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“Thank you. It seems I’m quite the frequent visitor, aren’t I?” He chuckled, though there was no mirth in the sound.
When Florence appeared at the end of the hall, she picked up her skirts and sprinted straight toward him.
“My lord, is she—?” Florence began when she reached Arthur.
“She’s all right. She’s inside,” Arthur said. “Dr. Danvers just saw to her.”
The doctor nodded. “Miss Wells, if you’d like to see her now, I can speak to you in the morning about how best to help her.”
“Thank you, doctor.” Florence clenched her hands tightly together in obvious anxiety.
“Andrew, please call me Andrew.” Dr. Danvers’s face reddened slightly.
Florence nodded and blushed at the doctor before ducking inside. Dr. Danvers took his leave while Arthur eased himself down onto the floor in front of Matilda’s door. He knew she didn’t want to see him, but he wasn’t about to leave her unguarded, though Ezra would be in no condition to do anything more to her. So he would spend his Christmas Eve protecting Matilda’s door.
As he stared at the window at the far end of the corridor, he glimpsed a star that shone far brighter than the rest. A Christmas star… one bright enough to guide a lost man home, if the man was only brave enough to follow.
CHAPTER8
Matilda woke early as she always did, and for a moment she didn’t remember why her throat hurt or why her aunt lay beside her on the bed. Touched her neck, she flinched at the pain, and the memories came flooding back. Matilda felt strangely hollow inside, like an old tree split by lightning that had cracked down the center but had somehow stayed standing, only it would never grow leaves again.
Slipping out of bed, she crossed the room to the window. She looked out at the brilliant green-blue sea, whitecapped with waves. The windows were frosted with a brilliant wintry glaze, and a breeze whistled against the panes of glass. After a moment, she turned back to the room and walked over to her bedchamber door. When she opened it, she nearly tripped over a body stretched out across the doorway. It was Arthur, asleep. He must have been sitting next to the door, but at some point had slumped to his side. Had he slept there all night?
Matilda retrieved a spare blanket from the bed and draped it over his body. He didn’t stir. Lifting her skirts, she carefully stepped over him. She paused at the top of the stairs, just out of sight, and eavesdropped on the servants below as they whispered to each other.
“Christ, I’m happy to see that bastard gone. He should be dead for what he did to Miss Matthews,” a footman said.
“I’m glad theyallchose to leave,” an upstairs maid replied.
“Bloodyswellsand their pompous behavior,” said another, which shocked Matilda a little, but the first maid seemed to agree. She hadn’t heard anyone called aswellin a long time, but Arthur’s friends were certainly far more wealthy and conceited than most people who lived near Castleton’s estate.
“They were so demanding all the time. It’s nice when it’s just Miss Wells and Miss Matthews here. His Lordship was right to kick out those dreadful Cowpers.”
Matilda sagged with relief. She had been afraid of being in the same house with Ezra, but Arthur had thrown him out. Seeing Arthur’s brutality last night, she’d been terrified, but now she knew he would never hurt her. He had come into the library roaring like a lion and defended her. Saved her.
“Mattie?” Arthur’s voice croaked from behind her. She turned around and found him sitting up, his hands gripping the blanket at his waist. He stared up at her, his gaze worried.
Rather than speak, she came over to him and knelt on the floor. He opened the blanket up for her and wrapped her in his arms as she settled in his lap. Arthur let out a sigh, and the tension in his body bled away. Neither said anything for a long moment.
“It’s Christmas,” he murmured into her hair before he pressed a tentative kiss to her cheek.
“Is it?” She’d forgotten after everything that had happened.
“Maddie, I’ve been thinking. I want you and Florence toownthe cottage, not simply live there. It’s not entailed, so I can transfer a deed to you.”
She lifted her head to stare at him. “You would do that?”
“I would. The past few days have reminded me that I… I’m not a good man, and I want to do better. But it will take time. I need to return to London and make some changes in my life, but I do not wish to leave with you worrying about what the spring might bring.”
He was leaving. She expected it, yet it didn’t erase the sting or make it hurt any less.
Arthur cupped her face in his hands. “You’ve helped me make this decision, Mattie. You’ve made me want to be a better man. Never forget that. Being hit by your snowball was the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
This was the beginning of his goodbye. She felt it in every bittersweet word.
She climbed off his lap and blinked away tears. “You were right too… I’m glad to have known your touch, Arthur. I have no regrets.”
Arthur got to his feet, catching the blanket before it fell and holding it out to her. She took the blanket, accepting his sad smile that accompanied it before she watched him walk down the corridor to his own room.
