Page 60 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
“The fact remains that you have caused trouble for the duke,” said Mirabel. “You should leave the estate and give the poor man peace. That is all he has to live for.”
With that said, Mirabel walked away. Arabella's shoulders slumped forward, the fight draining out of her. Mirabel was wrong about many things, but she was right about this: the duke deserved peace. He had already suffered many things in his life—Arabella shouldn't add to his pain.
Chapter 21
Arabella didn't know how long she sat on the library floor, clutching a vase. It was the last thing to place on a table to officially call the library complete. She didn't want the experience to be over just yet, not when it could mean the end of so much more.
Everything had changed since the rumor surfaced in Thetford several days ago. It didn't seem to matter that Arabella was innocent of the accusation; people just didn't want to believe her. Harlot, Jezebel, Delilah—these names and more were used instead of her name.
Of course, no one at the estate said it directly to her, but she heard the whispers and happened across conversations that stopped midway whenever she appeared. Arabella was losing hope that the matter would be sorted soon and was even contemplating going to her family in Somerset.
However, the thought of leaving the duke made her heart ache terribly. Arabella loved being around him, although she had been too embarrassed lately to look him in the eye. Instead, she had avoided him as much as possible. It seemed he was doing the same thing, but it oddly felt hurtful coming from him.
“Because you're a foolish woman,” she mumbled, rising to her feet.
It was time to put the vase in place and get on with her life. The moment was supposed to be a special one with the duke, but she couldn't expect him to be there. The further they stayed away from each other, the better. Sighing, Arabella placed the ornate vase on a table near the doorway and turned to leave, only to almost run into the duke.
“Your Grace!” she exclaimed, her heart fluttering.
“I need to speak to you,” he said, closing the door behind him.
Arabella widened her eyes. He had never closed the door before. That started a flurry of movement in her belly, the sensation worsening when he stepped closer to her. Arabella had not been alone with the duke in some time and should probably leave the room, but her heart didn't want to. It wanted to stay and hear what the duke had to say, no matter the consequences. Arabella took a deep breath. The heart truly became a fool in love.
***
All Henry had done for days was think. Staying away from Arabella was the hardest thing he had to do, but he didn't want to worsen the state of her reputation. He rarely heard rumors about anyone, but even he had heard the names they were calling her. It was all terribly unfair and infuriating, but without a plan, he was helpless to do anything.
Truman had yet to find the culprit behind the rumors. Whoever it was had been sly and calculating, ensuring the rumor was not traced back to them. Henry was still convinced it was Basil—he just needed the proof.
However, now, standing before Arabella, all he could think about was confessing his feelings to her. Henry was tired of hiding how he felt. Even if Arabella rejected him, at least he had spoken from the heart.
“What did you wish to say, Your Grace?” she asked.
She appeared nervous. Henry wanted nothing better than to chase away all her worries and give her the world, but he needed to be patient. Even if there was some chance that Arabella might like him, he still needed to go about the situation slowly. This was a delicate matter they were dealing with and required gentle handling.
“We should sit down,” Henry finally said.
Arabella nodded, heading to the first armchair. Henry followed after her, looking around the library. It looked complete.
“You didn't tell me you had completed the library,” he said. He sounded almost accusatory, making him wince. “I like it. I really do.”
"I'm glad, Your Grace," she said. "I didn't want to bother you, which was why I didn't tell you about it yet. I would have ensured you knew by this evening."
Arabella probably would have sent the note through someone else. He didn't blame her, but enough was enough.
“When do you begin the other rooms?” he asked.
“I have to work out a schedule with Mrs. Cooper, but I'm sure it will be soon,” Arabella revealed. “I would like to tackle the parlors first, but I do not wish to touch the duchess' personal parlor. It's perfect as it is.”
“I agree,” he said. “The duchess loved China and collected many things over the years. Some of them are still in storage.”
“I saw a few of her collections,” said Arabella. “I used some of them in the library to complement the wall-hanging.”
“I see,” said Henry, looking around. “This is like another place altogether. It's rather special.”
“I'm glad, Your Grace,” she said.
He didn't hear her usual excitement, only wariness. She was likely worried about what he was about to tell her. Henry wanted to set her at ease, so he moved to an armchair opposite her, keeping to the edge so he was closer to her. She kept her head down, never showing him her beautiful honey-colored eyes.
