The Engagement - Regency Brides 02

by Kimberley Comeaux

  "Oh, yes, it is my business!" she declared, interrupting him.

  "You don't have to listen to her crying all day long and holding those sad little letters you return to her unopened." She took a breath and scowled at him. "Hasn't she suffered sufficiently?

  Or are you going to let her go on like this indefinitely?"

  Thomas tried not to be stirred by Lucy's words, but the vision of Katherine holding those letters and tears streaming down her face made him feel ill.

  "It is my intention to go on with my life, Lucy," he told her gently, not believing his own words. "Your sister will, too."

  Lucy shook her head sadly at him. "It wasn't her fault Theodora locked her in the room. My cousin had even made sure every servant was out in the garden, setting up for the party." She sniffed. "I can tell you Ambrose was none too happy about that. Said it was quite beneath his dignity."

  Every muscle in Thomas's body froze at her words. He didn't take a breath as he contemplated what that meant. "I beg your pardon, but did you say there were no servants in the house?

  None at all?"

  "None!" Lucy assured him. "I know because Theodora bragged about it to Cameron-because, of course, he was glad the wedding didn't take place," she said matter-of-factly.

  ' And when I asked Katherine about it, she said Theodora told her the same thing. My sister yelled and pounded on the door until she grew tired and cried herself to sleep. Theodora came back home with my father, and while he was out looking around the estate, she came in the house and secretly unlocked the door so it would look as if Katherine had deliberately stayed home from the wedding."

  Thomas closed his eyes as he thought of what Katherine had gone through, especially when he did not believe her.

  "Lucy, do your parents know any of this?"

  The young girl nodded her head, her bright golden curls springing about with the movement. "Yes, but I am not sure they believed her about the house being empty. I've tried to talk to them, but they won't listen," she said as if she were terribly put out about it. "Father keeps telling me he is too busy to talk, and Mother keeps crying and lamenting how they will never be able to face the ton again." She leaned forward and with a serious face confided, "It's quite daunting to live in a household where everyone is so caught up in their own feelings they won't let anyone help them feel better.»

  Thomas stood up and put out his hand to her, pulling her up with him. "I have to go to Katherine," he said quickly, knowing he could wait not a minute longer.

  Lucy's eyes lit up with hope. "You are going to forgive her?"

  Thomas put his hand on her smooth-jaw with affection. "I will do better than that. I am going to ask her to forgive me."

  Lucy nodded sagely. "Excellent plan. I think that will do quite nicely."

  Thomas smiled at her and gave her a big hug. "Would you like to ride with me back to your home?"

  Lucy surprised him by declining. "Oh, no. I snuck out to come and plead Katherine's cause to you. So I will have to sneak back in!"

  Thomas laughed and walked hurriedly with her out of the room.

  Thomas decided to take Sultan since the horse could get him there faster than a carriage or walking. As the wind ripped through his hair and clothes, Thomas prayed it wasn't too late. He knew he'd hurt Katherine today by his coldness and by allowing her to make a fool of herself in front of the entire village.

  He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't see a low branch hanging over the path. Leaves and dense branches hit him squarely in the face, almost knocking him off his horse.

  He slowed Sultan down a bit and gingerly touched his stinging cheek. He checked his hand and saw a smear of blood on his fingertips. Thomas grew aggravated at himself for letting the mishap happen. He needed to present a good picture of himself when he arrived at the castle, and here he was, his hair askew, his clothes riddled with leaves and bark, and his face bloody.

  Not exactly respectable standards.

  But it really didn't matter, he tried to assure himself as he took out a linen handkerchief from inside his coat pocket and held it against the scrape on his face. Urging Sultan on at a slower speed, he knew the only thing that mattered was making Katherine believe how sorry he was for doubting her.

  In hindsight, Thomas wished he'd heeded his brother's advice and tried to remember the time he'd spent with her in the weeks leading up to the wedding. Now he could remember how loving she was with him, how caring she was toward Tyler, and how beautifully her eyes lit up when they had shared that kiss.

  He'd taken great measures not to be so forthright again, but he had wanted to kiss her. He had wanted to take her in his arms, and now he had no doubts she wanted to be near him as much.

  Once he arrived, he handed over Sultan to a stable boy with instructions to wait a moment before taking him to the stables in case Katherine would not see him.

  A less than friendly Ambrose opened the door and reluctantly showed him in, making him stand in the grand foyer to wait for the duke.

  He was taken aback when the duke rushed into the room, spouting apologies even as he came through a doorway. "I am so glad you've come, Thornton. I must apologize again for my daughter's behavior. She used to be such a good girl and-"

  Thomas held up a silencing hand. "Your grace, please," he interrupted before he became irritated that the man would say anything else about his daughter. "I did not come here for apologies. I came because I must see Katherine!"

