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As he concluded the story, he downed his glass. “And in his fury, our father disowned her, erasing her from his heart and publicly declaring her no longer his daughter.”

As the final words left Elliot’s lips, a bittersweet silence enveloped the table, the weight of the history lingering in the air.

Elliot drummed his fingers on the table before turning to Abel again with a small smile. “The truth is, we believe…” He gestured to himself and his brother. “… that Bridget’s defiance in rejecting suitors is her way of rebelling against our father for what he did.”

His tone was filled with sympathy as he laughed. “You’ve witnessed my sister. She’s a fighter. This is also a way to assert her independence, to carve her own path free from the constraints imposed on her.”

Abel’s brow furrowed in contemplation as he nodded slowly, acknowledging the validity of Elliot’s observation. He was silent for a moment, then shook his head as he spoke, “Indeed, but your father could have easily married her off despite her wishes, anyway.”

“That is something we all recognize,” Hector finally spoke.

“We’ve all thought and wondered. Perhaps, deep down, our father recognizes the cruelty of his actions towards Virginia, and in allowing Bridget to remain unmarried, he seeks redemption for his past transgressions.”

Anger and irritation quickly clouded the little empathy that flickered in his eyes, and he continued with a fervent intensity, “Still, it doesn’t excuse the way he continues to mistreat Bridget.” His voice was laced with righteous indignation.“Regardless of his hidden remorse, his treatment of her remains unjust and unkind.”

Abel’s mind raced with conflicting emotions as he pondered the men’s words. The flickering candlelight cast shadows on their troubled faces, deep lines of contemplation matching the ones etched on his brow.

Their words continued to replay in his mind, and his thoughts drifted back to the countless conversations he had witnessed amongst the ton, where the pursuit of advantageous matches reigned supreme.

Duty and honor, like twin specters, haunted the hearts of all who dwelled within the gilded cages of their high society, and it seemed like they would remain forever.

Abel could understand Bridget’s reluctance to enter into a loveless match, and her desire to pave her own way and make her own choices.

Still, he could not understand how one could simply shirk their duty and their responsibility to family and Society.

From all he had seen and lived, it was all too impossible.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

In the quiet darkness of the early morning, Bridget, dressed in her riding attire, snuck out of the mansion. Since the arrival of the house’s guests, she had been unable to have one of her regular rides to start the day.

With all that had been transpiring over the past couple of days, however, she was determined to enjoy her regular early morning rides again, regardless of the greater risk of being caught.

With a daunting smile, she mounted Brimmer and urged him forward. The rhythmic sound of hooves on the cobblestone path echoed in the stillness of the early morning, while her thoughts swirled with a slight annoyance at having to alter her routine.

This was all undoubtedly the Duke’s fault. She doubted dear, sweet Olivia would care so much about her hobbies.

However, she could envision Abel’s judgmental eyes letting her know how unbefitting it was for a lady to ride all alone. Never before had she encountered such an exasperating individual.

Despite Olivia’s explanation about her brother’s character, Bridget still couldn’t shake the feeling his presence gave her. There was something… threatening about him. He made her heart race and her mind work in overdrive.

With a sigh, she adjusted the ribbons on her bonnet, her face contorting with frustration.

“Why must thoughts of him interfere with my peaceful mornings?” she muttered to herself, her voice filled with irritation.

As she rode down the familiar path, her mind couldn’t help but wander to the encounters she had with him since his arrival—it had been this way for a while.

He seemed to be everywhere her mind escaped to, always with a smug smile on his face that irked her to no end.

The wind gently tousled her locks as she rode, her frustration slowly giving way to determination. She would not let the man’s presence ruin her day or her cherished morning ride.

With each passing moment, her annoyance transformed into a steely resolve. As the sun began its ascent, casting a golden hueover the rolling hills, her conclusion grew stronger, and thoughts of him began to fade.

Suddenly, Bridget heard the sound of hooves behind her, and her heart skipped a beat. She knew she mustn’t be caught, especially by a member of the staff.

Just as she turned her head to catch sight of who it was, the voice of the approaching figure broke through the silence.

“Stop right there!”