Chapter 23
William stepped into the hallway, the door closing loudly behind him.. He took in a deep breath, then another, trying to ease the tightness that had spread throughout his chest and shoulders.
“Calm yourself,” he muttered under his breath. “You cannot leave this as it is.”
He walked a few paces, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.
You should have stopped her sooner. You should have ended this before it reached Mrs. Shaw.
He exhaled slowly.
Handle it now. Do not wait.
He turned and quickly walked back toward the dining room.
Lady Spencer was still seated, her expression fixed in a fierce scowl. Lady Arabella looked uneasy, fidgeting with her hair and staring down at the table.
William did not wait any longer. “Aunt, you had no right to speak about such matters in my own home.”
Lady Spencer sat up straighter. “How dare you speak to me in that tone in front of Lady Arabella!”
“You disrespected me in front of Lady Arabella. I will address it now,” William answered, his tone cold.
She stared at him, her expression sharp.
“You had no right,” William said again.
“I acted to protect you from disgrace,” Lady Spencer replied. “Someone had to. I have seen the two of you growing closer every day.”
Her words hung in the air, and William did not know how to respond.
Lady Spencer continued without hesitation. “Every time I visited with Lady Arabella, you found a way to avoid us and spend more time with the widow. You may deny it, but I saw it each time.”
She spoke as though she were presenting evidence in a matter of great importance.
“You cannot possibly marry a woman whose reputation you have already endangered.”
William stared at his aunt, blinking once, then again, not trusting himself to speak. His throat felt tight, and he kept his jaw still, unwilling to let anything slip before he really understood the implications of what she had said.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that some of what she was saying was true.
You avoided them. He thought. You avoided your aunt and Lady Arabella. You went to Mrs. Shaw instead.
The more he accepted the truth, the more clarity he found.
You left them every time. Because you wanted to be near her. Because you care for her more than you have admitted. Because she is the only woman you want to spend time with.
He took a deep breath, but it did not bring him any comfort.
He glanced toward Lady Arabella. Her face had turned red, her eyes were lowered, and her hands were tense around her napkin. She looked as though she wished to leave the room entirely.
She is uncomfortable. And you cannot give her what she hopes for. You have known that for some time. And now that you understand what you feel for Mrs. Shaw, it is too late. She walked away believing you deceived her.
He looked back at his aunt, knowing that he had to do something.
End this. End the discomfort. End the conversation before it becomes worse.
William turned without another word and walked out of the dining room, down the hallway, and out into the garden.
He walked across the grass with quick steps, enjoying the feel of the cool air against his face. He reached the stables, placed a hand on the nearest stall door, and inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent of the hay and horses calm him.
“Enough,” he mutters. “You need to handle this.”
He mounted his horse, settling into the saddle with a firm grip on the reins. The horse shifted once, then stilled.
William exhaled slowly. “Go,” he murmured, and guided the animal forward.
The ride to The Fox & Lantern was quick and familiar. He did not slow until the inn came into view. Once he arrived he dismounted, tied the reins, and stepped inside.
James was behind the counter, sorting bottles. He looked up as the door opened. “William.”
William walked toward him, his expression serious. “I need to speak with you.”
James nodded and gestured toward the quieter end of the counter. “I can see that. Sit. Tell me what is on your mind.”
William sat down on the stool and leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter. “My aunt confronted her,” he said with a sigh. “She said things she shouldn’t have. She brought up the position, the rumors, all of it.”
James frowned. “What happened next?”
“Mrs. Shaw realized I knew about my aunt’s interference,” William said. “She left.”
James let out a low whistle. “That is rough.”
“That wasn’t all,” William said. “After she left, my aunt accused me of spending too much time with her. She said everyone had noticed. And she said all of it in front of Lady Arabella.”
James studied him. “Was she right?”
William looked down at the counter. “Yes. I care for Mrs. Shaw. More than I ever meant to. She is the only woman I want to spend time with.”
James nodded, letting William’s admission sink in for both of them.
After a few moments James cleared his throat and then spoke plainly. “I am not the person who should be hearing this confession.”
William kept his eyes on the counter.
“If what you feel for Mrs. Shaw is truly as strong as it seems,” James continued, “you need to find a way to regain her trust. And if you can regain her trust, you may regain her heart.”
He rested his hands on the counter. “But you also need to be aware that if the rumors worsen while she stays under your roof, society will blame her far more than you.”
William nodded. He knew that James was right.
“There is one final thing you need to realize,” James said, a touch of sadness in his voice.
William looked up, bracing himself for what he was about to hear.
“If you truly care for her, you may need to step back instead of drawing closer.”
The thought of that upset William more than anything else that had been said that evening. He sat quietly, completely aware that every path forward carried a risk, and that the woman he cared for was caught in the consequences of his silence.