  The duke frowned and gaped at him in a moment of stunned silence. "What happened to you, son? Were you set upon by highwaymen?" he asked as he took in Thomas's rumpled clothes and scraped face.

  "It was a branch," he muttered, agitated at having to answer when he needed to speak to Katherine. "Now about your daughter, your grace, I-"

  "Why do you need to see her? Hasn't she tried to apologize to you in letters?"

  "Yes, and I thoughtlessly sent them back unanswered," he admitted. "But you have it all wrong, your grace. It is I who needs to apologize to her. I had thought she was lying when she said Theodora had locked her in her room."

  The duke shook his head. "Yes, yes, but I still am not sure I believe that. Surely she couldn't have routed all the servants out of the castle! It's been my belief Katherine stayed home, and by the time she realized she wanted to marry you, it was too late. So she lied," he theorized.

  "But she didn't," Thomas insisted, hoping he could set the matter straight. "Theodora admitted to Cameron she had done the deed and devised a scheme to get all the servants out of the castle so she could accomplish it. Katherine apparently cried until she finally fell asleep in exhaustion."

  "Oh, dear. I feel quite guilty for not believing her. I have been quite severe upon her for the last two weeks," the duke told him, his gray eyes troubled.

  "Ambrose told me Katherine had not returned home from her trip to the village. Do you know where she might have gone?" Thomas asked, his voice growing more urgent as the need to see Katherine increased.

  He was devastated when the duke shook his head sadly. "I am afraid I don't know. You can wait for her here if you'd like."

  "No," Thomas answered emphatically. "I have to find her. I have to let her know I believe her."

  "You might find her either in the moat or by the bridge that spans across the narrow part of the lake, Thornton,"

  Ambrose answered, stepping into the room.

  "The moat? Do you mean my daughter spends time in that great ditch around the castle?" the duke asked, clearly distressed by this. "She would almost have to use her hands to get in or out of there. Quite unladylike! Quite!" he stressed, apparently already forgetting he owed his daughter an apology.

  Lucy was right about her parents. They were not the most attentive in the world. "Regardless, your grace, I will go and look for her."

  He turned and walked toward the door Ambrose already held open for him. "I pray good news about renewed wedding plans will follow upon your return, sir," the old butler whispered.
/>   Thomas paused a moment to pat him on the arm with an assured smile. "I'll do my best, Ambrose!"

  "Excellent, sir."

  The moat, unfortunately, was empty, so Thomas ran down to the lake, stepping over bushes and foliage, praying he wouldn't trip and further damage himself.

  He came upon the clearing and beheld the shimmering waters of Ravenhurst Lake. The sun's reflection cut a bright path across the ripples made by the wind, and Thomas felt compelled to follow that path with his eyes.

  There in the distance, through the trees, he could make out the curved bridge and someone sitting on its railing.

  Horror struck his heart as he saw it was Katherine and she was leaning forward as if to jump in.

  "Katherine!" he yelled as he ran along the lake's bank, waving his hands, trying to get her attention.

  Her head popped up, then she glanced around as if trying to find the source of the noise. Her gaze landed on Thomas as he came barreling out of the trees.

  Her surprise over seeing him startled her so much, she began to tip forward. A yelp escaped her throat as she grabbed onto the railing, steadying herself.

  Thomas's mind was not thinking rationally, and his first thought was that she was about to throw herself off the bridge. He sped to the bridge, and before she could say anything, he grabbed her waist and pulled her from the bridge.

  "Don't do it, Katherine," he whispered with great anguish in her ear, holding onto her with her back to his chest. "I could not bear it if you were gone from me."

  "Thomas?" he heard her call out softly, and with a smile, he hugged her closer.

  "Yes, darling?"

  "Let-me-go!" she demanded, putting more emphasis on the last word as she broke his hold on her and whirled around to face him. Thomas was shocked by the anger blazing in her golden eyes.

  "Katherine, I've come to tell you-"

  "I don't care what you've come to tell me, Thomas. You nearly scared me to death." She pointed jerkily to the railing.

  "I could have fallen off this bridge!"

  "But I-" He stopped when he realized what she'd said.

  With a questioning frown, he shook his head in confusion. "I thought you were about to throw yourself from it. I came to rescue you!"

  Katherine stared at him as if he'd completely lost his mind.

  "Why would I throw myself off the bridge?"

  "Because of how I treated you in town."

  She gaped at him. "You think I would kill myself over you?"

  Thomas had the grace to blush at such a bold assumption.

  "Well, I-"

  "Thomas, you truly must think I am stupid." She shook her head in disgust. "First of all, I would never think of killing myself over anyone, least of all you. And, second, if I did, it wouldn't be jumping off a bridge into two feet of water," she said, her eyebrows raised and her hands folded over her chest.

  Thomas glanced over the railing and, upon seeing the muddy bottom, looked back to Katherine. "Then forgive me, Katherine. I did not stop and think about anything when I saw you leaning over. Especially when I have something of great importance I must speak to you about."

