Chapter 34 #2
I stilled in Matthew’s arms as his words pummeled into me. The admission felt like a punch to the gut, and it was the last thing I expected to come out of his mouth. I felt breathless and confused. I didn’t know how to voice a response.
“I only found out about you a couple of months ago,” he continued. “And since the moment I discovered I had a daughter, I’ve been doing everything in my power to be a part of your life.”
“That can’t be true.” I refused to believe him. “Look, if I’d known you were going to lie to me …” I went to step from his grasp, but he held on a little tighter.
“It’s the truth, Isobel,” he said. “Please, you gave me until the end of the song. I just need another minute.”
“Okay.” I was struck by how different he looked, so vulnerable and open, as his eyes pleaded with me to listen to him. “Go on, but your time is running out.”
He slowly started to guide me around the dance floor once more as he continued.
“Candice never told me she was pregnant. She sent a letter explaining the situation, but I never received it. From what I can gather, my parents intercepted the letter. I’m not sure what they were thinking, but I guess they were hoping, if they hid the truth from me, the whole situation would go away.
And it did. Until my father died and I found your mother’s letter in his safe.
It was seventeen years too late though.”
I was speechless, and my mind raced as I compared my father’s story with the one Mom had told me. There was one thing that didn’t quite add up. “What about the note and the check my mom received from you in the mail?”
Matthew frowned slightly. “Your mother told me about that when I first reached out to her,” he said. “It was the first I’d heard of it, and it didn’t come from me. My parents must have sent it, hoping she was just looking for money.”
“Well, she wasn’t,” I said. “She tore it up.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all.” Matthew let out a long sigh.
“I don’t know why your mother didn’t come and speak to me.
Why she didn’t call me. But I don’t blame her for what happened.
All I know is that I’m certain our lives would have been completely different if that one piece of paper had made it into my hands. I promise you that.”
The song had come to an end, and we stopped dancing as everyone around us applauded the orchestra. Matthew and I stood like statues though, staring at each other.
“That’s all I can really say in that one dance,” he finished. “But I hope that you’ll give me another chance to talk about this. And I hope that one day we’ll have an opportunity to dance together again.”
He slowly released his grasp on me before he turned and walked away. I felt numb after listening to Matthew’s explanation, and I was somewhat grateful he’d left rather than waited for a response. I didn’t know how to process what he’d told me.
My grandparents had kept me a secret from my father and tried to silence my mom with money.
It seemed impossible to believe, and yet I felt like Matthew was telling the truth.
I was starting to understand this world of wealth and power, and his story fit right in with everything else I’d heard while at Weybridge.
Fingers brushed against my arm, and I looked up to find Noah staring down at me. His face had been a mask earlier when I’d seem him arrive with Veronica, but now he was showing me a gentle smile. “You look a little lost out here,” he said.
I let out a laugh, immediately feeling more relaxed now that he was with me. “I always feel a little lost on a dance floor.”
“Can I steal a dance with you?” he asked.
“I don’t think it’s considered stealing if I’m already yours.”
He grinned and swept me up in his arms. I felt so small with Noah wrapped around me, and every inch of my body buzzed from the contact. I wanted to get caught up in the moment with him, but my conversation with Matthew was still rolling around in my head.
“Is everything okay?”
I looked up and found Noah watching me with a look of concern.
I’d been waiting for him all night, but now all I could think about was my father.
I needed to shelve everything I’d just learned and try to digest it later, at a time when I could properly process it all.
For now, I just wanted to enjoy the ball with Noah.
I pushed Matthew from my mind and smiled back at Noah. “Yeah, everything’s great.” And it was because we were together. “I’m surprised I managed to tear you away from your date so early in the night. Shouldn’t you still be with Veronica?”
“I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” he said. “I agreed to come here with her, but if I recall correctly, I promised you all the dances.”
“You did.”
“And when I saw you alone on the dance floor, I knew I had to whisk you away before someone else did,” he continued. “You look gorgeous tonight. I’m the envy of every guy in here right now.”
My cheeks warmed as I shook my head. “You’re just saying that.”
“Am I? Because none of them can take their eyes off of you.”
