Chapter 24
“I don’t want to go,” Arabella said defiantly, glaring at her brother.
Philip sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re going to this dinner, and I’ve said both of us are going. You can’t get out of it.”
“Oh, but I can! Just tell them that I’m not well, and I’m not able to be entertained.”
Her brother shook his head. “Not going to happen, Arabella. Your presence is required, and you’re to come with me.”
“My presence is required?” Arabella put her hands on her hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Something flickered behind his eyes as if he was panicking a little and he wasn’t meant to have said that. Then he recovered quickly and turned away.
“Just get ready. We’re leaving at seven. And I’ve sent for Miss Whitby to come with you as your chaperone.”
“Do you think that’s going to make me feel better?”
“Arabella!”
That made her jump. She’d not heard Philip like this for a long time. He was often surly, but he didn’t usually snap at her. It made her take a step back, unsure of what to say next. Philip looked as if he was going to say something else, but he just pointed at the door.
“Just… go. Now.”
This time, she didn’t argue, hurrying from the room with her heart racing.
She didn’t like being told what to do by Philip, but she had to pick her battles.
With Alastair trying to find out more about Sebastian, there wasn’t much she could do.
She’d been urged to carry on as normal and try to remain calm.
That was easier said than done. Arabella would’ve preferred to be with Alastair.
Finding proof sounded far more interesting than pretending that nothing was happening to her.
She really wanted him to be there tonight, but she knew he wouldn’t be.
The scandal of his arrest, no matter how false or how short it was, had gotten around the ton, so he wouldn’t be able to attend anything for a while.
They needed to prove his innocence. Arabella wanted to be involved with that.
It didn’t take long for her to get changed, although there was no joy in it.
Arabella just didn’t want to go anywhere.
She wanted to be close to the house when Alastair sent her word of something he’d found.
She needed to know what was going on as soon as possible.
But it had been two days and nothing yet.
They’d exchanged letters, slipped in and out by her maid and Alastair’s valet, but that was about it.
It didn’t compare to seeing Alastair in person, and Arabella missed him.
Clara was standing awkwardly with Philip as Arabella went back downstairs. She gave Arabella a tiny smile before shuffling away from Philip. That made Arabella wonder what her brother had done to her friend. She would have to confront him about it later.
Right now, she had a formal dinner she had to grit her teeth through.
The ride in the carriage was silent, Philip sitting across from Arabella and Clara, his hands resting tensely on his knees as he looked out of the window.
Arabella wanted to demand what was going on.
She needed to know why he was behaving in such a manner and why couldn’t she just stay home.
She was meant to be in distress about Alastair’s arrest, and yet Philip was practically forcing her to come out.
He had to be up to something. And Arabella didn’t like it.
When they arrived at the house in question, Philip helped the ladies out and then strode on ahead, barely looking back. Clara slipped her arm through Arabella’s. “What’s the matter with him? It’s like he’s on edge.”
“I don’t know. But something’s definitely not right. He was determined to get me to come here.”
“Maybe he wants you to carry on as normal?” Clara suggested. “Perhaps he wants to distract you from the scandal?”
Arabella pursed her lips as she thought about this.
That was a possibility, but there was something not right about Philip’s behavior.
Every time she tried to talk about Alastair in the days since she realized the suicide note was fake, he practically dismissed her.
He seemed stunned that it was a false note to begin with, but then he just ignored her, snapping whenever Arabella brought it up.
“I have a feeling he’s got something on his mind, but he’s not telling me about it.”
Clara shrugged. “Perhaps he’ll tell you later. He normally relaxes after a few drinks.”
“I hope so. I hate it when I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Don’t I know it?” Clara muttered, which made Arabella giggle. At least Philip had chosen her friend to come with her; this was going to be incredibly boring otherwise.
And the evening was very boring. The people attending the dinner were more like Philip in terms of personality, and the only one who seemed to be of any interest was the host’s seventeen-year-old daughter, who was told to head up to her room once dinner had been eaten.
She wasn’t to be introduced to the ton for another year, and the daughter clearly resented being treated like a child. She’d been interesting and fun during dinner, barely anyone else talking to her, but Arabella was glad to have a refreshing person with her and Clara.
