Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

“ A re you quite certain you do not mind returning home?” Arabella asked as her sisters were getting ready to return to Hayward Manor three days later.

Their father had come and begged for their forgiveness the day after his unwelcome appearance. He had been sober, which was a rare occasion, and told Arabella that he was genuinely sorry for his outburst. He had never been quite so out of sorts when addressing someone who was not a member of his family, and for it to have been a duke had to have been shocking for him.

How far had he fallen? Arabella shook her head. She had been mortified, but she couldn’t deny that she had also noticed the shock on her father’s face when he had seen her fall to the floor. He had never physically harmed any of them, and the fact that he had—even if it had perhaps inspired some humility in him—was surprising.

At least that is what her sisters believed, for they had agreed to return home with him on the condition that he leave them be.

He had agreed, but Arabella was certain this was mostly because Harry had been looming over him and made it quite clear that she and her sisters were under his protection and should the Earl so much as raise his voice at them again, he would have to deal with him.

“I think Father will be quite tolerable now,” Emma said. “He seems afraid of Harry, which is good.”

“I think he is also afraid of what the ton is going to say if word gets out that his daughters have left his home the same way his wife did years ago.”

“Well, let us hope that he will not return to his old ways,” Arabella sighed.

“There is no hope—that is hope wasted, Arabella.” Emma shook her head. “We all know that he will. Father is not the sort of man who can be trusted in the long term. I do think his fear of Harry will keep him from going quite so out of bounds again, but I do not think that he will ever stop drinking or being a miserable wretch.”

Just then, their carriage rolled around to the front, and Hanna hugged Arabella. “Do give Harry our best. It is a shame we could not see him, but it has been a pleasure to get to know him better these last few days.”

Indeed, they had dined with Harry every day, and he had taken some time to play with them. The previous night, he had sat in the music room and listened to the three of them play music together with a smile on his face. He had been entirely comfortable and lovely.

Arabella smiled, although as she let go of Hanna, a sharp pain in her elbow reminded her of how they had gotten here. The fall after her father’s attack had indeed caused her arm to bruise, something that had both enraged and concerned Harry, who had been more attentive to her than ever these last few days.

Indeed, it seemed that their father’s outbursts were the one thing that always drew them closer together.

“You will come to the ball on Saturday, yes?” Emma asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

Arabella nodded. Lady Morley had sent word that she was hosting a ball this upcoming Saturday. She had arranged for Lord Farnsworth, the viscount she had found for Hanna, to be there, as well as the Baron Hennessey.

“I will be there, certainly,” she said quickly.

“And Harry?” Hanna asked, already halfway to the carriage.

“I will ask him if he will attend,” Arabella called back, though she was by no means sure if Harry would attend.

They hadn’t been to a ball together yet, and she wasn’t sure if she dared ask him. Because everything had been going so well, she was worried about upsetting things. Slowly but surely, they were getting closer, sharing meals and enjoying each other’s company, but asking him to make a commitment such as going to a ball? Perhaps that was too much.

She waved her sisters goodbye and then returned to the house.

She had just settled in the drawing room when a knock sounded at the front door. She got up and rushed to the door once more. Mabel had already opened it because Baxter was below stairs, instructing two newly hired servants.

Arabella hurried behind her maid, expecting her sisters. Instead, she saw a messenger in livery. He handed over a letter of some sort and then departed.

“Who is it for?” she asked.

Mabel whirled around, evidently not having expected her. “Grace, you scared me. You were like a ghost popping up here, there, everywhere!” She chuckled.

Arabella grinned. “I did not mean to scare you. I thought it was perhaps my sisters coming back.”

“No,” Mabel said. “It’s for His Grace. I do not think he will be back until this evening.”

Arabella nodded. “He is taking supper with his uncle tonight. I intend to dine on my own. I’ll take the letter to his study—it’s on the way to the music room anyhow,” she offered.

She had had no intentions of going into the music room, of course, but she wanted to see what this letter contained. She wasn’t going to break the seal and read it, of course, but she wanted to see if there was any hint of who might’ve sent it or what it was about.

Just because she and Harry were getting along better did not mean that she had entirely abandoned her efforts to find out why her husband was always so secretive. There were still more things she didn’t know, obstacles that prevented him from letting her know him fully.

Mabel handed her the letter and excused herself.

Arabella walked toward the study as she examined the letter, which was addressed to Harry. Flipping it over, she saw that the wax seal bore no crest.

Curious, she pushed the edges together so she could peer inside. At the top, where the address should have been, were the words ‘About Helen . ’

“Helen? Who is Helen?”

Before she had a chance to ponder any more, footsteps sounded outside, and Arabella placed the letter down, not wanting to be caught snooping—again.