Page 25

CHAPTER 25

E dwin felt his heart clench as he watched his wife walk away.

He had been so blinded by fear for her safety that he had forgotten what truly mattered—showing her that he cared for her.

It was done. She had pronounced their marriage over.

I suppose our marriage is… over.

He knew he should run after her and at least try to appeal to her—perhaps even tell her the truth—but his legs betrayed him.

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and groaned as he paced his study.

What if this was the end? What if Ava never wants to have anything to do with me anymore?

The thought of never being able to hold his wife in his arms and kiss her terrified him beyond words.

He shook the thoughts away.

When this is all over, we will be together again.

But even Edwin did not quite believe that. There was a finality to Ava’s tone that scared him. She spoke as though she had no fight left in her and she was finally ready to give up on their marriage.

Of course, he blamed himself. There was nobody else to blame but himself. He had been so focused on preventing her from going out with her friend that he had forgotten to fulfill the promise he had made to her.

How could I have forgotten?

He had buried himself in work and forgotten his wife. And now, it was far too late.

I need to speak with her. I need to confess everything.

He had almost gotten to the door before he stopped himself. Telling Ava she might be in danger might terrify her. Perhaps she was safer living in her father’s home, especially with Lord Wilbury looming over him like a bad omen.

Nobody would expect Ava to be at Notley Manor—certainly not Lord Wilbury. This way, if the Earl were to attack again, Edwin would be the only one to bear the brunt of it. His wife would be safe and out of harm’s way.

He nodded as he reassured himself that this was the best decision. After all, after the danger had passed, he could apologize to her and only hope that she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

He took a deep breath to steady himself and returned to his desk. He was determined to resume his work as though nothing had happened.

He needed to get back to his routine.

He picked up the ledger, but the numbers simply swam in front of him. He tried harder to focus, but the only thing he could see was Ava’s tear-streaked face. His chest tightened.

Edwin slammed the ledger shut. It was of no use. He could not possibly get any more work done today, and it was so late in the night.

With that, he left his study and headed for his bedchamber.

As he passed Ava’s door, he slowed down. He itched to see her—ached for it, in fact. Every step he took away from her room felt like letting her slip through his fingers. He did not trust himself not to go into her room, so he quickened his pace.

He hit his bed, and for the first time in his adult years, he felt alone—lonely even. Even though they had not started sharing a bed, he wished he could sleep next to her, cuddling with the woman he loved.

Edwin squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out thoughts of her. He tossed and turned, trying to find the perfect position, but nothing seemed to work.

He felt restless .

He closed his eyes again, willing thoughts of her away.

Sleep was a much-needed respite from his inner turmoil, but it evaded him. It did not matter how much he tossed and turned on the bed, or how long he kept his eyes shut; he was still wide awake.

With a sigh, Edwin opened his eyes and sat up. Trying to sleep was no use, and he knew why.

He decided there and then to do something about it.

This time, he did not give space for his mind to talk him out of it. He went right to Ava’s door and popped it open. She might be gone by the time he woke up tomorrow—and that was if he ever got some sleep.

I need to talk with her right now.

Edwin stepped into his wife’s dimly lit room. It took a while for his eyes to adjust fully to the darkness. He saw the outline of the bed and approached it.

He stared in wonder as he finally got to her. Her face was illuminated by the moonlight that filtered through the balcony, and she was fast asleep. Unlike him.

Her eyes were shut, and her lips were slightly parted. The only sound he could hear was her soft snores. His heart swelled as he drank her in.

“Ava,” he whispered.

He peered closely at her and saw a white streak that traveled from the corner of her eye down to her cheek.

She had cried herself to sleep, and he was the reason.

Edwin was hit with a wave of guilt. He could imagine her hunched over in her bed, her whole body racked with sobs.

What have I done?

He could not help but regret keeping the information he had gathered from her. Granted, she would have been terrified if he had simply informed her that her life was in danger. However, she would not be so heartbroken by his actions.

Without even giving it a thought, Edwin reached out his hand to cradle her cheek. His hand was hovering over her face when he heard a thump. His head snapped around immediately. It sounded like someone had softly landed on their feet nearby.

Nobody should be here at this time.

He kept quiet as he strained his ears for any more movement. However, the only sound he could hear was his wife’s soft breathing.