I swallowed nervously and glanced around us. He was right. People were looking our way, but it was far more likely they were interested in Noah rather than me.
“See?” he prompted.
I had to laugh. “You always like to be right, don’t you?”
“It’s not a matter of liking to be right; it’s knowing I’m right.”
I rolled my eyes. “And what if all those people looking at us are doing so because of you? You did arrive at the ball with a different date, after all. That’s good gossip.”
“Well, we know how much they like gossip. But if they’re looking at me instead of you, they’re idiots.” He reached up and cupped my neck with his hands, tracing his thumbs lightly over my skin as he looked into my eyes. “Because you’re the only one I see.”
He lowered his lips to mine and chastely brushed them with a kiss. It might have been brief, but it made my pulse race. Was I ever going to get used to how my body reacted to Noah?
“I’m glad I promised you all my dances,” Noah said as he lowered his hands to a more appropriate dancing position. “Because now that I have you in my arms, I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you go.”
“Well, luckily, you don’t have to.” I felt the same way. It had hurt to see him arriving with Veronica tonight. But now that part of the night was over and I had him in my arms, I didn’t want to let go of him either.
We continued dancing for several more songs.
I usually hated the dance floor, but I didn’t feel nearly so clumsy when I was swaying in Noah’s strong arms. I probably wouldn’t have complained if we’d stayed on the dance floor all night, but eventually the principal halted the orchestra to welcome everyone to the ball.
He had just started to address the crowd when Noah grabbed my hand.
“Let’s go get some fresh air.” There was a sense of urgency in his voice, and he glanced past me as he started to pull me from the room.
I looked over my shoulder to see what had caught his attention and saw an older man watching us, a deep frown denting his lined face.
The way he was looking at me made my stomach dip with anxiety.
Noah tugged on my hand, and I lost sight of the man in the crowd. I’d only caught a glimpse of him, but it was enough to leave me curious. It felt like Noah was running away from him.
“Is everything okay?” I asked as he led me outside to the courtyard in front of Esher Hall. With everyone inside now, the night was quiet and we were completely alone. I was hoping he’d explain why that man had spooked him, but Noah just smiled lightly.
“That speech is the same every year.” He shrugged. “It goes on forever. I might fall asleep if I have to listen to it again. Besides, I’d much rather spend my time hanging out with you. We can go back inside once the music starts again.”
I didn’t think he was lying, but he wasn’t telling the whole truth either.
Noah lifted his eyebrows. “You’re sad to miss the speech?”
“No, it’s just that …” My voice trailed off as the playful look in Noah’s eyes disappeared. His attention was on the entrance to the ballroom. I turned as the man who’d been watching us walked through the doors, following us from the building.
He was tall and broad for a guy his age, and he walked as if the world might crumble beneath his every prideful step. He held himself in a way that radiated power and with the kind of confident authority that I imagined instilled both fear and respect in those who crossed his path.
When his eyes landed on us, he marched toward us. “Noah, what is the meaning of this?”
Noah gripped my hand a little tighter.
“Grandfather, I didn’t realize you were coming tonight.”
“I can see that.”
Noah cleared his throat and tried to smile, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “But I’m glad you are here. This is Isobel. The girl I was telling you about. Isobel, this is my grandfather, William Hastings.”
Now that the man was standing right before us, I could see the resemblance between the two of them.
Noah had his grandfather’s firm jaw and green eyes, but it was the way the old man managed to dismiss me with one sharp look that I thought was their greatest similarity.
I’d seen Noah give that same look to other people countless times.
I swallowed and tried to give him a warm smile I didn’t feel. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
Noah’s grandfather barely glanced my way before he returned his focus to Noah. “I don’t give a damn who this girl is. Where’s Veronica?”
“She’s inside. I came with her as you requested,” Noah said, his voice sounding smaller than usual. “But I wanted to be with Isobel.”
“Apparently, I’m going to have to spell things out to you a little more clearly in future. You’re supposed to be ensuring the Cordeaux girl has a nice evening. What do you imagine her parents will think if they see you sneaking off into the shadows with the help?”
“Grandfather!”