Page 66 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
"My life is better with you in it. It's worth living when I wake up every day and sleep at night knowing that you're near. Your very presence is a comfort to me, and I need you rather desperately. It's not just about making me feel better," he quickly said, not wanting her to think he just wanted to use her.
"It's like you have become an important part of my life, a necessary part that I can no longer do without. You're in my blood, Arabella Lockhart. You are my very heart."
Arabella wiped the tears steadily falling down her cheeks. “Your Grace, I—I do not know what to say,” she said. “This is so unexpected.”
This is so unexpected. Henry's heart dropped. She was crying and saying his confession was unexpected—that couldn't be good. Henry didn't have much experience in the world of courtship and wooing someone. Yes, he had briefly been in two courtships many years ago, but the women had been unable to get past his scars.
They had only agreed to the courtship because they were the daughters of his parents' old friends, but even the lure of becoming duchess wasn't enough. Instead of just ending the courtship, they had humiliated him publicly, deeming him unfit for even a moment of their time.
Arabella would never hurt him deliberately, but she probably did not want a scarred man as her husband. Lowering his head, he did his best to control the pain of rejection. It felt so much worse coming from someone he loved.
“I didn't mean to trouble you,” he said, unable to look her in the eyes. “I only wished to tell you how I feel. Forgive me if I have upset you.”
“You're so foolish,” she said, surprising him.
He looked up, surprised to see her smiling despite her tears. “Foolish?” he repeated, uncertain how to feel about that. Foolish was generally not a good word to be called, but she was smiling so sweetly at him. It was confusing.
She nodded. “You're foolish to believe you've upset me,” she said. “You're a wonderful man, Your Grace! I've been so happy just being around you and didn't want to leave because it would hurt me, but I was willing to do it for you because I love you, too.”
Henry's breath hitched, his head refusing to understand what his ears had heard. “You... You love me?”
It was more than he could think or believe.
"Yes!" Arabella cried with a chuckle. "I can barely believe that you love me." She abruptly turned and stepped away, making him think she was leaving.
"Wait!" he said, bewildered as he followed her. "You can't just say that and walk away. We need to talk about this."
She looked back at him. “I'm not walking away,” she told him. “I'm just overwhelmed. I need to walk this off because I can hardly think straight at the moment.”
Henry wasn't sure what to make of that. She had just said she loved him, too, and now she appeared unsettled. He hoped she didn't regret confessing to him. She continued walking, her hands landing on her waist as she walked toward the stone path leading to the house. Henry simply followed her, jumping back when she suddenly swung around and planted her legs slightly apart, her hands still on her waist.
“What do we do now?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” he said.
"We just confessed to each other," she pointed out. "I never expected it, and now I do not know what to do. I had already decided to leave and—"
“You cannot leave!” Henry interrupted. “You can just marry me and stay here.”
Arabella's eyes bulged. “Marry you?”
"It's the only solution to our situation," he said. "I love you and want you to stay here, but you cannot be my servant—that wouldn't be right. I wish to marry you and keep you by my side forever. I cannot imagine doing anything else."
Arabella took a deep breath, her hand going to her chest. “Goodness,” she said. “This is happening so quickly.”
Henry frowned. “You do not regret confessing to me, do you?”
“No!” she exclaimed, returning his frown. “Why on earth would I do that? I just need to gather my thoughts, Your Grace. You must admit this is a unique situation. Servant and master have fallen in love and wish to marry...” She trailed off, looking away. “I will not lie and say I didn't think about it, but it was always a 'what if' because one cannot help but imagine having a life with someone they love, but...”
“But?” he pressed, stepping closer to her.
She had thought about marrying him! All this time, he had believed, for the most part, that his love was one-sided, only to find out that it was quite the opposite. If Arabella intended to talk herself out of being with him, she was very mistaken to believe he would let her go that easily.
“Have you not suffered enough, Your Grace?” she asked. “I can only imagine what people will say if we reveal our love.”
Henry shook his head, chuckling. It wasn't because the situation was amusing, but because she loved him so much that she didn't want him to suffer. It made him feel warm and wanted.
“I do not see what is so amusing, Your Grace,” said Arabella, frowning at him.