After what seemed like a painfully long moment, doubt crept into his mind. Perhaps he had imagined the sound.

However, Edwin knew he did not imagine the sound. He had served in the army, after all, and his exceptional hearing was one of the reasons he had been able to return home to tell the tale.

He was beginning to consider going to the balcony to see what was happening outside when he heard a creak. He held his breath.

There was no doubt about it this time; he had heard it quite clearly. There was someone on the balcony.

He tiptoed towards the glass-paned door and tried to peer through it. The glass was fogged, so he could not quite see through it. He moved even closer to the door till his nose was pressed against the pane, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

A shadow breezed past, and he shrank back. He had not seen the person, but he knew now that his suspicions were correct.

Someone had broken into his estate, and the person had chosen his wife’s balcony.

He quickly glanced at her sleeping form, and his heart ached. He could not bear to imagine what could have happened if he had not been in the room.

The intruder would have attacked her or perhaps even ? —

Another creaking sound. The door handle slowly turned. The intruder was now trying to open the door.

Edwin was enraged. His first instinct was to attack the intruder for even daring to trespass on his estate. However, he knew that making a miscalculated move could result in the intruder escaping.

He tiptoed to the side, hiding in the shadows. This time, he was going to lull the intruder into a false state of security, and when the intruder was confident no one had caught him, he would pounce.

He held his breath and watched as the door handle twisted downward. Then, with a soft creak, the door opened slightly.

The intruder waited, perhaps to ensure that no one was aware of his presence. Then, he pushed the door wide open and stepped into the room.

Edwin pressed himself against the wall as he watched him. He did not dare move so as not to alert him of his presence. He gritted his teeth as the culprit slunk towards his wife’s bed.

When the man had ventured far enough into the room—far enough that escape would be difficult—Edwin stepped out of the shadows. In one swift motion, he swung his fist at the man.

The blow landed on the intruder’s neck.

“Owwww!” The culprit lost balance and toppled towards the bed.

The sudden shout seemed to have woken Ava, as Edwin caught a glimpse of her sitting up.

He could imagine how confusing it was to wake up and find your husband attacking a stranger in your room.

He pounced on the intruder and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragging him away from the bed and towards the balcony. His priority was keeping Ava safe, and attacking the intruder in her room could cause her harm.

Once on the balcony, he could finally see the intruder, all thanks to the bright moonlight. However, the bastard had a hood on, making it impossible for Edwin to see his face.

At that moment, Edwin wanted nothing more than to see the intruder’s face, which may have been his undoing.

With one hand, he pinned the intruder to the floor, and with the other, he made to lift the hood. However, by so doing, the hand that pinned the thug down went slack.

He had barely touched the hood when a blow landed square on his stomach. Pain lanced through him, and he staggered backward. But before he could recover, another blow landed on his stomach. This time, the kick knocked the wind out of him, and his body slammed against the railing.

The intruder, not wasting time, began to climb the railing.

Oh, you will not escape. Not today!

Edwin knew if the bastard managed to swing himself over the railing, he would no doubt escape. Now enraged, he lunged at the man just as he had thrown one leg over the railing.

He fisted his hand in the man’s shirt and yanked him off the railing, dropping him unceremoniously on the floor. He did not even give him a second to breathe before he pinned him down with his knees and began to pummel him. The man tried to fight back, but Edwin might as well have been numb, for his rage eclipsed all sense.

“You… filthy… thing! How… dare… you… step… your… filthy… feet… in… my… wife’s… bedchamber?”

With every word he spoke, Edwin landed a blow on the intruder’s hooded face. By the time he was done, the intruder had gone limp under him, no longer struggling.

Edwin yanked the hood from the man’s face.

The intruder looked exactly as he had pictured him—filthy, with missing chunks of flesh and several scars that he had probably sustained from attacking other people.

Edwin felt a rush of satisfaction as he stared at his bloodied face. However, he did not recognize him as the same man who had attacked him at the masquerade ball.

There is more than one of you? Great!

He pulled the man up with the collar of his shirt and glared at him. “Now, you will tell?—”

“Edwin, watch out!” Ava screamed as she bolted onto the balcony, her eyes wide in terror.

At that moment, Edwin spotted a gleaming object coming down straight for him, held tightly in the intruder’s right hand.

