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But the idea of leaving without seeing Catherine left a bitter taste in his mouth. It wasn’t even about his need for confirmation anymore. He had hurt her, and he needed to undo whatever pain he had caused.

“I understand, Lord Spranklin. But the fate of our marriage rests in her hands. I made a mistake a long time ago, and I confessedit to her, expecting to be shunned. But she said she would stay by my side, and I did not believe her. However, I have realized that I cannot live without her.

“I have no intention of causing her any more pain, I swear. All I want is to speak with her and try to mend our marriage in whatever way possible. If she’ll have me. I am sorry for breaking my promise. If… if we do manage to overcome this, I swear on my life that she will be my priority. Please, give me a chance to make this right.”

Fergus was silent for a moment, then he stepped aside.

“Graham will take ye to her room. She hasnae eaten much since she arrived. I fear she’s feelin’ rather poorly.”

Sampson’s heart stuttered at the mention of Catherine feeling sick, and he quickly thanked Fergus. Then, he inhaled deeply and began the walk back to his wife’s side.

Although Catherine was at home, she was far from at peace. A deep unease settled within her, a constant ache in her heart where Sampson should be. Sleep offered little respite, her dreams filled with images of his departure. She felt adrift, caught between the love she felt for her husband and the horrifying weight of his past.

She could barely do anything other than lie in bed and worry for his well-being. It was strange, how concerned she was about a man who had broken her heart.

Then, one afternoon, she was sitting by the window in her room when she noticed a carriage approaching. At first, she paid it no mind, but the closer it got, the more familiar it looked.

Her heart leaped in her chest.

Could it be? Was it really him?

It came to a stop in front of her house, and the passenger disembarked.

It was truly him. Sampson.

Her heart thundered in her chest as she watched him speak with her father, wondering what they were discussing, but she was also scared to find out. She waited and watched with bated breath as he walked into the house.

Nervous, she sat on her bed, waiting for a member of her family to come and tell her that she had a visitor. The moments that passed were excruciating, and it was all she could do not to race downstairs to find him.

After what felt like hours, there was a knock at her door, and she raced to it.

Only when she opened it, she didn’t see a member of her family. It was Sampson who stood on the other side.

“Sampson?” she gasped, her heart soaring at the sight of him.

He looked… unwell. His eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, his usual composure replaced by an unease that reflected the nervousness she felt. She wanted to reach out to him, to embrace him.

“Catherine,” he said, his voice hoarse, the single word a plea. “Did you… did you mean what you said?”

Catherine’s heart ached at the sight of his distress. She stepped back a little so he could enter her room, frowning when he did not follow her.

“Sampson,” she murmured, reaching out to touch his arm. “You look like you haven’t slept in days. Come inside, you need to rest.”

She gently tugged him into the room, her instinct to care for him overriding her inner turmoil.

He resisted her gentle pull, lifting his hand to cover hers on his arm, his grip surprisingly firm. His blue eyes, usually so commanding, were filled with desperate uncertainty.

“I must know. Did you mean it? Do you… do you really love me, Catherine? Are you sure? Because…” His voice cracked, the barriers around his heart crumbling. “Because I love you, too.”

Catherine froze, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she could only stare at him, tears welling up in her eyes. He sounded so worried and scared that she had been lying or worse, and she couldn’t bear to hear him sound so defeated.

Then, overwhelmed by her own emotions, she burst into tears, her hands flying to his face.

“Oh, Sampson,” she sobbed, her thumbs stroking his cheeks. “Yes. Yes, I love you. I love you so much, my dear husband. I love you, and I want to stay by your side, to support you while you heal. However long it takes. Please do not leave me. I love you, and I want to be by your side forever.”

Tears had begun to stream down his face too, but before she could wipe them, he pulled her into his embrace.

“Do you really mean that? Because I cannot live without you. I know that I am undeserving of you and your pure heart and understanding spirit. But I am selfish and greedy when it comes to you. I do not want to lose you.”