Mrs. Hollingsworth glanced at Harry with sorrowful eyes. “I am so sorry you were made to believe such a thing. And I am even sorrier that Lady Templeton was subjected to such cruelty.”
Harry felt something inside him begin to unravel—years of self-recrimination, guilt, and despair loosened their grip. But just as swiftly, a deep rage took hold, blazing inside him like a firestorm.
“He blamed me,” he whispered, his fists clenched. “He blamed me for everything.”
Arabella rose, coming to his side. “But it was not your fault. Do you see now? It was never your fault.”
Harry nodded slowly, the realization sinking in. “I see,” he said quietly, the fire in him still burning fiercely.
Mrs. Hollingsworth looked at him with concern. “What will you do now, Your Grace?”
Harry straightened up, his resolve firm. “I shall move Helen to Scotland as planned, where she will be safe from him. And I shall ensure that my uncle can never hurt her, or anyone else, again. For the time being, however, until we can move her, I will have her stay at my home. Mrs. Hollingsworth, please prepare her trunks. You and Helen are coming with us, and whoever else wishes to join is welcome as well.”
Mrs. Hollingsworth looked at him with a mix of admiration and worry. “And what of Sir Richard?”
Harry’s voice was calm, but there was a coldness to it that sent a shiver through the old woman. “I will deal with him,” he stated with finality. “He is going to Edinburgh tomorrow for business—we will take that chance and play our cards, but we must make haste.”
Then, he turned to Arabella, and he saw the pride in her eyes as she stared at him. At that moment, he realized he could still become the man he’d always wished to be. There was no stopping him now. He would take care of Helen, stand up to his uncle, and do his very best to be the most loving husband to his beloved Arabella.
CHAPTER 35
Three Weeks Later
“Oh, I know,” Hanna said with enthusiasm. “I believe we should adorn your hair with jewels, Helen. It would look simply splendid, and when we stroll in the garden, it shall sparkle most beautifully.”
“Indeed! And perhaps we might use the ruby necklace and earrings that Harry gifted to Arabella last week—if she agrees, of course. Will you?” Emma added, casting an eager glance at Arabella.
With a smile, Arabella readily stepped over to retrieve the said jewels from her jewelry box.
Nearly a month had passed since she and Harry had removed Helen from that dreary house in Islington, bringing her instead to Ridlington Manor. Arabella had been rather astonished that Sir Richard had not yet stormed into their residence to demandhis daughter’s return, but fortunately, he had departed for the countryside after discovering that his daughter was no longer in the place he had put her up in.
The few loyal servants who had cared for Helen were either granted new positions within Harry and Arabella’s household or were handsomely compensated for their silence. Yet, despite these arrangements, they were far from being out of danger. Sir Richard would eventually uncover the full truth, and when he did, retribution would surely follow. For the time being, however, they had been unable to secure Helen’s relocation to Scotland.
They had been prepared to send her away almost immediately, but a letter had arrived from the family in Scotland, regretfully declining to take her in. No reason was provided, though Harry assured Arabella that such occurrences were not uncommon. The nature of Helen’s situation made it difficult to find someone willing to take in the daughter of a nobleman and hide her away from society.
Undeterred, Harry had set out to find another safe haven for his cousin.
“Here you are,” Arabella said as she handed the ruby earrings to Hanna, who then carefully fixed them on Helen’s ears.
Her sisters had spent much of the past month in Ridlington Manor, something their father was now powerless to prevent.
His reputation had plummeted to new depths once word of his drunken outburst at the manor spread. To the family’s dismay, he had not taken this as a wake-up call, but instead, had sunk deeper into his cups. More and more, stories surfaced in the scandal sheets about the pitiable Earl of Worcester being ejected from clubs and seen frequenting taverns in the more unsavory parts of town.
If not for their position in Society, Hanna and Emma would likely have no suitors at all. As it stood, both were currently courting, though whether any of their courtships would lead to marriage remained uncertain. Thanks to Arabella and Harry, neither of her sisters would be forced into an unhappy marriage—at least not yet. Time was, of course, always of the essence. But for now, they could focus on other matters, such as rekindling the sisterly bond that had frayed due to their previous living arrangements.
Arabella had to admit, she and her sisters had never been closer than they were at this moment. The petty squabbles of youth seemed a distant memory, and since Helen had been relocated to Ridlington Manor, everything had changed.
The young girl had charmed everyone she met, and she was now regarded almost as a fourth sister. Harry, too, had not been this content and at ease in years, and Arabella could not bear the thought of sending the girl away to live in hiding. At least they would be able to visit her frequently, and she would have the freedom to live her days without the rigid schedule her father had imposed.
“What are you thinking about?” Helen asked, pulling Arabella out of her reverie.
“Oh, nothing,” Arabella replied, waving a dismissive hand.
Helen narrowed her eyes at her. “You have that look on your face—the one you get when you’re worried or puzzled.”
Hanna and Emma chuckled in agreement.
“She’s right. You do have a very particular expression when something’s troubling you,” Emma remarked.