It was a knife.

He darted to the right just in time to hear a loud crack. The intruder screamed in pain and then lost consciousness.

Edwin looked down to see broken pieces of a vase on the floor. His wife had just smashed a vase on the intruder’s head.

He released his grip on the intruder, who then crumpled to the floor with a loud thud, and ran to his wife’s side.

Ava’s eyes were fixed on the intruder, her lips pressed tightly together.

“Are you hurt in any way?” Edwin asked, peering closely at her.

She shook her head. “I am not.”

He heaved a sigh of relief. “You saved my life,” he said.

Ava’s eyes softened as they finally rose and landed on her husband. “I watched him take a knife out of his pocket. He wanted to stab you when you were not aware of it,” she said in a low voice.

“Thank you.”

The intruder stirred nearby. Edwin glanced back and saw him slowly open his eyes as he regained consciousness.

“Now, you must return to the bedroom while I question the bastard,” he urged.

Ava shook her head. “I am staying here. I must ensure that he does not attack you again.”

Edwin felt a rush of love for his wife. He cupped her cheek in his hand tenderly and smiled. “I assure you, I can take care of myself.”

“I would rather be here,” she insisted.

He shrugged. “Fine.”

With that, he returned to the intruder.

“I beg you, don’t…” the intruder whimpered as he struggled to sit up.

Without saying a word, Edwin pulled him up roughly and shoved him against the railing.

“Your Grace, I promise… I…” the man sputtered.

Edwin crouched in front of him and fixed him with a steely glare. He would have said that the man was harmless if he did not know better.

“Who sent you here?” he asked.

The intruder whimpered again.

“It seems you are not ready to answer my question.”

“Uh… nobody sent me.” The intruder averted his gaze. “I simply came here because I thought I could steal some trinkets and jewelry.”

Edwin chuckled. “You must think me a fool.”

The man shook his head frantically. “I do not, Your Grace.”

“No common thief would dare trespass on my estate. I know someone in the ton sent you.”

“I…” The intruder sniffed as he wiped the blood on his brow. “I cannot tell you who sent me.”

Edwin nodded.

“If I tell you… my family… I…”

The intruder has not denied that he was, in fact, sent by someone.

“You do not have to tell me. I already know who it is,” Edwin said with finality. “But I am quite certain that when the constables get here, you will confess to them.”

The intruder’s eyes widened in terror and darted around. “Please, Your Grace. Not the constables.”

Edwin shrugged nonchalantly. “You came to my home to attack my wife. I would be a fool not to hand you over to them.”

The man shook his head aggressively. “I promise you, I was simply here to scare you, not to kill anyone.”

“And I would be an even bigger fool to believe you.”

The intruder inched forward. Edwin started when the man grabbed his leg. He was about to kick him off when he saw the pleading look on his face.

“If you do not report me to the constables, I will tell you everything you need to know about the man who sent me,” the intruder said.

“You are asking me to let you walk free?” Edwin could not believe his ears.

“And in return, I shall tell you everything I know about the man who hired me. In fact, I can take you to him.”

The offer was rather ridiculous, but it was tempting nonetheless. Edwin knew that no matter what, he would hand the intruder over to the constables.

However, at that moment, he was tempted to lie just so the scoundrel would tell him what he needed to know about the man who was bent on attacking or even killing him.

Perhaps I could lie to him and then hand him over to the constables after he tells me about the man who sent him.

Edwin shook off the thought. He was an honorable man, and making such a promise, even to a thug, and then breaking it would simply make him dishonorable.

“There is more you must know about the man. I can tell you everything.”

“I would rather hand you over to the constables and have you rot in prison,” Edwin hissed.

“But—but the man…” the intruder stammered. “You must know. He?—”

Edwin raised a hand to silence him. “I do not wish to know. I shall let the constables handle it all. Besides, I already know who sent you. There is nothing you could tell me that I do not already suspect,” he said with finality, before turning to his wife. “Please fetch the butler and tell him to send over the guards while I wait with this scoundrel.”

Dazed, Ava rushed out of her bedchamber in search of the butler. It all still felt like a dream, even as she rushed down the stairs.

She knew that thieves and scoundrels often attacked people, but this usually happened in seedy alleyways or on country roads. It was unheard of for a thief to sneak into an estate and try to attack its inhabitants.

