Chapter 20
Thaddeus had never expected to wake to Isolde hovering over him. He’d been half-asleep and thought he felt someone touching his hair.
It had felt nice, and he’d wanted to stay in that moment, not having to think about anything, only feeling this gentle, comforting touch. When he’d finally opened his eyes and seen Isolde, cast golden in the firelight, it had felt like he had dreamt her.
Now, as he waited and waited for her to return, he was starting to wonder if he had actually dreamt their whole interaction.
He looked down at his hand and felt the phantom touch from where she had laced her fingers through his. Surely it had been real. And the way she’d looked at him, bright-eyed and a little flushed – he hadn’t imagined that either, had he? She had felt it too, whatever was between them at that moment.
And yet, she did not return with the book as she’d promised. Cassian and Vivienne had stopped by, and he’d shooed them away as quickly as possible.
Next, his mother had dropped in to check on him before she went to bed, and Tatiana not long after her. He’d nearly asked Tatiana to go looking for Isolde, but by that point, he had to conclude she had not come back on purpose.
Perhaps she had gotten shy after holding his hand. Perhaps she had reconsidered, thought the better of holding his hand when her goal was to find someone else to marry.
Perhaps he had misread the situation completely.
The next morning, the visitors continued, a steady stream of guests inquiring about his health, wishing him well, and honestly talking entirely too much. Every time the door opened, his heart leaped – and every time the visitor proved not to be Isolde, it plummeted again.
Around mid-morning, he became especially excited because Thomas appeared, with Cornelia creeping in shyly behind him. He peered behind Cornelia, hoping to see Isolde, for long enough that Thomas cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Forgive me, Lord Hartington – are we intruding? If you are expecting someone else to visit –”
“Ah, no,” Thaddeus said hastily, feeling himself blush a little from embarrassment. Thomas could likely tell him if Isolde was planning to visit him again, but he realized that asking might make him seem a bit foolish.
After all, Thomas probably assumed he and his fiancée were perfectly capable of communicating without outside help.
He sighed internally and refocused on the brother and sister in front of him.
“It is good to see you. You’re kind to come.” It was the same words he had said to every visitor, but this time he said them with genuine warmth.
“I’m glad to see you looking healthier, Lord Hartington,” Cornelia said. “My sister was ever so distraught when she learned of your accident.”
Was she? Thaddeus eagerly grabbed that snippet of information. Had Isolde said anything to Cornelia that might have revealed her feelings? If she had been distraught, surely that meant she at least cared a little? He wanted to ask Cornelia more about that day, but Thomas began to speak.
“Please let us know if there’s anything we can do for you, Lord Hartington. As we are to be family, I hope you’ll feel you can lean on us for anything you might need.”
Maybe … Thaddeus thought, considering that perhaps he could prevail upon them to ask Isolde to visit him after all. But as he glanced over the pair, he realized that while both were smiling, their bodies were stiff, and their postures nervous.
Cornelia was wringing a handkerchief in her hand, and Thomas kept balling up his hands into fists and then loosening them, as if it were an unconscious anxious habit of his.
“Your well wishes and generous offer are noted, and I thank you for them,” he said softly, “but I wonder if perhaps it isn’t the other way around?”
Cornelia’s eyes grew wide and round, so that she looked much younger, and Thomas gave him a surprised glance.
“What do you mean, My Lord?” he asked.
“I mean that unless I’m very wrong, something is troubling you both. Is it something I can help with?”
Thomas and Cornelia looked at one another, seemingly to silently communicate. Finally, Thomas sighed and sat down in the chair beside Thaddeus’s bed.
“You are very observant, Lord Hartington. I don’t know what my sister has told you of our … situation, but I am very worried for Cornelia’s future.”
“Your sister has said as much to me, as well,” Thaddeus replied, remembering Isolde in the gallery after dinner her first night, begging him to help Cornelia.
“Has she perhaps mentioned Lord Crowley’s role in the matter?” Thomas asked. His voice was tight, as though he were barely controlling his emotions.
“Lord Crowley?” Thaddeus said, frowning. “Lord Crowley had attempted to win Isolde’s hand,” he winced to himself at how accurate that phrasing was, “but that matter is solved.”
“I’m afraid he is not so easily deterred, and unable to marry Isolde, he has set his sights on Cornelia instead. My father has more or less promised Cornelia’s hand to him at this point.”
“What?” Thaddeus said, nearly a gasp. “I knew nothing of this.”
Cornelia had cast her eyes down, and it looked as though her lips were trembling. Thaddeus felt a burst of anger toward Crowley. Did the man have no shame?
After the incident in the garden, Thaddeus had hoped never to see him again, and now he had not only inserted himself in the hunt but was also plotting to marry this sweet young woman.
Thaddeus knew Isolde adored her younger sister. This must have been wearing away at her. Perhaps this was why she had so eagerly agreed that they should speak alone.
Perhaps her actions last night had merely been a precursor to begging for his help, and she had not returned because she had lost her nerve.
Thaddeus pushed himself up straighter on his cushions and looked directly into Thomas’s eyes.
“Not everything is in my power, but I swear to you, Mr. Fairchild, Miss Cornelia, whatever is in my power, I will use it to keep that monster away from you. Away from all of you.”
He felt his anger roiling in his stomach, and he wished this injury had not made him so weak. All he wanted at the moment was to march out of this room, find Crowley, and throw him out on his ear – proper etiquette be hanged.
“Oh,” Cornelia said, looking up at him with something close to adoration, “do you really mean that, Lord Hartington? I’ll feel so much better knowing you’re on our side!”
