Page 21

Arabella covered her mouth to hide her amusement, but a small giggle managed to escape. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“Do not worry, I am not,” he said before he could stop himself. He coughed to get rid of the nervous tickle in his throat and said, “If you will excuse me, My Lady, I am feeling rather tired. I wish to return to my chambers.”

“Arabella,” she blurted out.

“That is your name, no?”

She snorted. “Yes, but I think it’s only appropriate for you to refer to me as such, no? Now that we’re to be wed.”

“Arabella…” Edward tested how her name sounded on his tongue and found that he liked it. “Please call me Edward. Ed if you are feeling adventurous.”

The smile she bore made him reciprocate.

Maybe things will be easy with her.

“Goodnight, Edward,” she sheepishly murmured, before curtseying and leaving the dining room.

“Goodnight, Arabella.”

When Edward got back to his chambers, he shut the door behind him and let out a long shaky breath. He allowed himself to decompress, which was something he only did in private.

He poured himself a glass of Scotch from the collection he’d been provided with and took a large sip, staring into the fire. He’d made his bed the moment he’d given in to temptation, and now he’d lie in it.

ChapterSeven

It was the day before the wedding, and Arabella was starting to get beyond annoyed. All morning, she and Sarah ran several errands around the estate, trying to get everything in order for the wedding tomorrow. At some point, Madeline had asked, “Why are you in a rush, Sister? Surely you would want more time to plan out every small detail?”

Arabella had a hard time wondering how to tell her sister that that wasn’t possible, so instead, she answered, “We are just so in love and cannot wait.”

Madeline had always been perceptive. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been able to notice things that others would not. Arabella usually admired that about her younger sister, but right now she just found it annoying. She needed every one in her life to believe this lie.

“How come he is not putting the slightest effort into the wedding preparations?” she had asked.

“Madeline, you are meddling in something that is not your business. When it’s your turn to get married, you will understand that a woman’s taste is what makes weddings so memorable,” Sarah had cut in.

“Oh Lord, do not remind me of that,” Madeline huffed, never one for looking forward to matrimony.

By noon, Arabella had started to get really annoyed. She understood that Edward may have been hesitant about preparing for a wedding that he did not want to partake in, but she felt the same. She was annoyed that all of this responsibility was thrust on her and her sister and that he wasn’t helping in the slightest.

He is not making this easy for me.

She decided that after luncheon, she would talk to him about this. When lunch came and went, she was annoyed to find that Edward did not join them. She was to be wedded to him in less than twenty-four hours, and she had not seen him since last night, when they had that lovely conversation.

“Why are you ignoring me?” she mumbled to herself when she was taking her daily promenade in the hedge garden.

She appreciated Herbert at times like this because he kept his distance, but he was there to make sure she did not do anything rash. Not that she was one to do anything rash on a regular occurrence, but she never knew if today might be that day.

After her promenade, she felt somewhat better, but the looming stress of being tied to someone who did not love her and she did not love back for the rest of her life was impossible to let go.

When dinner time came, all of the wedding preparations had been hastily wrapped up. Not everything would be perfect, but it would be good enough.

The family was excited and talking about their expectations for the ceremony.

“Madeline,” Leonard chastised, “you know very well it is not proper to speak with your mouth full.”

Madeline just rolled her eyes and nudged her brother with her elbow.

Leonard sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please do not behave like this tomorrow,” he said. “Speaking of tomorrow, Your Grace. Have any of your family members responded to our invitation? Do you know if we will need to prepare additional rooms?”