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“That was part of it, yes,” the lady admitted. “On the other hand, I didn’t want Udell to regret his choice by offering for you when I knew he was still grieving his wife’s death. The union would have been a disaster for both of you.”
Isadora reluctantly admitted that she might have been right now, but the betrayal she felt was still very real. “But that wasn’t your decision to make.”
The lady’s mouth pursed. “I couldn’t allow it, not knowing you both as I did. You may despise me forever, but if I had the chance to do it all again, I would. Besides, I think it all worked out well enough in the end.” Her gaze slid to Remington and back to her.
Isadora nodded. “I will admit I am happy now, but what of the baron? He married Sabine for whatever reason and paid for it with his life.”
Lady Kontayne sighed. “I warned him not to take her to wife, but he was compelled to do so at the behest of Sabine’s aunt. The lady was his housekeeper and begged him to look after the gel upon her deathbed. It was his loyalty to his servant that made him take Sabine on as his wife. He didn’t feel there was any way to offer his protection otherwise. No, the union wasn’t a happy one, but at least he felt he’d honored a vow, and I think he thought to atone for his wrongdoing to you by suffering insilence. He had told Sabine that it would be a union in name only. She didn’t care, of course, because she had her liaisons on the side. She never cared one whit for him, and I feel he was truly grateful when he finally died, because he could finally rest at ease.”
Isadora found herself mourning the baron all over again, but for entirely different reasons. She was sorry she’d ever put him in a situation that caused him more pain. At the time, she had been blinded by her own, selfish desires and not understanding any of them.
Lady Kontayne’s visit had certainly made Isadora look at everything in an entirely different way. She had a lot to ponder, and for some reason, that made her feel generous. “My lady, some time ago I decided to have my mother’s trunks brought from Marlington Hall. Since the new heir intends to let the title revert to the Crown, I asked that her belongings be removed here. I intended to go through them to see if there was anything I might salvage, but I wondered if you would be willing to go through them with me. Perhaps there is some special memento that belonged to her which you might wish to take back home with you.”
For the first time since Isadora had entered the room, the lady’s face turned humble. “You would be willing to do that?”
“I am. It sounds as though you were very close to my mother, and should it be one of my sisters, I would like to know I had some special keepsake to remember them by whenever I looked upon it.”
The lady touched the fichu at the top of her bodice, and her voice wavered slightly when she said, “My sister always did like this one particular brooch…”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rem didn’t want to interfere with Isadora and Lady Kontayne, so he went to his chamber that evening. He had hoped that his wife might come to him, but when he awoke the next morning, the opposite side of the bed was cold.
He frowned, wondering if that surprise visit hadn’t prompted Isadora to question everything they had built together. He’d hoped they were starting out on a solid foundation, as opposed to one built on a house of cards, but he had no way of knowing which.
When he went downstairs to break his fast, a footman entered with an invitation from Abaline Hall with a formal request to join the baron and his wife for dinner that evening. Rem knew that this wasn’t some random overture, which made him question if the initial summons hadn’t slipped Isadora’s mind. Or worse yet, if she hadn’t planned on informing him of it and hadn’t intended on attending. Since she hadn’t yet made an appearance this morning, he decided to dare and accept on their behalf. He sent a footman with the reply and set aside his silverware.
He had just rose when his errant wife entered the room. Shelooked as put together as always, but if it wasn’t for the fact he could tell when something was bothering her now, he might have overlooked the tight lines bracketing her mouth. Concern quickly replaced his irritation. “Isadora?”
She started, putting a hand to her chest. “Remington. I didn’t see you there.”
He inclined his head. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He paused. “How did it go with Lady Kontayne after I retired? I was informed she’d left for London late last night.”
“Indeed,” she concurred evenly. She shifted her gaze away and gave a slight frown. “I admit that it was more difficult going through my mother’s things than I’d imagined it would be. Perhaps it was why I’d avoided it for so long.” She glanced back at him with a melancholy smile. “At least it wasn’t for naught. My aunt found the brooch she was looking for.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He tilted his head to the side. “And what about you? Did you uncover some long-forgotten keepsake?”
“Actually, yes.” She touched a locket around her neck. “It’s a miniature of my mother and father when they were first wed.”
He smiled. “What a lovely treasure.”
“Yes.” She lowered her hands. “I suppose I am more sentimental than I’d imagined I would be.” There was a hesitation and then she added more softly, “I’m sorry I didn’t visit you, but by the time Lady Kontayne left, I just felt the need for some… time alone.”
Rem pushed aside his uneasiness and said, “I understand.” He decided to change the subject to their upcoming engagement. He cleared his throat. “You should know that I accepted a dinner invitation from Baron Abaline this evening.”
She didn’t seem surprised by the news. “Yes, Matthew… I ran into Udell’s son yesterday afternoon when I went to the gravesite. He said he would like to meet you.”
He dared to ask the question uppermost in his mind. “You aren’t upset at the thought of attending?”
She seemed to consider the query, and then she shook her head. “No. Actually, I’m quite looking forward to it.”
Isadora donneda pale pink gown for dinner at Abaline Hall that evening. She normally eschewed the color, feeling it was a shade reserved for debutantes. However, more recently she was feeling as anxious as a lady who had just made her presentation at court and was preparing to make her come out. In truth, that day all those years ago was nothing compared to how she felt when Remington looked at her. She thrilled whenever he walked into the room and if nothing proclaimed love like his devotion to her, then she was quite sure nothing would.
As she added a pair of pearl, teardrop earrings that she’d found in her mother’s things, Isadora looked at herself in the mirror. It was as if she was seeing her reflection for the first time—hertruereflection. She had always seen Lady Isadora Bevelstroke looking back at her, but she’d never really seen a daughter, or a wife, or a future mother until Remington had removed those boundaries around her heart.
For years, she had lain eyes upon a harsh woman destined for a lonely life of spinsterhood, but now the face shining back at her was filled with hope and life. She couldn’t wait until she returned home with her husband, for she intended to make this a night to remember. It was time they started this honeymoon properly.
With a secretive smile on her face, she headed downstairs where she joined Remington. He was quite handsome with his russet hair brushed back from his forehead, his hazel eyes shining with a glimmer of amber in their depths. He wore black and white with a gold threaded waistcoat and matching cravat that gave him a regal, aristocratic appearance.
