Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

A aron and Oliver entered the grand house, their footsteps echoing in the spacious foyer. The butler took their coats and hats, and they moved toward the drawing room, where tea had been set up.

Aaron couldn't help but glance repeatedly into the great hall, hoping to catch another glimpse of Judith. Seeing her again after so long was both a delight and a torture. Her beauty and grace were undiminished, but the cold anger in her eyes made his heart ache.

They settled into the plush chairs, the warmth of the tea a stark contrast to the chill in Aaron's heart. He regretted the kiss that had ruined their friendship, the kiss that had driven a wedge between them. It had been a moment of weakness, a slip that had cost him dearly.

As he sipped his tea, he heard Judith's soft voice drifting down the staircase. She was speaking to her maid, her tone light and casual, a stark contrast to the tension he felt. He leaned forward slightly, straining to hear more, his heart pounding in his chest.

Judith…

His hands itched with the urge to go after her, to explain himself, to make amends. The sound of her footsteps descending the stairs filled him with desperate hope, but then hers and the maid's voices faded away as they walked out the front door.

His opportunity was slipping away again.

Just then, the butler entered the drawing room, his expression one of mild distress. "My Lord, I beg your pardon for the interruption, but it is urgent."

"What is it?" Oliver asked, looking up at him.

"There has been an accident in the kitchen, My Lord," the butler explained. "The cook is hurt."

Oliver immediately rose to his feet. "I must tend to it," he said, concern etched on his face.

Aaron saw his chance and seized it. "It's quite alright, Oliver. We can have dinner at the club this evening."

Oliver nodded, already halfway to the door. "Very well, Aaron. I'll take care of this."

As Oliver hurried away to the kitchen, Aaron stood up, leaving his top hat behind in his haste. He rushed to the front door, his heart racing. He couldn't let Judith leave without speaking to her.

Bursting out into the courtyard, he saw her just ahead, her delicate figure framed by the soft light of the afternoon.

"Judith!" he called out, his voice filled with urgency.

She turned, surprise flickering across her face before it hardened into a mask of indifference.

"Yes, Your Grace?" she asked coolly. Her use of his title was a deliberate stab to the heart.

Aaron took a deep breath, stepping closer. "I need to speak with you," he said. "Please, give me a moment."

Judith hesitated, her eyes scanning his face as if searching for something. Finally, she nodded, though her expression remained guarded.

"Very well. What is it you wish to say?"

Aaron's heart pounded as he prepared to pour out his regrets and hopes, to find a way to mend what he had broken.

"I wanted to apologize for the kiss, I should not have done it. I didn't mean to upset you," he began, trying to keep his voice steady.

"The kiss? You already apologized the night it happened. Why must you bring this unfortunate situation up again?" Her tone was cold like an icy bucket of water.

"I think it's the reason you're upset with me. You stopped speaking to me the day after this happened, and you've been avoiding me ever since."

Judith's eyes flashed with a fiery intensity. "You think that's why I'm upset? You're wrong, Aaron. It's not just the kiss."

His apprehension grew, and a lump formed in his throat. "Then what is it?" he asked, desperate to understand, his mind racing with regret. "I do not understand."

"What do you not understand? I do not know why you thought you would have a role in my life still. You were to find me a husband. You did. That is all," she snapped, while her maid glanced out of the carriage, her eyebrows raised.

"But I thought we had become close—friends, at least," he said, knowing how stupid it sounded even as he spoke the words.

"Friends? That is what we were in your eyes? That is how you treat your friends? Aaron, you wish to know why I am angry with you? Very well. You played with my emotions," Judith accused, her voice trembling with hurt. "You made me fall in love with you, you kissed me, and then you told Graham that you could never be with a woman like me. That I am nothing but a burden. What kind of man does that?"

Aaron felt a wave of despair wash over him. This was why she'd rejected even his friendship. She'd heard his cold words, words he hadn't meant then and even less so now. She must have overheard their conversation.

He struggled to find the right words. "Judith, I didn't mean any of it. I only said those things to protect you. I never would have said any of it had I known you would hear."

"Oh, I understand those words were not meant for me. I understand very well," she all but sneered and looked away, as if it disgusted her to look into his eyes. "And protect me? From what?" she demanded, her hands curled into fists.

Aaron took a deep breath, his chest tightening. "I believed I would never be a good husband. And… I thought that by kissing you, I might have implied that I wanted more, and then I was… I… I didn't mean any of it. I've only ever tried to protect you from getting hurt by me."

Judith shook her head, her tears spilling over. "Well, you've done a fine job of that, haven't you? Now you can rest easy, knowing that my husband-to-be will protect me from now on. You have done your job, and you are free of the burden. Please, enjoy your freedom, for you have rightly earned it."

She spun around and climbed into the carriage. Aaron's heart shattered as he watched her disappear from view. Every step she took felt like a dagger to his heart.

The door closed, and the carriage started to move away. He stood there, feeling utterly defeated, as the woman he loved slipped further and further out of his reach. His mind, his body, his whole being was awash with regret and sorrow, the realization that his misguided attempts to protect her had only caused more pain.

As the carriage disappeared down the street, Aaron felt an overwhelming sense of loss. He had tried to do the right thing, but in the end, he had only driven her away. The image of Judith's tear-streaked face lingered in his mind, a haunting reminder of the love he had pushed away.

He returned to his estate, his mind in turmoil. He had made a grave mistake, one that seemed irreparable now. He couldn't push the image of Judith's angry face out of his mind, and her words rang in his ears. Every step he took through the grand halls of his home felt heavy with regret.

Pacing through the estate, he found himself unable to settle. The walls seemed to close in on him, each room a reminder of the choices he had made. He wandered aimlessly until he reached the gallery, where a painting of his parents hung. He stopped in front of it, staring at their stern faces.

He clenched his fists, the weight of his realization pressing down on him. Amelia had spun a web of lies, convincing him that his actions had ruined her life. In his guilt and confusion, he had allowed those lies to influence his decisions, to shape his fears about his potential for happiness.

As he gazed at the painting, another thought struck him. Had he, in his desire to rebel against his parents, sabotaged his own happiness? His parents had always been strict, their expectations high and unwavering, their marriage unhappy. He had spent his life trying to defy them, to prove that he could live on his own terms. But in doing so, had he simply chosen a path of self-destruction?

"I've been such a fool," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I let my fear and anger drive me to push away the one person who made me truly happy."

The realization was like a punch to the gut. He had been so focused on proving to himself that marriage was boring and only a bachelor's life was worth living while running from his parents' influence that he hadn't seen the opportunity for genuine happiness standing right in front of him.

Judith had been that opportunity, and he had let her slip through his fingers.

He sank into a nearby chair, his head in his hands. The weight of his mistakes felt almost too much to bear. How could he have been so blind? So foolish?

He knew now that he needed to make things right. He couldn't change the past, but perhaps he could change the future. He needed to find a way to show Judith how much she meant to him, to prove that he was worthy of her love.

With renewed determination, Aaron stood up and began to pace again, this time with purpose. He needed a plan, a way to win Judith back. And he knew he wouldn't rest until he had done everything in his power to make things right.