Page 58 of Healing the Duke's Desires
She squeezed her sister’s hand back and remained silent. She didn’t know what to say. Sometimes, words were superfluous. All one needed was the presence of a loved one who understood the turmoil she was going through.
As the sun bathed the garden in its warm, golden light, Emily and Sarah continued their walk through the tranquil oasis they had cherished since childhood. Holding hands, they walked side by side, their connection stronger than ever in the face of adversity.
The garden, teeming with life, seemed to offer a sense of renewal and hope. The flowers swayed in the gentle breeze and the birds sang melodious songs, a symphony of nature that surrounded the sisters as they strolled.
For a single, precious moment, Emily believed that somehow, some way, things would be all right in the end. With each step she and her sister took, they drew strength from each other, finding comfort in the knowledge that whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.
Chapter 33
Alexander stared at the finished painting, unable to look away. It was a breathtaking masterpiece, a testament to not only his artistic talent, but also the depth of his emotions. It was his best work yet, and he doubted that he would ever be able to outdo himself.
Emily’s beautiful blue eyes held a haunting depth that seemed to peer into the very soul of whoever dared to gaze upon her. They were filled with a mixture of sadness, resilience, and a hint of defiance. They were so perfectly, utterly hers. Her beautiful face was framed by a cascade of loose curls, and the strands caught the subtle interplay of light and shadow, creating a sense of depth and texture that made the painting spring to life.
Emily’s posture conveyed grace and elegance, but there was also a vulnerability in the way she held herself, as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her dress, a delicate shade of lavender, billowed around her like a soft cloud, adding to the ethereal quality of the portrait.
The background was a mix of muted colors—soft blues, greens, and grays—that created a sense of melancholy and introspection. It was as though Emily was set against a backdrop of her own emotions, a world of complexity and depth.
As he stood before the masterpiece he had created, he couldn’t escape the harsh truth that he had allowed things to go too far with Emily—and worst of all, he had abandoned her when she needed him the most.
Feelings of guilt and self-condemnation coursed through him like a relentless tide. He felt like a cad, a man who had let his own desires and indecisions lead to the pain and turmoil that had engulfed Emily’s life. He had not spoken a single word in her defense, and the memory of that haunted him like a ghost.
Not only that, but the memory of that fateful night, the moment when he had seen Emily in the water, struggling in the darkness, had become an indelible and haunting image in his mind. It was a moment of stark realization, a visceral reminder of the consequences of their actions and his own cowardice. He couldn’t escape the feelings of guilt and responsibility that had engulfed him since that night.
The moonlight that filtered through the window seemed to cast long shadows on his soul, mirroring the darkness he felt within. Alexander knew he could never fully atone for the mistakes he had made, but he was determined to find a way to make amends.
With trembling fingers, he reached for a long piece of cloth and tenderly covered the haunting portrait of Emily. Just at that moment, he heard a knock at the door. Surprised, he turned his attention to the entrance, wondering who could be seeking him at this late hour, when he believed the entire house had gone to sleep.
“Come in,” he called out.
The door creaked open slowly, almost hesitantly, and there stood Rose. He greeted her with a polite smile, though his inner turmoil remained hidden beneath the surface.
“Rose,” he said, his tone warm and welcoming. Just one look at her was enough to assure him that she had come to him with an agenda of her own. “What brings you here?”
She hesitated for a moment, then entered, closing the door behind her. There was a troubled expression on her face. He was right. There was something on her mind, something she wanted to share but didn’t know exactly how.
“Mother… she has been hiding the morning newspapers for the last three days,” she spoke softly, as if afraid that the walls might carry her words to unwanted ears. But all the ears had already heard what there was to hear. There were no secrets left to be unearthed. It was strangely soothing.
“I know.” He nodded simply. “I do not need to read the newspapers to know that the rumors had been spreading like wildfire all over London. Thetonthrives on stories such as this one.”
“I managed to read one of them before she took it away,” Rose admitted, looking down at her feet, aware that she had done something she wasn’t supposed to. However, she was not a child any longer, and he could not keep her curiosity away from such things.
“You shouldn’t read such sensationalist articles.” He shook his head, with advice he truly meant. “They take a simple story, and they embellish it to such an extent that it becomes something completely different.”
Only, in his case, most of what they had written was true. Emily did sneak away from the ball to be with a man.Him.Fortunately, no one knew what had happened in the gazebo. That was a small silver lining in this storm of turmoil.
“I’m not a child anymore, Alexander,” she told him, almost as if she were able to read his mind, to read his fears and doubts. “You cannot shield me from life.”
He sighed. He felt as if he were failing every single person he cared about, including Rose. “I vowed to keep you safe and protected, especially from such things.”
“And you have kept your word,” she assured him, taking a step closer. “You can keep me protected, but I can only learn through experience, and that is something that one needs to go through on one’s own, not through someone else.”
He smiled, completely taken aback by her response. “How did you become so wise?”
She smiled back at him. “By watching you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you should do much of that.”
“Why not?” she said, glancing at the covered portrait. “You are a good man, Alexander. Anyone can see that.”