  Katherine eyed him with a wary expression. "What could you have to say that you haven't already said?"

  Thomas prayed God would help her understand and forgive.

  "Lucy told me Theodora admitted to your brother she locked you in the room, then sent the servants out of the house so they would not hear you call out," he explained, his voice rushed.

  He expected her to be happy he finally believed her. In that moment, he realized his understanding of the female mind was limited.

  "I had already told you it was Theodora's fault!" she snapped back.

  "But you didn't tell me about the servants," he tried to reason.

  It seemed perfectly logical to him.

  "You should have believed me in the first place, Thomas Thornton. Instead, you stood there and peered down your nose at me and passed judgment. I told you I loved you, and you threw it back in my face. Then you humiliated me in front of the whole village."

  But he stood there and allowed her to voice her anger, knowing he deserved every accusation.

  "You are right. I-"

  "Do you know how much I have cried?" she continued, ignoring his attempt to talk. She was pacing back and forth on the small bridge. "And now you think I should fall at your feet in gratitude because you have decided to believe me. And not"-she added-"because of anything I have said. Oh, no.

  But you do believe my little sister." .

  "Katherine, please. Everything you are saying is the truth.

  But I think I knew all along, in my heart, that you loved me.

  It was just my pride that held me back."

  She whirled around and narrowed her eyes at him. "And where is that famous Thornton pride now? Hmm?"

  He held her gaze for a moment, and despite the anger on her face, he could see the hurt and love in her eyes. "My pride is lying at your feet, my beautiful Katherine," he answered her softly. 'I know I should have listened and trusted you." He walked closer to her slowly, as one might approach a scared animal. "But if you'll forgive me, I will vow to you, in the presence of God, that I shall trust you with my whole heart from now until I die. I will protect you and never doubt your love for me, my son, or any of the children we will have."

  She still was not giving in, but Thomas could see her indecision.

  "If we have children."

  "When we have children, Katherine." It was a promise. "I want us to. marry and start creating our life together as quickly as possible. We have already missed two weeks, you know."

  Tears filled her eyes, and he could tell she was fighting her emotions. "I do not know how I should bear it if you did not truly believe I love you. I had set about to do a horrendous deed to you and your family. How can you forgive me?"

  Thomas smiled, taking her bands into his own and pulling her closer to him. ' As I have studied the Scriptures and realized how Jesus forgives our sins, He expects us to do no less.

  For me to hang onto my hurt and anger over what you and Theodora had planned would be to rob me of a life of joy with a woman God has put into my life. I believe you when you say you realized you loved me and could not go through with it. But more than that, Katherine," he whispered as he kissed her bare fingers, "I believe that even if you had not loved me; you would not have gone through with it."

  Through her tears, Katherine smiled up at him with an expression of relief "You're right. I felt so convicted from the very beginning. God was trying to talk to me, and finally I broke down and asked for His forgiveness. He truly changed my heart, Thomas. He took away the bitterness I held toward your brother so I could truly love you without any hindrances."

  Thomas could hold back no longer. He felt as if a great load had been taken from his shoulders as he leaned down and pressed a jubilant kiss to her waiting lips. "Will you marry me, Katherine?" he asked.

  She nodded as new tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.

  Only this time they were happy ones. "Yes! Oh, yes, I will marry you!" She threw her arms around him, and he held her tight for a long moment.

  Finally he leaned back and said, "Let's do it right now."

  She searched his eyes as if trying to gauge his meaning.

  "Do what right now?"

  "Get married!" he exclaimed and laughed when her eyes widened. "The vicar still has the license, and the banns have already been posted. We can marry right now, just the two of us."

  She smiled, then seemed to think of something. "We can't marry without Ty! He must be here with us!"

  Thomas's grin could not be any larger. "You are right! Let's go to the vicarage and let the vicar send one of his servants for Mrs. Sanborne and Ty."

  Katherine tucked herself back into his embrace, laying her head upon his chest. "I cannot wait to be your wife, Thomas."

  He kissed the top of her head. "And I cannot wait to call you my wife!"

  She looked
up to smile at him but just as abruptly frowned.

  "Thomas? What happened to your face? Were you in a fight?"

  Thomas shook his head. "I was in such a hurry to find you that I'm afraid I met head-on with a tree limb." His smile was self-deprecating as he explained.

  Katherine grinned and gently touched his scratched cheek, which had finally stopped bleeding. "You show no scars or signs of wounds from your time spent in the war or during your shipwreck, but now you'll have a tiny scar on your handsome face, all because you were in a hurry to see me."

  She smiled brilliantly at him. "I believe I like the sound of that. When I tell Lucy, she will declare it your most romantic gesture to date!"

  "I am wounded, and you are pleased about it," he observed, slightly bemused. "Will I never understand the workings of the amazing female mind?"