AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She was the most important thing in her husband’s life aside from his daughter. And if that wasn’t an admission of love, she did not know what was.
Isabel was still walking with her head in the clouds as they passed the hall. At that moment, the doors opened, and one more couple entered their house. Isabel tugged on her husband’s arm. They might as well greet the new arrivals.
They turned toward the middle-aged man of average height, with a slight belly pouch, accompanied by a gorgeous, tall, blonde woman in a demure gown.
Rhys tensed as the couple made their way toward them.
Isabel knew the gentleman. He was the Baron of Mowbray from a neighboring estate. The lady, she assumed, was his wife, but she had never seen her before. They exchanged pleasantries, but Rhys had not taken his eyes off the woman, and Isabel started feeling rather uncomfortable. What was going on?
The woman eyed Rhys with a strange glint in her eyes, too. Isabel could not help but feel jealousy bubble up inside her. Did they know each other? Did they share a past? Was there more Isabel didn’t know about her husband?
As she sent Mrs. Ainsworth to show the guests to their rooms, she turned to Rhys. “Who was that?”
Rhys clenched his jaw. “The man was the Baron of Mowbray. And the lady… she is my late wife’s sister.”
* * *
The moment Rhys saw Abigail’s sister, Beatrice, walking into his main hall, somehow he knew. This was how his nightmares would come true.
He didn’t know why and how, but he felt that she was not there just to enjoy the party. The woman with such open hatred in her eyes could not have possibly come to his residence to enjoy a couple of balls and share gossip during the game of cards. She was there to ruin him.
Beatrice had always openly disliked Rhys, even when her sister was still alive. After Abigail’s death, she was one of the women who fanned the flames of gossip, insinuating that Rhys had murdered her sister. Furthermore, Beatrice claimed that Abigail had never left Rhys and that he had concocted the shipwreck story to cover up his crimes, although she was one of the very few people who knew for certain that it wasn’t so.
He had not seen her in years, and he would have loved not seeing her at all, but here she was. Of course, it did not help that she looked exceedingly like his late wife, and that alone was enough to drive him to distraction.
Isabel tugged on his sleeve. “Are you ready to go see Millicent?” She had concern shining in her eyes, and he hated that he was once again the cause for her worry.
“Yes, darling. Let’s go.”
They ascended the steps in silence, but all Rhys’s troubles disappeared once they entered Millie’s room. Millie was the light of his life, and she had always made him smile no matter the circumstances.
Of course, Millicent was rather upset that she had been neglected most of the day by both her parents, but she quickly forgot about that as she started recounting all of the day’s adventures.
After a few minutes, Rhys tucked Millie into bed, taking turns singing a lullaby with his wife. It was almost time to leave for dinner, so they exited the room, pausing by the doorframe to take one last look at their sleeping daughter.
Rhys turned to his wife. “Today was perfect,” he rasped.
Isabel smiled. “I agree.”
“Every day with you is perfect.”
Isabel giggled. “You, liar.”
“I love you,” he whispered, and before she had a chance to answer, he covered her mouth with his.