“Yes, thank you,” Thomas said, and Thaddeus was relieved to see the younger man smile a little. “Isolde told me that you were kind and you would help us. I am relieved to know she was right. Whatever help you can give us, we are grateful for it. More than I can say.”
“I am grateful for your sister,” Thaddeus replied before he could stop himself. “What’s important to her is important to me.”
Thomas and Cornelia exchanged another look, and Cornelia giggled slightly.
Thomas frowned at her, but Thaddeus could see the corners of his mouth turning up as well.
It felt good, seeing them happy, and he imagined for a moment how Isolde might look at him if he were able to make good on his promise to help.
He could picture her smiling at him, perhaps the way she had last night –
“I’m afraid we’ve overstayed and will be taxing your stamina,” Thomas said, interrupting Thaddeus’s daydream. “We’ll take our leave now, but thank you, again, Lord Hartington.” He gave a slight bow, and Cornelia gave a quick curtsey.
“You are most welcome,” Thaddeus said, nodding in return as they left.
For a long time afterward, Thaddeus turned Thomas’s words over in his mind. Isolde told me that you were kind, and you would help us.
He felt a warm glow of pride in his chest. Whatever else her feelings for him, knowing Isolde thought he was kind made him feel like he could take on the world, injury or no.
***
By early afternoon, he had rung for his manservant to sit guard at the door and turn away any more visitors. His head had started to pound, and he only wanted to rest.
He’d then called the man back to revise his order – he was to turn away every visitor, except Isolde. He gave strict orders that even if he were to be asleep, he should be woken up if she came to see him.
Eventually he dozed off, and when he woke, the shadows were long and the room was growing cold. He felt a sting of disappointment, realizing he had slept away most of the day and Isolde still had not appeared. He sighed and rang to ask his manservant to send for someone to light the fire.
“They’ve served supper as well, My Lord. Shall I go down and fetch some for you?”
As if in response, Thaddeus’s stomach growled. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was, but thinking about it, he had not eaten since breakfast.
“Yes, please. Thank you.” The man left, and a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. He bid them enter, and a very bashful maid crept in. Usually, the fires were lit when he came up to bed, and she was no doubt unfamiliar with lighting a fire while the room was occupied.
The fire was quickly made and the maid stood to go, then hesitated.
“Forgive me, m’lord,” she said quietly, “but there’s a lady outside who asked me to let her know if you were awake. What shall I tell her?”
His heart fluttered, and he quickly sat up and started arranging the pillows.
“Tell her yes, I am awake, and she may come in.”
The maid curtsied and left, and Thaddeus quickly tried to make himself look more presentable. He heard the maid speaking in the hall and then the door opening. His heart started to beat faster –
And then Vivienne came around the corner.
He could almost have laughed. Wasn’t this just what had happened in the orangery? How many times would he look for Isolde, only to find Vivienne instead? Either she had a unique talent for being where she wasn’t wanted, or the universe truly was trying to keep him and Isolde apart.
He slumped back onto his pillows, willing this interaction to go as quickly as possible.
“My dear, I had heard you were doing better, but you look rather terrible,” Vivienne said as she swept over to his side. He didn’t reply, wondering how to most efficiently eject her from his chambers without being rude.
“I’ve heard you had quite a few visitors. Though I must say, I don’t recall Miss Fairchild saying she’d been to see you today?” There was something icy in Vivienne’s voice, and it seemed to slice into him. Accurately interpreting his silence, she shook her head.
“I know you’re rather fond of her, so I try to hold my tongue, but I’d feel almost guilty not to point out to you how little she seems to care for you. And don’t think I’m blaming her – oh no! It’s just that some women aren’t ready for the sort of pressure being a marchioness can bring.”
Vivienne settled down into the chair, and though he wasn’t looking at her, he could feel her eyes on him.
“I, on the other hand … Well, it’s a bit untoward to point out myself, but I’ve been very attentive, have I not?”
Thaddeus finally looked at her. Her face was the picture of innocence, as if she were merely asking a question, confirming what she thought to be true. He didn’t trust that innocence.
He suddenly felt exhausted, his head aching. He was tired of all these games, tired of putting on a show for society.
“You have been very attentive,” he said, “and I of course thank you for it. But I must beg your forgiveness and ask you to leave, as I am very tired. In fact, I believe I shall cancel the rest of the hunt. I am not fit to entertain, let alone ride, and I don’t wish to keep my guests captive to my injury. ”
“Oh, don’t be silly!” she exclaimed. “There’s no need for you to disappoint your guests like that. Everyone understands you are hurt and cannot be expected to entertain, but Reginald and I can surely step in.”
“I don’t think –” he started, but Vivienne cut him off.
“We’ll run everything by your mother, of course. She will still be in charge, and we’ll just be helping out. I’ve done all this before, you know, having been married. I’ll keep everything running smoothly, and you only have to rest.”
“Lady Bradshaw,” he said, and intended to argue, but his head was starting to feel like it might crack open, and he only wanted to close his eyes and rest.
“No need to thank me, My Lord,” she said, putting her hand on his. He resisted the urge to yank it away. “I’ll take care of everything.”
At that moment, all Thaddeus wanted was for her to go away.
“Very well,” he said, shifting his hand from under hers. “If you speak to my mother, and she wishes to continue the hunt with your help, then let it continue.”
“Wonderful!” Vivienne said, clapping her hands. He winced at the loud noise. Vivienne stood up. “I shall speak to her at once! And leave you to rest.”
Thank goodness, Thaddeus thought. She left, and the room was peaceful again, and he laid back and tried to soothe his throbbing head.