Chapter 27

As the first strains of the waltz filled the ballroom, Harriet felt a shiver run down her spine, her heart skipping a beat as Hugh"s hand settled on her waist, his fingers strong and sure against the delicate fabric of her gown. She looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the intensity in his gaze, the way his eyes seemed to drink her in as though she were the only woman in the world.

And then they were moving, their bodies swaying in perfect harmony as they spun and twirled across the floor, the rest of the room fading away until there was nothing left but the two of them, lost in a moment of perfect connection and unspoken understanding.

Harriet could feel the heat of Hugh"s touch through the layers of silk and lace, could feel the way his body molded to hers as they moved together, every brush of his hand and every press of his chest sending sparks of electricity racing through her veins. She let herself get lost in the sensation, in the way her heart seemed to swell and expand with every passing moment, until she was sure it would burst from the sheer force of the emotions that swirled within her.

And as the final notes of the waltz faded away and the room erupted into polite applause, Harriet found herself clinging to Hugh, her fingers gripping his shoulders as though she never wanted to let him go. She could feel the weight of his gaze upon her, could see the way his eyes searched her face as though looking for some sign, some hint of the feelings that lay hidden beneath the surface.

But before he could speak, before he could give voice to the questions that burned in his eyes...Harriet pulled away, her heart pounding in her chest as she mumbled an excuse about needing some air. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her back as she fled the ballroom, her skirts swishing around her ankles as she made her way out into the cool night air of the garden.

She didn"t know what had come over her, didn"t understand the sudden rush of emotions that had threatened to overwhelm her as she danced in Hugh"s arms. All she knew was that she needed to get away, needed to clear her head and try to make sense of the tangled web of feelings that seemed to grow more complicated with every passing moment.

As she wandered through the garden, the scent of roses and honeysuckle heavy in the air, Harriet tried to calm the racing of her heart, tried to push away the image of Hugh"s face that seemed to be burned into her mind"s eye. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn"t shake the feeling that something had changed between them, that the careful distance she had tried to maintain had somehow been breached in that one, perfect moment on the dance floor.

Lost in her thoughts, Harriet didn"t hear the sound of footsteps approaching until a familiar voice called out her name, startling her from her reverie.

"Harriet? Is that you?"

She spun around, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Caroline emerging from the shadows, a look of concern etched across her face.

"Caroline!" Harriet exclaimed, a rush of joy and relief washing over her as she saw her friend. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in the country with Benedict."

Caroline smiled, closing the distance between them and pulling Harriet into a warm embrace. "Benedict does business with the Wentworths," she explained. "And as such we had to come tonight - we traveled only for the ball, and I expected your husband to refuse to attend. As such, I was hesitant to let you know we were going to be here - I was afraid of not seeing you."

Harriet clung to her friend, a sob rising in her throat as she buried her face in Caroline"s shoulder. "Oh, Caroline," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I"ve been such a fool. Such a blind, stubborn fool."

Caroline pulled back, her brow furrowing in concern as she searched Harriet"s face. "Whatever do you mean, darling? What happened, what on earth is going on?"

Harriet shook her head, a rueful laugh escaping her lips even as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I thought I could do it, Caroline. I thought I could marry Hugh and keep my heart safe, that I could build a life with him without ever risking the pain of falling in love. But I was wrong. I was so very, very wrong."

Understanding dawned in Caroline"s eyes, a soft smile spreading across her face as she reached out to brush a stray tear from Harriet"s cheek. "Oh, my dear. I know exactly how you feel. I thought the same thing when I married Benedict, thought that I could protect myself from the power of my own emotions. But in the end, it was impossible. My heart had a mind of its own, and it chose him, no matter how hard I tried to fight it."

Harriet nodded, a shaky sigh escaping her lips as she leaned into Caroline"s touch. "I don"t know what to do, Caroline. I"m so afraid of what I"m feeling, so terrified of the depth of my own emotions. A part of me wants to tell him everything, wants to plead with him to love me too... but what if he cannot? What if I open my heart to him, only to have it broken into a million pieces?"

