“I have my orders, Lord Tattershall, they are clear to follow. I am not to let you in under any circumstances.”
Aaron cursed under his breath, pushing the wet hair back from his forehead. The heat of the summer months seemed to be breaking and rain was come at last, yet it was pouring it down. Within a few minutes of his ride, Aaron was soaked to the bone. Now he was getting wetter still, standing on the porch steps in front of the Dowding’s house and being refused entry as fresh globules of water splattered his skin.
“Can I at least leave a message for her?” Aaron asked in desperation.
“No.” The butler held the door only open a little, clearly refusing Aaron entry. Aaron was debating barging the door open to go in when he heard a voice he recognized. It belonged to Lord Bolton.
“I’ll talk to him,” Lord Bolton said to the butler, quickly replacing his position in the open door. Aaron took a step forward with hope. “I am not sure this is the best time.”
“Please, Lord Bolton, I must speak to her. She needs to know everything that really happened.”
Lord Bolton looked back into the house, as if hearing someone coming. He took the decision to step out onto the porch with Aaron and closed the door behind him.
“I believe you. After seeing what I saw last night, there is little chance I could not.” He spoke plainly, breathing deeply. “Yet I cannot persuade my mother to see it any other way. She is as distraught as Emily is. Whenever I open my mouth to defend you, my mother will have none of it. I fear we must let things cool down before you try to see my sister.”
“No.” Aaron shook his head. He could not allow it. “She will hate me for what happened. How can I let that go on? It is not the truth, my Lord. I love your sister; I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
“I know that, but –” Lord Bolton was prevented from answering as the door was opened. In the doorway Lady Dowding stood, her gaze going straight to Aaron.
“Leave,” she demanded.
“Please, Lady Dowding, I must speak to your daughter.”
“I will not let her see you. Not now. You have hurt my daughter enough, Lord Bolton. I won’t see her heart hurt anymore.” The words cut Aaron deeply. How was he supposed to mend the wound he had caused if he was never allowed to see Emily again?
“Lord Tattershall, go.” Lord Bolton urged him back down the porch steps, further out into the rain. “Today is not the day to fight for her.”
Aaron accepted it with a reluctant nod as he moved back to his horse, with his gaze constantly searching the windows for any sign of Emily, but she was nowhere to be seen. In the end, he made a decision as he climbed back into the saddle, meeting the gaze of Lord Bolton and Lady Dowding in the doorway of the house.
Maybe today is not the day to fight for her, but I’m not giving up yet. I’m coming back.
* * *
Aaron stumbled into the house with his clothes soaked to the bone. For some reason, he had felt unable to go home and ended up at his parents’ house instead. As he walked into the hallway, Jane passed him. She said nothing, only directed her maid forward with a flick of her hand, carrying the bags for her.
Aaron watched as she hurried out to the carriage that had awaited her with a footman and a driver ready to take her away.
“She’s leaving. For good.” Hugh’s words made Aaron turn round to see his brother standing in the middle of the staircase, with his arms folded. “She’s going home to her parents. I have already written them a letter. I am not having her tell them some lies about why the marriage has been called off. I have told them the truth.”
“Good. They should know the truth.” As Aaron stumbled further into the entrance hall, shaking some of the excess water off the sleeves of his jacket, Hugh flicked his gaze to him.
“What on earth happened to you?” he asked, hurrying down the steps toward Aaron. “Havers! Bring a towel if you would.” One of the nearby footmen was sent off in search of a towel as Hugh steered him further into the house. “You’re soaked.”
“I had noticed,” Aaron said wryly. “They wouldn’t let me in.”
“What?” Hugh asked, his body recoiling at the idea.
“They refused to see me.” Aaron was startled by the way his throat closed up. It was the first time he had been tempted to cry in years. Feeling embarrassed in front of his brother for it, the moment the footman returned with the towel, he threw it over his face, making an appearance of drying his hair, though in fact he was also trying to mask his eyes from view. “They wouldn’t let me see her.”
How could I let this be so ruined?
“Aaron, I am so sorry.” Hugh steered him into the sitting room and urged him to sit in a wooden chair they had, so not to stain the furniture with the dampness on his clothes. “Even Lady Emily wouldn’t see you?”
“I didn’t get anywhere near her,” Aaron said as he lowered the towel from his face. “Lord Bolton said this wasn’t the right day, though at least he believes me, but Lady Dowding refused to let me in. She said I had hurt her daughter too much.” The words made him veer forward, practically leaning out of the chair.
He hated the thought that he had offended the family. They were a family he cared so much for, and wanted to be his own, yet they now thought he had betrayed them.
Emily.