When the daughter retired for the night, it was just the two of them.
And Arabella was getting fed up with the stuffy room with the boring conversations.
The food she’d eaten sat heavily in her stomach, and she felt sick.
She hadn’t been able to eat anything properly, unable to look anyone in the eye.
It was as if she was scared of being judged for courting someone who had been arrested.
She knew it was false, and Alastair had been mistreated, but she couldn’t argue against the court of public opinion once it had made its mind up.
If they saw him as guilty, then that would stay until someone else came forward.
Arabella hated that. Guilty until proven innocent was just horrible.
She took Clara’s arm as they started to file into the drawing room. “Let’s go into the library,” she whispered. “I’m not in the mood to talk to any of the others.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Clara declared, nodding her agreement. “If I have to listen to one more talk about the latest fashions when it’s been repeated all evening, I’m going to go mad.”
“I would’ve thought you’d like talking about fashion.”
“It’s either that or discuss what happened to Alastair and listen to people attempting to be sympathetic to you, and both of those wear thin after a while.”
Arabella groaned. She hated being the center of attention, and this was not how to do it. They started to walk away when she heard a voice she’d been trying to ignore behind them.
“Lady Arabella?”
It was Lord Vaughn. Arabella’s heart had sunk when she saw him in the drawing room, and he seemed keen to talk to her.
She’d managed to keep away from him or focusing on something the host’s daughter, Emily, and Clara were saying, but there was only so much time she could do that before he cornered her.
And it was happening now, much to her annoyance.
Fixing a smile on her face that made her cheeks hurt, she gave Vaughn a slight curtsey.
“My Lord. I trust you’re enjoying your evening?”
“Very much so, although I’d enjoy it if I was able to have your presence for a while.” He tilted his head to one side as he regarded her thoughtfully. “I’ve been attempting to speak with you all evening, but you seemed more interested in talking to Miss Emily.”
Arabella shrugged. “It’s just how it is. She’s fun, and I like how her mind works. I’m looking forward to her becoming part of the ton.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to talk to someone who’s a bit more… mature?”
“I don’t think so.” She turned to Clara. “If you’ll excuse us, Lord Vaughn? I was going to take a moment with Miss Whitby away from the other guests. I’m very worn out from the press of people, and I need to have some air.”
“I’ll come with you…”
That made Arabella panic a little, but she fought it back, shaking her head at him. “I’d rather not have anyone else around me.”
“A lady shouldn’t go anywhere on their own without a male escort.” Vaughn stepped toward her. “If I accompanied…”
“I said no!”
The snapping response made Vaughn and Clara stare at her in surprise.
Arabella swallowed back her annoyance and took Clara’s arm, walking quickly away from Vaughn before she said anything further.
Why was it whenever she talked to the man, he just wouldn’t listen?
She could have a better conversation with a stone wall.
Clara turned to her as they entered the library. “He’s going to follow us, isn’t he?”
“I’m sure. But we’ve got a few minutes alone for now.” Arabella headed toward the windows. It was dark outside now, and she could only see her reflection staring back at her. “If I need to, I’ll slip out into the garden.”
“I can’t see Philip being happy with any of this.”
“I don’t care what he thinks,” Arabella snorted. “He knew I didn’t want to come here, and he can’t get me to be sociable when I would rather be elsewhere.”
“I know what you mean.” Clara moved to join her, leaning against the window frame. “Brothers are more trouble than they’re worth, aren’t they?”
“Families are, never mind brothers.” Arabella rested her head against the cold glass.
It felt soothing with how warm she was right then.
“I had a man who loved to gamble more than he loved his children for a father, and I have a brother who is so flimsy, I’m surprised he doesn’t fold at the slightest gust of wind. ”
“That’s an interesting way to describe him.”
“But I’m not wrong, am I?”
Clara smiled. “Not really.”
Arabella turned and settled onto the window seat, Clara beside her and taking her hand.
Arabella was grateful for the company, but she still wished it was Alastair.
He was able to comfort her when she needed it, and he seemed to know what to say to cheer her up.
So did Clara, but it was different. Alastair’s had a lot of warmth and affection. A lot of love.