Caroline"s smile turned sympathetic, her hand squeezing Harriet"s in a gesture of comfort and support. "I know it is frightening, my dearest friend. Believe me, I have been there. But you cannot let fear hold you back, cannot let it keep you from reaching for the happiness that is right there in front of you. You have to take the leap, have to trust that what you and Hugh have is real and worth fighting for."

Harriet shook her head, a fresh wave of tears spilling down her cheeks. "But what if it is not? What if I am just setting myself up for heartbreak and disappointment?"

Before Caroline could respond, a new voice entered the conversation, deep and rich and filled with a warmth that was oddly comforting - and the words let Harriet's deceptive heart skip a beat.

"She is right, you know," Benedict said softly as he emerged from the shadows to stand beside his wife, his arm slipping around her waist in a gesture of easy intimacy. "You cannot let fear hold you back, Harriet. Not when there"s so much at stake."

Harriet looked up at him, her eyes wide and uncertain as she tried to make sense of his words. "What do you mean, Benedict? What makes you so sure that Hugh feels the same way I do?"

Benedict chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he shook his head in fond exasperation. "Because I"ve seen the way he looks at you, Harriet. The way his eyes follow you around the room, the way he lights up whenever you"re near. That man is head over heels in love with you, even if he hasn"t quite figured it out himself yet."

Harriet"s heart leaped at his words, a flicker of hope kindling in her chest even as doubt and uncertainty continued to swirl within her. "But how can you be sure? How do you know he"s not just being kind, just trying to make the best of a difficult situation?"

Benedict"s smile turned knowing, his gaze shifting to his wife as he spoke. "Because I too have been there, Harriet. I"ve felt the same fear, the same doubt and hesitation that you"re feeling now. But in the end, I had to trust my heart, had to take the leap and hope that Caroline would be there to catch me on the other side. And she was. She is. Every single day."

Caroline leaned into her husband's embrace, her eyes shining with love and gratitude as she looked up at him. "Benedict is right, Harriet. You have to trust your heart, have to believe in the power of your own feelings. And if Hugh is half the man I think he is, he"ll be right there with you, ready to take that leap and see where it leads."

Harriet felt a rush of warmth flood through her, a sense of hope and possibility that made her heart soar and her fears recede like the tide. And then she remembered her husband's words in the carriage, his heartbreaking decision, his willingness to leave her behind.

A frown appeared between her eyes when she remembered this and a sigh left her lips. "You are wrong," she said softly as she looked up at Benedict and Caroline. "I have fallen in love with my husband, but I... I fear that he could never love me."

Benedict opened his mouth, but Harriet shook her head and held her hand up. "Don't, Benedict," she said softly. "I know you mean well, but I don't think my heart can handle false hope."

A trembling sigh escaped her lips and she shook her head. "He wants to go to one of his country estates for a while," she admitted. "To... give me a reprieve from him, I suppose. Or... or perhaps to give himself a reprieve from me. I am not sure. What I do know," she managed to get out, "what I do know, is that he wants to be away from me and no man... no man who is in love would be able to do that."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she shook her head. "He doesn't love me. And I know I cannot force him to. The only thing I can do..."

She lifted her chin and let out a shuddering breath. "The only thing I can do is wait. Wait for my own heart to stop betraying me, wait for this feeling... to pass. There is no other choice."

Caroline looked at Harriet sympathetically and the latter shook her head, a melancholic smile appearing on her lips.

"I am fine," she said, shaking her head when Caroline made a move towards her. "Really, I am."

It was a lie and they both knew it. Caroline hesitated and made a move towards her friend.

"Go in," Harriet encouraged. "You ought to be here for your husband's business... and staying with me while I cry in the garden is not the way to do that. Dance. Be merry. I... I will sit out here for a few minutes longer. I promise... I will join you shortly."

She forced a smile onto her face and nodded. "Go," she insisted once more and with a last worried look towards her, Caroline and Hugh made their way towards the hall once more.

Only once they left, did Harriet lean forward and allow the tears that had been threatening to spill to fall from her eyes.

Soft sobs escaped her lips as she cried, her heart aching for an unrequited love - a love that was never meant to be.