Page 66 of The Viscount's Unwanted Bride
“She had no reason to be ashamed,” Kate whispered.
His fists clenched. “I told her that, but she was worn down by the looks and whispers. In the end, I agreed, against my better judgement. I thought if there was a chance, even a tiny chance, that she’d conceived, the peace of mind it brought her would be worth the journey. Unfortunately, she hadn’t.”
“The doctor was certain?”
Theo nodded. “She was beside herself. I tried to assure her that all was well, but she screamed at me that it wasn’t and that until she had a son, nothing would be.” He closed his eyes and squeezed them shut, obviously holding back as much emotion as possible in order to finish recounting the events of that unfortunate day.
Kate laid her hand on his arm, needing to offer comfort but hesitant to interrupt.
“On the way home, the storm blew branches across the road, and they startled the horses. The road was muddy, and I don’t know if it was the mud, the wind, or the horses, but the carriage toppled over and I was thrown clear. The horses took off with it and by the time I stopped them, it was too late for Elizabeth.”
Choking back a sob, Kate wrapped her arms around Theodore and held him. He was stiff in her embrace, but he sniffled and softened after a moment.
“I pushed the carriage off the road as best I could to avoid causing another accident and then rode one of the horses bareback to South Wye, taking Elizabeth with me. I went directly to the doctor, just in case I was wrong and she wasn’t dead yet, but he said he doubted she’d survived for long after… after her head hit the ground.”
“I’m so sorry.” The words could never be enough to account for the devastating loss he’d suffered—not to mention the trauma he’d experienced—but they were all she had to offer.
He drew in a shuddering breath. “I just wish we hadn’t argued before she died. I wish I’d instead told her I loved her one last time”
Kate’s breath hitched, and the tears that had been slipping silently down her cheeks started falling in torrents.
This poor man.
He’d lost the woman he loved, and there had been nothing he could do to save her. What’s worse, he’d had to watch her die, knowing her last memories were unhappy ones, and then he’d been blamed.
Poor Elizabeth too. Alone and alienated. Obsessed with doing her duty but unable to do so.
It was tragic.
Unnecessary and tragic, and she felt so helpless that there was nothing to be done about it. All of this had happened, and the only thing she could do was help Theodore recover in whatever ways he’d let her.
Kate hugged him again, burying her face in his shirt and immediately wetting it with her tears. “Wherever she is, I’m sure that Elizabeth is at peace now.”
“I hope so.” His tone was wistful, as if he didn’t really believe that, and it made her cry harder. “But what if she isn’t, and it’s all my fault?”
CHAPTER 21
“It wasn’t your fault.”
The whispered words soothed the jagged edges of Theo’s despair even though he didn’t truly believe them.
“You need to get that silly idea out of your head,” Kate continued, holding his shoulders and locking her tearful gaze on his.
His heart clenched. How incredible she must be to cry over a woman he’d loved and lost. Especially considering he was nowherhusband. By all rights, she ought to be put out with him for still mourning Elizabeth, not sympathetic to his loss.
He searched her eyes, looking for any hint of deception, but he didn’t find it there. “There are so many things I could have done differently. If it wasn’t for me—”
She held up her hand to cut him off. “No more of that. We have many things to discuss, but first, we’re going to go ask for some scones to go with that tea.”
He catalogued her expression. The corners of her mouth were tight, and her nose and eyes were slightly red, but there was no sign of the disgust he’d expected upon making his confession. His breath temporarily bottled up in his chest.
Was it possible that she honestly didn’t think less of him because of what had happened?
He was afraid to hope.
Theo allowed himself to be drawn to a chaise, where he sat at Kate’s urging and waited while she left again and spoke to someone just outside the door.
When she returned, she sat beside him rather than opposite him, and, to his utter amazement, reached over and interlaced her fingers with his.
