experienced moments ago. She allowed Louisa to lead her to her room, where she sank on to her bed, feeling utterly exhausted.

"I will fetch you some tea," Louisa said softly, her concern evident in her eyes. Verity nodded absently, her mind still on Philip and the image of him lying so still and vulnerable.

Left alone, Verity's thoughts swirled. She could not stop thinking about Philip's lifeless form and the horrible possibility that he might not recover. She had to find out how he was, she could not just sit here in the dark, waiting and worrying. The more she thought, the more Verity's anxiety grew. She paced her room, her mind racing.

Louisa returned with a tray of tea, setting it gently on the bed side table.

"You must drink something, Verity," she urged softly. "You need to keep up your strength."

Verity nodded, but she barely touched the cup. Her thoughts were too consumed by Philip to focus on anything else, especially her own needs. She tried to imagine what might be happening at Eilendale's estate, picturing the physicians working to save him, hoping that he would wake up and be his vibrant self once more.

As the hours dragged on, Verity found herself caught in an endless loop of worry and despair. The tea Louisa had brought her remained untouched, the once steaming liquid now cold and uninviting. Every sound, every creak of the house seemed amplified, making her jump and sending waves of anxiety crashing over her.

Dinner time arrived, and despite Louisa's gentle coaxing, Verity could not bring herself to leave her room.

The mere thought of sitting at the table, pretending to eat, while her mind was consumed with thoughts of Philip, was unbearable. Especially with her brother's cold stare upon her and her mother's best intentions.

"Please, Louisa," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I cannot join everyone for dinner. I just... I cannot."

Louisa gave her a sympathetic look and nodded.

"I shall have something brought up to you," she replied softly before leaving the room.

Verity collapsed on to her bed, feeling utterly drained. Her body felt heavy, as if the weight of her emotions was physically pressing down on her.

She closed her eyes, hoping that maybe sleep would offer some escape from the torment of her thoughts.

A knock at the door jolted her back to reality.

It was Louisa, bringing up the tray of food that Verity had all but forgotten about.

"Oh… thank you."

The sight of the dishes, laden with what she knew were her favorite foods, did nothing to stir her appetite. She managed a weak smile for Louisa's benefit, then stared at the tray as it was placed on the bed side table.

"Please, try to eat something," Louisa urged gently. "You must take care of yourself."

Verity nodded mechanically, picking up a fork and taking a small bite. The food was like ash in her mouth, her mind too consumed with worry to appreciate any flavor. She forced herself to swallow, knowing that Louisa was right, but each bite felt like a monumental effort.

Hours slipped by in a haze of fear and exhaustion. Eventually Verity drifted in and out of fitful sleep, her mind never fully quieting.