Page 48 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
“It was obvious by your scars that you had been in a fire, but I never knew how much it had traumatized you. To have endured such a terrible moment, only to have people ridicule and reject you because of it... it broke my heart. Despite this, you have been the kindest man I have ever met with the gentlest heart. Bitterness should have turned your heart cold long ago, but instead, you show kindness where others show fear or revulsion toward you.”
She looked at him, her honey-colored eyes filled with compassion. “I decided to stop looking into the past and just continue working here because I enjoy it.” She looked down. “But I understand if you wish to remove me from Euston.”
It appeared she didn't know the truth. Henry felt immediate relief before he realized what she had said. She had called him the kindest man with a gentle heart and admitted to enjoying working at Euston. She wanted to stay! His heart rose with this knowledge, elation filling him to the brim.
The needle of reality soon pricked his joy, somewhat deflating him. Arabella had still come to Euston with the sole purpose of learning the truth behind the Beastly Duke, making him nothing more than a spectacle. Her goal made her no better than those who ridiculed him.
Still, he couldn't ignore the goodness of her heart. While she had looked for adventure at his expense, she hadn't done it with bad intentions. Henry inwardly sighed. He didn't know what to think or say.
“I should go,” Arabella said, sounding sorrowful as she clutched her glass. “I sincerely apologize if I have hurt you, Your Grace. That was never my intention.” She stood up. “I'll speak to Mrs. Cooper.”
She had taken several steps away when he stopped her. “Speak to Mrs. Cooper about what?” he asked.
“Terminating my employment,” she said as though that made perfect sense.
Henry was upset, but that didn't mean he wanted Arabella to leave! “I never asked you to do that,” he said, frowning at her.
"But I've upset you, Your Grace," she said. "Perhaps I should have kept my reasons for being here to myself, but I wanted to come clean with you because I was starting to feel guilty about my intentions. But now that I've told you, I realize I shouldn't be working here."
Henry raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn't that be my decision?”
Arabella gathered her brows in confusion. “Do you not want me gone?” she asked.
"As much as your confession affected me, I understand that your decision to come here wasn't based on the need to ridicule me," he said. "It's hard not to feel a little hurt, but I think I have gotten to know you quite well since you have come to work for me. I would be a fool to let you go. I suppose I'm also flattered that someone wished to know more about me," he added.
Also, he had come to care about her too much to let her go. He might have fired her without a second thought during her first few weeks at Euston, but he could never do that now. In fact, just the thought of her leaving his estate filled him with dread and despair.
“But you should be angry, Your Grace,” Arabella argued.
“I can shout a little if it will help you,” he said, smiling. “However, my decision stands. I want you here, Arabella. Euston needs you.”
Heneeded her, but he was too afraid to say it for fear of scaring her off. Arabella looked at him quizzically, as though she was unsure if she should believe him. She surprised him by sitting back down and placing her empty glass on the tray.
“May I please have some more, Your Grace?” she asked, smiling. “It has been a hot day, after all.”
“Gladly,” he said, his heart sighing in relief.
She was going to stay.
Chapter 17
If Basil were to go by Maribel's letter, things were undoubtedly spiraling out of control at Euston. Basil had never needed to worry about his cousin finding love because everyone was half terrified of him. No one wanted a scarred man as a husband. Henry wasn't just scarred on the outside but on the inside as well.
He was a soft soul who took everything personally, unlike Basil, who let things go like water down a duck's back. Taking things to heart was a futile activity because it made one vulnerable, which was the worst thing a person could do for themselves. Vulnerability opened one up to a host of problems, one of them being taken advantage of. Such was Henry's situation with the pretty maid.
"Can this blasted carriage go any faster?" he mumbled, tempted to smack his cane against the ceiling.
Basil needed to see for himself if Henry's relationship with Arabella had indeed progressed into love. Perhaps calling it a relationship was too much, but it was likely heading in that direction. Arabella was more cunning than he gave her credit—he wasn't going to make the mistake of underestimating her again.
He had been annoyed that she had rejected him so easily, but now he knew why. Arabella had no need to accept the advances of a mere viscount when she had a duke in her sights. He could respect that if not for the fact that he wanted the dukedom for himself.
Basil popped his head out the window, glad when he saw Euston approaching. The sooner he saw his cousin, the better. Maribel could be over exaggerating the situation because she was simply jealous, a feeling he didn't blame her for having. Arabella was a stunning little thing with her curly black hair that reminded him of the Gypsies that often passed through his town selling their wares.
He was almost tempted to wonder if she was part Gypsy, but he had done a little digging into her past and found she was most certainly pure English without a drop of Romany blood. Unless one of her ancestors lied, which wouldn't surprise him. Half breeds were common, especially with Britain invading other lands and falling for the local beauties.
It was one thing to have fun, but another to have the evidence of that fun. Personally, Basil had refused to accept any of his offspring from various maids, but for those who were more stubborn, he paid them off and then threatened to rain hell upon them if they ever returned.
The carriage finally stopped outside Euston Hall, and he impatiently waited for his footman to open the door. He was tempted to do it himself, but his mother had taught him that the moment he started doing certain things for himself, the servants would take advantage of that and become lazy.
