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My sincerest apologies for disappearing once more. I know that we promised one another not to do this anymore, but you must understand that this is the last thing I want to do.

It is my fault that you were trapped in this marriage. I should have known better than to drink that blasted alcohol, and thanks to my father, I have ruined your life completely. I never wished to trap you like this, and I hope that you know that.

I know that you see it as your duty to protect me, and I appreciate that more than you shall ever know, but you must understand that I have to do this for myself. It has been a long time coming, and at last, I must see my father and tell him exactly what I think of him.

There is no need to follow me. I shall be back before you know it, and then we can discuss your feelings about me doing this. I can only hope that you are not angry because I truly do not want you to be.

Samantha

She considered adding some sort of form of politeness, such as ‘Yours’ or ‘Faithfully’, but it did not seem correct. Either way, she did not have time to think on it. It was only a note to explainher absence, if he even noticed it, and nothing more. In all likelihood, she would be gone and back before he saw that she was missing, and then she could prove to him once and for all that she was capable.

She could also, at last, be done with her father.

As she rode to her father’s house, she thought about how he had tricked Adam so easily. He had never revealed his plan to anyone, of course, meaning that Adam had never spoken with anyone but their father, who had been posing as several people.

Samantha could not help but smirk. Her father could not even find the ability to write one letter to her during his time in Scotland, but he now had the time to write several letters posing as several people. Once again, she had the undeniable proof that she meant less than nothing to the man.

She wondered if there was any point in speaking to him at all. After all, she was positive that he would not listen, and then he would find a way for it to be her fault to begin with. He had always had a way of doing that, and it had always worked, but not this time. Not only had he threatened her with ruin if she did not comply, but he had threatened Graham, and that angered her more than anything.

And she knew precisely why that was, and once she had returned, if he still wished to see her at all, she would tell him.

She did not know how he would respond, but she knew it would be better than her father would with what she had to say to him, not that he would listen.

No, she told herself as she continued on, he would listen. No matter what, she would be heard this time. If he did not want to, then she would force him. He had ignored her for too long without consequence, and if this was to be the last time that she saw him, then she would make sure that he did not ignore her.

And then she would return home, having done what was necessary, mend things with her husband, and tell her the truth that she had been concealing for far too long.

She was falling for him.

CHAPTER 28

“Your Grace!” the butler exclaimed upon her arrival.

“I am here to see my father.”

“He is… Well, he is in his study, but he is not expecting company at this moment.”

“I do not care,” she snapped before sighing. “My apologies. This is not your fault. I do, however, require a word with him. Do you suppose you can make that possible?”

“I can certainly try for you,” he noted before leaving.

It felt strange to be in the house again. She had sworn to herself that she would never again set foot in it, but here she was. Everything felt smaller than before, perhaps due to the grandness of her new home (especially now that she had redecorated) or perhaps simply because she had outgrown it. Everything was exactly as it was before, and in truth, Samanthahad never truly felt part of the home, but now, she truly felt like an outsider, a visitor.

Whilst the butler spoke with her father, she took the opportunity to wander the halls. When she came to her old room, she wondered whether or not to open the door. She knew it was for the best that she left it alone, but something willed her to open it. With a sigh, she cracked it open, only to immediately wish she had not.

It had changed. Completely. The walls were dark, and the bed was a completely different one to before. Her dresser was gone, and any sign that she had ever been inside of the room had been erased. She closed the door again, only to see that her father was standing there.

“It is a nice change, isn’t it?” he asked, a wicked grin on his face. “Adam certainly thinks so, but then again, he is the one that designed it.”

“That room was mine,” she whispered.

“This house is not yours,” he sighed, as if she were a petulant child of no more than five. “I do not know how many times a lady must hear things before she can understand them, but I have told you enough. This is my house, soon to be your brother’s. It does not matter what you want here anymore.”

He should have hurt Samantha’s feelings, but when he began coughing, all that she could do was pity him. He was a frail old man, and she wondered why she had not seen that before.

“It never mattered anyway,” Samantha grumbled. “I never mattered.”

“Ah, so there are some things that you are capable of understanding. Now, why are you here?”