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“I would,” Arthur proclaimed. “I am certain there will be more people willing to believe him as well.”
The man swallowed heavily. He looked at Arthur then Amelia, almost hoping that she, as a woman, might be more understanding and sympathetic. Only, that was not the case. She seemed even more enraged with what she was learning.
“Tell the truth, Malcourt,” Arthur demanded. “Unless you want your own name dragged through the mud like I had mine. It would bring me no pleasure to spread malicious rumors about you, but if that is the only way to get to the truth, trust me, that I would do it.”
Arthur paused, giving him a moment. It seemed to both him and Amelia that Malcourt was on the verge of breaking. All he needed was one little push in the right direction.
“Lady Susan is still in love with Arthur…” Amelia suddenly spoke in a voice only woman could muster. “Isn’t she?”
Malcourt’s eyes widened in disbelief. Arthur couldn’t believe that he didn’t think of it himself. But that woman had caused him so much heartache and anguish, so it was impossible that she still had any feelings for him. Was that truly the reason behind all this?
Malcourt sighed heavily, turning away from them. His fingers raked through his dark, charcoal curls. When he turned around to face them once more, he seemed far less handsome and attractive than he was a moment ago, almost as if he lost his sheen now that the curtains fell, revealing everything.
“She has never said it out loud,” he finally admitted, “but I’ve known. I’ve always known. She cannot stop talking about you, about what happened between you. It is her first thought when she wakes up and the last thought before she goes to sleep.”
“Dammit, Malcourt!” Arthur could not sustain his anger any longer. “And that is why you tried to kill me and my wife in our sleep?”
“I had to try, seeing the first time I failed!” Malcourt shouted back, and the moment he said it, his face took on a ghostly pallor.
Arthur gasped. All of his anger and anguish rushed to his fingers which curled into fists. It would have been so easy to beat this man into a bloody pulp. He would have enjoyed it. He would have relished every moment of it. But he needed to hear the whole truth first.
“What do you mean, the first time you failed?” Arthur demanded, his voice growing louder with each subsequent word. He was barely controlling himself at this point.
“You…” Malcourt started, clenching his teeth. He wanted to remain quiet to torture Arthur, but the desire to finally tell everything was stronger. “You extinguished that candle. I was the one who snuck in after you and lit it again. I wanted to kill you, not your parents.”
“Because you wanted Lady Susan for yourself?” Arthur could not believe what he was hearing. His parents lost their lives because of this man’s sick obsession with Lady Susan which wasn’t dwindling even now that he was about to marry her.
“She will never be mine, I see that now,” Malcourt shook his head. “Not as long as you live.”
“You are a madman!” Arthur cried, unable to stop himself from punching the man’s teeth in. His fist met Malcourt’s lower jaw. Something cracked violently. Malcourt’s entire face seemed dislocated, but that wasn’t enough. Arthur was about to deal him another blow when he felt someone’s gentle touch on his elbow.
“Arthur…” Amelia whispered his name softly. “Don’t… he isn’t worth it.”
Arthur’s mind was completely taken over by rage, but he knew that she was right. His mother would tell him the same thing. This man wasn’t worth a single emotion in Arthur’s soul or a single thought in his mind. He deserved to be left alone and forgotten, and that was exactly what Arthur planned on doing.
Grabbing himself by the jaw, Malcourt dropped to the ground, spitting out blood. Arthur’s rage was slowly diminishing, seeing this man in such a pitiful condition. He almost felt sorry for him. After all, everything he did, he did out of love. That was the saddest part.
“Come,” he took Amelia by the hand, leading her out. “We shall fetch the constables together to come for this poor excuse of a human being.”
“What about Lady Susan?” Amelia asked.
He stopped to gaze into her eyes. “I hope you aren’t jealous,” he smiled, caressing her cheek. She felt soft to the touch. He wanted to lift her in his arms, take her home and make love to her all night long.
“Maybe a little,” she smiled back. “But that isn’t why I’m asking. I don’t think she knows any of this. She still thinks you are the monster who killed his parents.”
Arthur sighed. “Why do we need to tell her anything?” he wondered. “She doesn’t deserve a moment more of our attention.”
“Because she won’t leave you alone otherwise,” Amelia assured him. “She needs to know the truth, so she will stop spreading lies. That is the only way.”
“Perhaps you are right,” Arthur said. He didn’t like the idea of having to be in the same company with Lady Susan, especially not after the newest installment of the Monster of Mosebridge article, but he had to admit that Amelia was right. It was best to make the truth known.
Only that way would the two of them be able to enjoy their life together.
CHAPTER28
Amelia thought that Lady Susan would surely refuse to see them. After all, this was the second time Amelia had asked to be granted audience with her, only this time, she wasn’t alone. Whatever the result of this conversation would be, she welcomed the thought that finally, Arthur’s damning past would be put behind him. Wrongs would be set right, and they would both be able to look forward to a brighter future.
She turned to him as she held his hand. His following words assured her that he must have noticed hesitation in her eyes.
