“Well, thanks to your poor choices, I am a louse who will surely inherit great wealth and perhaps even a title. If not for me then for my children. For you must have entirely lost your mind if you believe the Duke and Duchess will allow you to marry her. He will disinherit you, and you know it.” His speech was clear as church bells, but his legs were unsteady and he swayed, holding on to the doorframe to remain upright.
“He cannot. One cannot lose one’s title. It is my birthright.”
“It may well be, but you can lose the lands, for unlike most estates, Goldclaw Manor is not in entailment. Your father will leave it all to his heir presumptive – me.” He gestured toward himself. “You may be Duke, but you will be dirt poor and living like a pauper, while I will live in the home meant for a Duke.”
“And yet, you will never be one.”
“That is where you are wrong!” Lawrence poked him in the chest with one finger. “Do you not know these sideshow creatures like her cannot have children? It is well known. Have you ever known a thing like her to have a child? No! Nature would never allow it. So, unless you decide you marry the one you do not love, which we both know you won’t, I will one day be Duke.”
He tugged on his waistcoat with both hands, straightening it as his jaw set and a wide grin appeared on his face.
“You are mad. Your entire plan hinges on Ruth’s inability to produce an heir?”
“Is it so far-fetched? I say it is not – ah, but you will find out.”
“If you were not as foxed as you are, I would plant a facer on you again right now. You surely deserve it.”
His cousin turned his cheek and pointed his long, thin finger at his face. The dirt under his nails made Kenneth’s stomach turn. “Go on, show Lady Ruth what a manly man you are!”
He could contain himself no longer, a burning fury unleashed within his chest and his arm flew back. His fist had almost connected with his grinning cousin’s jaw when a shriek stopped him. His arm was mid-punch when she rushed to his side, her face a mask of terror.
“Kenneth!” Goosebumps covered his skin at the sound of Ruth’s voice. It was filled with pain and resignation. “Do you not see it? Every word I told you is true. This is our future if we were to have one. He is but a drunkard and a coward with a grandiose sense of self-importance but out in the world, there are people of real consequence. Important, powerful people who can ruin you. They will look down upon you for choosing me. Please, let us both forget this mad idea of love. Let us move on with our lives as if these moments between us never happened. Marry my sister. Become Duke. Forget about me, please. For the both of us.”
She turned away before he could say anything. Kenneth reached out, clasping the train of her gown between his fingers. The material slipped through his fingertips, tickling it softly before she disappeared.
She left the library, and he was suddenly alone. All alone, save for his cousin who stood, red-faced and glassy-eyed as he laughed. Laughed with all his might at his cousin Kenneth, whose heart shattered in his chest as all he’d gained was now lost.
Chapter 23
Ruth did not sleep that night. She sat on the windowsill, a pillow propped behind her and a blanket over her body. She stared at the stars outside in the dark sky until they made way for the orange glow of the early morning. Birds sang and when the first rays of the sun tickled her nose, Ruth jumped off the windowsill and readied herself for the day, not bothering to call for Charlotte.
A blue redingote shielded her from the morning chill as she left the manor and set off toward the woods where the leaves swayed in the breeze.
She loved walking, although she usually was forced to take a companion to ensure she was properly chaperoned. Today, she did not care. Who would see her alone in the woods anyhow?
Ruth pressed on, the chirping of the birds replacing the thoughts that ran through her mind, and soon, she found herself walking on without thinking of where she was going. She cast her face toward the sun and inhaled the fresh scent of the pine trees all around her.
If only I could remain here forever. I do not wish to return to Goldclaw Manor, nor do I want to go back home. Sophia despises me and I know it will only break Papa’s heart to hear the details of our falling out.
The events of the previous night weighed on her like an anchor and her throat still constricted at the mere thought of the terrible confrontation with Lord Cragshade. Up until his arrival, Kenneth’s lovely words almost convinced her to follow her heart. Hearing his cousin’s horrifying words ended any such inclination.
She shook her head and took a deep breath before pressing on through the woods. Up ahead, the rushing of a stream caught her attention and she followed it, watching the fish accompany her as she headed deeper into the woods.
It wasn’t until a burning sensation on her right toe announced the formation of a blister that she stopped.
“Faith. I do not know at all where I am.” She was surrounded by tall trees and hedges and had gone so far off the proper path that she did not know how to get back. She stood and glanced around her, pondering her next step when somewhere nearby, branches crunched and cracked under the weight of someone’s boot.
“Lady Ruth? Are you lost?”
Through squinted eyes, she spotted a figure emerging from in between the trees. She exhaled, her shoulders relaxing as she smiled upon recognizing him.
“Lord Bronwyn. How fortunate to see you here. Am I near Caster Hall?”
The brass buttons on his beige riding breeches reflected in the sun as he straightened his tailcoat, brushing leaves off his shoulders.
“You are, indeed. Half a mile south. You have strayed far from Goldclaw Manor. Are you entirely alone?” He peeked behind her with a frown.
“I am. I ventured away to seek some tranquility and must have gone too far. I fear my father will be out of his mind with worry. I had not planned to be away for quite so long, nor to walk so far.”