One moment she was deep asleep, and the next she was rudely awakened by a noise in her bedchamber. The first thing her eyes landed on was her husband scuffling with a strange, hooded man. And then Edwin had dragged the man out to the balcony.

She had been torn between running out to seek help and waiting to ensure that her husband was safe and unharmed. And her decision had paid off because when the intruder had tried to stab Edwin, she was right there to save him.

She was grateful that her husband had?—

Something hard collided with her. Her heart stopped for a moment, and she shrieked.

“Your Grace, it is only me,” a familiar voice said.

Ava gasped. It was only the butler.

Relief washed over her.

The butler peered closely at her. “Are you all right, Your Grace?” he asked.

Ava nodded as she took deep breaths to steady herself.

“I heard some noise and came out to see,” the butler continued.

“Yes, a thief broke into the estate and tried to attack us. Get the guards and send them to my bedchamber.”

The butler nodded grimly before scurrying away.

Ava hurried back to her bedchamber. What if the intruder attacked Edwin again?

She ran the rest of the way to her bedchamber.

She was nearly out of breath when she burst through the door. She hurried to the balcony and found Edwin pacing back and forth while the intruder continued to beg.

Relieved, she closed the distance between them, threw her arms around her husband, and hugged him.

“Ava…” he crooned as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Thank you for saving me,” Ava murmured, pulling away just enough to peer into his face.

He cupped her face in his hand. “I do not know what I would have done if anything happened to you,” he croaked.

Ava’s heart ached as she watched him. His eyes looked sad at the mere thought that she could have been hurt.

He didn’t have to say it. Ava knew that he cared about her—that he loved her.

She could not take her eyes off him. His green orbs pulled her in, almost magnetic. Her eyes flitted to his inviting lips and then back to his face.

She had never been more attracted to him than she felt at that moment, knowing that he would have done anything to keep her safe.

Ava closed her eyes and leaned in. But then the door to her room was slammed open and heavy footsteps rent the air. She opened her eyes to see about five guards rushing towards the balcony.

She stepped away from her husband with a disappointed sigh. The moment had been ruined.

“Take him away,” Edwin barked, “then call for the constables. They will know what to do.”

The guards sprang into action immediately, and within a moment, the intruder was being hauled off the balcony. At the same time, he continued to scream about telling Edwin about the man who had sent him.

Finally, they were alone once again.

“You told the intruder you knew who had sent him?” Ava asked.

Edwin nodded, his expression grim. “I do. And now, I must put an end to this for good. I can’t let anything happen to you.”

“I promise you, Edwin, nothing will happen to me.”

“But you can’t be so sure. He could have stabbed you in your sleep.” His voice was laced with worry.

Ava placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Is this about your mother?” she asked.

He furrowed his brow but did not say a word. “I will explain everything to you soon.”

His eyes were unreadable, and Ava could not tell for certain if her suspicions were correct.

Edwin took her hands in his and squeezed. “You need to trust me, Ava.”

She nodded. “I trust you.”

“Everything I have done is to keep you safe,” he continued.

“Everything?”

“I apologize for my less-than-ideal behavior over the past few days,” he said earnestly. “I simply thought I was trying to keep you safe. I know now that I was only hurting you in the process.”

Ava was surprised. “Is that why you discouraged me from promenading with Lily?”

Edwin simply smiled. He did not say a word. He did not have to; Ava understood him now.

She felt a pang of guilt as she regarded him. She had been furious with him these past few days when he was only trying to keep her safe.

“Edwin! I apologize for not trusting you.”

Edwin shook his head. “No, you have nothing to apologize for. I promise you.”

But Ava was not quite satisfied. She felt a rush of gratitude for her husband. “But I?—”

“Shhhh!” he whispered, before leaning in and capturing her lips in a kiss.

Ava sighed as their lips and tongues moved in perfect harmony.

Her guilt all but evaporated as she kissed him. Nothing else mattered now. It was just her and her loving, protective husband.

He pulled away a short while later. Ava, on the other hand, yearned for more.

“I must go now,” he murmured. “I need to put a stop to this.”

Ava nodded as Edwin left the balcony. She stood there, watching the sun slowly rise in the distance as the new day began.

Moments later, she watched her husband’s carriage take off.