Chapter Twenty-Two #3
Dalton spluttered the explanation that he had already offered to Farrah, not sparing Mama’s feelings. Farrah jumped up and went to her mother when she gasped, placed a hand on her breast and collapsed in her chair.
‘You might have shown a little more compassion,’ Reuben said in a condemning tone. ‘After all, you have finally got what you always wanted.’
‘Have I?’
It was then that Farrah had her earlier suspicions confirmed.
He had been content to lead a double life, always finding excuses to remain with his “official” family.
But when Armstrong died and Farrah declined an eligible proposal, Mrs Armstrong lost patience and had taken matters into her own hands.
She had forced Papa into this position by relocating to Hampshire, and although there was no question in Farrah’s mind that he had strong feelings for an equally strong lady, it was also obvious that he was none too pleased about being forced into making a choice.
His status as an earl mattered to him. He knew that his behaviour would be frowned upon by his peers and that he and Mrs Armstrong would not be accepted into society.
‘Presumably the dreadful woman has proof of your marriage.’ Farrah was not surprised when Mama rallied and confronted the situation dry-eyed, shaking off Farrah’s attempts to comfort her. ‘And will reveal it if you do not take up residence with her.’
‘The truth will not come out, Ruth. You have my word on it. Your position and that of my daughters is secure.’
‘How very considerate of you.’ Mama sent him a scathing look. ‘I shall require permanent lodgings in London for myself and Sophia,’ she said, rippling her shoulders. ‘And a generous allowance to run my household.’
Farrah wasn’t surprised by the speed of her recovery and the nature of her demands. As least she would not have to worry about her mother’s finer feelings. In all probability she would enjoy being wronged.
And it would give her a new grudge to hold.
‘You have two daughters, madam,’ Reuben reminded her.
‘Quite so, but Farrah has no taste for society.’
‘Now is hardly the time to make plans, Mama.’
‘On the contrary, Farrah. It seems your father has been making them for the duration of our marriage and running this estate into the ground to support his floozy. Go back to the Houghton place.’ Mama made shooing motions with her hands towards her father. ‘I cannot bear to look at you.’
Farrah knew there was a lot more to be decided, but she and Mama needed to come to terms with what they had learned first. It would take her much longer than it had taken her mother, she suspected.
‘I will have to take the gig,’ Papa said, shuffling his feet.
‘It is your vehicle,’ Farrah replied shortly.
Papa stood in the doorway, his gaze roaming over Farrah. ‘You should have accepted Jackson, and then none of this would have been necessary,’ he said, attempting to shift the blame onto Farrah. ‘You are as stubborn as your mother.’
Then he was gone.
‘Have the goodness to excuse me too, madam,’ Reuben said, bowing to Mama.
‘I am obliged to you, your grace,’ Mama replied, now sitting bolt upright again. Her face was pale but otherwise she appeared to be perfectly in control of herself. ‘I am sorry we involved you in our sordid family affairs.’
‘I will see you out,’ Farrah said.
She and Reuben walked to the front door. Percival scampered through it the moment it opened, probably as relieved as Farrah herself was to escape the tense atmosphere in the drawing room.
‘How do you feel?’ Reuben asked as they walked together towards the stables. ‘It has been quite the day for revelations.’
‘I really don’t know yet,’ Farrah replied. ‘It is all too much to take in.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Goodness knows what will become of us.’
‘Mrs Armstrong is holding your father hostage, either because she genuinely loves him or to exact revenge. Dalton will have to dance to her tune if he doesn’t want the fact that ?’
‘That Sophia and I were born on the wrong side of the blanket?’ she suggested bitterly. ‘You can say it. I promise not to swoon.’
‘He won’t want that to come out and will have to withdraw from society anyway when he publicly takes up residence with Mrs Armstrong. He will miss it tremendously. Take some comfort from that.’
Farrah was horrified when tears ran freely down her cheeks.
She had hoped to hold her emotions in until she was alone, but the sympathy in Reuben’s expression was her undoing.
She would never see him alone again, she accepted.
He pretended to be concerned for her circumstances, and she knew she could depend upon him not to repeat what he knew, but on a personal level he could not possibly ignore her illegitimacy.
She had dared to hope that perhaps the feelings that had grown between them, that indefinable something that made her insides lurch whenever he looked at her in a particular manner, was not entirely one-sided.
But now everything had changed, and even if that was the case she was no longer Reuben’s equal, a woman worthy of his regard.
She would have to bury all thoughts of the only man who had ever made her heart sing and her pulse race and consider a more practical future for herself.
Dukes did not marry bastards, and there was an end to the matter.
Lost in a reverie, she was shocked to feel his arms slide around her waist and her body collide with his.
‘Don’t cry,’ he said softly, his breath peppering the top of her head. ‘I cannot bear to see you cry.’
He placed his index finger beneath her chin and tilted her head backwards until she was compelled to look into his eyes.
She felt shame for the disgrace her father had heaped upon her with his selfish, irresponsible actions but saw compassion rather than censure in Reuben’s ardent gaze.
She shuddered, holding onto her sanity by a hair’s breadth.
She felt as though time stood still as she remain rooted to the spot.
Reuben lowered his head and gently covered her lips with his own.
For a subliminal moment she surrendered to his embrace.
But only for a moment.
Gathering her wits about her she pulled herself from his arms.
‘Don’t!’ she snapped. ‘Don’t think you can take advantage of me just because I am not who you thought I was.’
She walked away, leaving him standing there with Percival at his feet, and did not look back.