Emily broke off. than her heart being warmed by Elizabeth’s happy ending, it broke even more.
“Some people have the ending they want,” she murmured, closing up the book.
“I must see her.” A voice came from the corridor, making Emily look up. She turned round in the seat, making herself presentable, just as the door opened.
Lord Hugh was standing in the doorway, with Charity at his side.
“Emily, I tried to stop him, but he was insistent on seeing you.”
“Mama, it is fine.” Emily held up a hand to calm her mother’s anger. He was as betrayed as she was at the ball, she found she did not hold him ill will at this moment. “Lord Hugh, how are you?” she asked, standing to her feet and curtsying.
This time, he offered her a deep bow indeed, a sudden mark of respect he had not really shown her before.
“I must speak openly to you, Lady Emily.” Lord Hugh hurried to her side, speaking fast indeed. Charity stayed in the room at all times, clearly acting not just as a chaperone but a watcher, fearful for her daughter’s happiness.
“Then speak,” Emily encouraged him, knowing the sooner this matter was concluded, the sooner Lord Hugh would leave.
“What you and I saw at the ball was not the truth of the matter.”
“I beg your pardon?” Emily asked, with disbelief. “You were so furious at what we saw you tried to strike your brother, Lord Hugh. You are now going to pretend it did not happen?”
“No, it did happen, but not as we thought it did.” Lord Hugh ran his hands though his hair in apparent stress before finding her gaze again. “I am going about this all wrong. Let me start another way. I have ended my betrothal with Miss Drew.”
“You have?” Emily found her attention had been captured now.
“Aaron and I talked through everything, and we realized just what went wrong between us. Miss Drew has manipulated the two of us, for years on end, maybe even our whole lives. She set us against each other, for nothing but her own amusement.” He breathed deeply as he spoke. It was clear for Emily to see he was genuine, suffering in pain as he poured his heart out to her. “Seeing how she has lied to us both, I have ended our betrothal, and Aaron and I agree that we should keep her out of our lives. For good.”
“You mean… he does not wish to marry Miss Drew?”
“Marry her? Good god no, he cannot stand the sight of her.” Lord Hugh stepped toward Emily with eagerness. “No man could be more devoted to another. He is devoted to you, Lady Emily.”
Emily was not sure what to believe. Lord Hugh seemed so genuine, but he was here, and Aaron was not.
“Then why is he not here?” she asked softly.
“Because your mother would not let him see you yesterday.”
“What?” Emily looked sharply at her mother in surprise. Charity shrugged, clearly, she had thought it the best thing.
“He is here with me now, waiting in the carriage and he is desperate to see you,” Lord Hugh spoke fast. “Please, Lady Emily. Speak to him.”
Emily looked between Lord Hugh and Charity for a minute. She could see Charity was as lost as her, uncertain what to think.
“Very well,” Emily said, chewing her lip with nerves. “I will see him.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much, Lady Emily.” Hugh bowed hurriedly and hastened from the room, leaving Emily and Charity stood there together, exchanging questioning looks.
“Do you believe him?” Emily asked her mother.
“He seemed genuine. Do you?”
“He is a man hurting. I see no reason to disbelieve him.” Emily paced for a minute, uncertain what to think and feel as she waited for Aaron to arrive.
When his footsteps sounded at the doorway to the library, she looked up, finding him walking in with his blue eyes fixed to her. He was pale with deep shadows under his eyes, suggesting he had barely slept at all.
“Lord Tattershall,” Charity was the first to greet him. Emily followed, curtsying too.
“May I speak openly?” Aaron asked, looking between the two of them.
