Page 43 of An Earl to Save the Diamond
“Because I have a duty to my family, Ellen. I do not expect you to understand.”
“Why? Because I am not the one being made to marry a man of nobility so that I do not bring my family shame?”
“I am sorry, Ellen, but you know that is how it has always been done.”
Ellen waved her hand. “This is not about me now; it is about you. You should do the right thing by Marjorie and by yourself, Brother. Mother chose her own path. Should you not be allowed to choose yours?”
Andrew stood up. “That, my dearest sister, is what I have been trying to tell you. That when it comes to me, I find that I do not quite have a choice in this matter at hand at all. If you will excuse me,” Andrew said and made his way up the stairs.
Ellen sat there mulling over what Andrew said and wondered why he did not think that to ask Marjorie what it was that she wanted. She wondered why she was stuck in a family that seemed to suffocate everyone.
ChapterEleven
Gerard found that he relaxed best when he was outside mucking the stables or doing some other menial work.
“My Lord, I can handle it from here,” the stable hand looked at him in horror.
Gerard paid him no mind. While he mucked the dirt, he imagined it was his heart being cleansed and purged of his feelings for Ellen Bamber. He could not, for the life of him, believe that he had allowed her to do one thing he swore nobody would ever do: get under his skin enough to make him fall in love.
When he was done at the stables, he grew restless. He decided to go fencing with his friend Mark Dunham, the Viscount of Stokeland.
“Ah! There’s the lover boy,” the Viscount said.
“Shut up, and make room for me; I am coming in.” Gerard geared up and in no time entered the ring. Mark sent off the gentleman fencing with him earlier.
“Easy there, remember that fencing is not simply about emotions,” the Viscount said, noting that Gerard was in a sour mood.
Gerard ignored the comment and went into a fighting stance. “Ready yourself, Dunham. I shall not hold back.”
“All right. But don’t say I did not warn you,” said the Viscount, already relishing the thought of victory. He thrust at Gerard who matched his sword and skillfully thrust it aside. He then leaped backward as Gerard attacked.
“Tell me, why does she make you so angry?”
“This damn Society and their Mamas and their novelties. It’s all just a nuisance,” Gerard huffed.
“You care deeply for her, don’t you?”
The question caught Gerard off guard, and he found the sword on his chest. Turning quickly, he sidestepped to parry the blade and began his counterattack. “Care for her? Who would not? She has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, lips that would make a gentleman forget his name, and Lord knows, her naïveté makes my skin boil. The little minx!” Gerard roared, attacking forcefully now.
“So, you love her,” the Viscount observed, matter-of-factly.
Gerard instantly stopped. “I have had enough. Enough of this nonsense.”
The Viscount was silent for a moment. He understood, more than anyone, what Gerard was going through. Like him, Gerard had gone through a difficult childhood, and it was hard for them to open up to one another, especially when it had to do with matters of the heart. It was discomforting to have one’s mask of strength ripped off without warning.
The Viscount sighed. “What you need to do, my friend, is to stop running. Sometimes, it is all right to stop running and accept your feelings.”
“I came here to fence, not to get a talking to, Dunham.”
“Be that as it may, I am your friend, and I must tell you the truth.”
Gerard said nothing and instead decided to go back home. He found his grandmother reading a book as always, and she looked up immediately after he stepped in.
“Why is it that every time I see you around the Manor, you stink?” the Dowager asked, turning up her nose as one would do when they smelled something foul.
“I just mucked the stables and went fencing,” Gerard replied.
“And one would think that I brought you up with enough common sense to know to clean up after you were done.”
