Miss Wendy Garren has resigned herself to one last tormented season in the Capital's condemning rich and titled high-society, under the critical and abusive eye of her parents, The Earl and Countess of Follies. At seven and twenty she knows she is t...
Rhys stayed in his sisters hug for a moment longer a feeling of overwhelming grief crippling him before he pulled back, turning to his brother-in-law he clamped his hand on his shoulder as he hung his head, he felt like he couldn't process all that he had learned of his cousin's widow today. He felt a slight relief that Robert was not alive to learn of her horrid deceit and the truth of her character.
"Rhys" Grace's hands fluttered all around his wrinkled vest lapels without ever really landing, a habit she had when she was worried "Whatever happened? Ian and I came to check on you after you were gone for so long but we would have never expected to find such a scene unfolding." Rhys almost smiled, he was sure Grace was determined to find out what Julia Fairly was doing here and was surely on her way to scold him if she had not stumbled on his forcing the lady from his estate. "What is this about Robert?"
The reminder of why he felt like he had been punched in the gut winded him all over again, his mind's eye could still see the young Robert, beaming on his wedding day and boasting of his bride's beauty and love for him. "Where is Wendy?" Rhys asked looking behind them and not finding his wife. He felt a pressing need to wrap her in his arms and draw comfort from her embrace, a feeling still so new to him as he was used to shouldering the world alone.
"She went out to the garden with the children, she's quite good with them, they've become attached to her rather quickly." Ian said after a moment of waiting for Grace to reply, only to realize that her gaze was pinned to her brother in sisterly concern.
"Maybe it's for the better if I explain to you two first." Rhys sighed and ushered them into his study, his eyes landing on his chair, he'd burn it. He decided then, he'd have Faron get a new one but the thought of that woman sitting in it when he had walked in earlier was etched in his mind and the chair seemed sullied forever. He moved to pour himself a drink as Grace and Ian settled themselves on the settee, their eyes watching him as he downed his glass in one go and poured himself another. Grace's brow furrowed with concern and Ian's face ever the picture of perfect concealment, only the way his eyes stayed trained on Rhys' form gave a hint to his worry.
"Several months ago, when I first brought Wendy home after the wedding it seems, Mrs. Fa..."He cut himself off "No, I cannot even bring myself to call her by Robert's name any longer, that woman, paid Wendy a visit, during which she claimed to Wendy that she was my mistress." Grace's gasp of outrage had him pausing as he turned to find her hand at her throat and a look of disgust painted on her face "Halt your scorns, sister dear. It was, none of it, true. I have never once given her even the slightest reason to believe she was anything more to me than my late and dear cousin's widow."
"Oh, Rhys!" Grace cried out "How awful Wendy must have felt, thinking that you had a mistress after the way your marriage came about! She must have felt so alone!" Ian grabbed his wife's hand in a way of comfort and to settle her.
Those words had Rhys forcing himself to swallow more of the bitter, biting drink in his hands, yes, how awful Wendy must have felt and yet he had been so wrapped up in himself that he had barely noticed. "I met with her today to set her straight about what she had said and to say what I found out has grieved me would be an understatement" He sat heavily in the chair across from them "I'm not sure if you remember, Gracie. You were so young but cousin Robert's marriage to that woman was not the love match that you were led to believe growing up. One late night when we were all very young a maid happened upon Robert and Julia in the study, I had actually just been on my way there after being told Father was waiting for me. By the time I got there Father and Mother were already there and quick work was made to cover up the scandal and see the two married. In private, seeing each other as brothers, Robert told me of what happened, or at least of what he believed to have happened."
Grace's eyes were wide and tears for a cousin she had also viewed as an older brother blurred her vision. "He told me that he had entered the library to return a book he had borrowed and Julia was there, before he could even fully walk into the room she threw herself into his arms and proclaimed her love for him, it was no secret to anyone with eyes how much Robert loved Julia and so it comes to no surprise he returned her proclamation with fervor. For all the scandal that there would have been at them being caught alone and in such a position, it seemed to matter little with how in love they claimed to be. I've learned now...that was not the truth of the events."
It was silent in the room as Rhys tried to gather his thoughts to explain the rest "She was waiting for you, wasn't she?" a soothing, quiet voice said at the doorway and Rhys turned sharply to find Wendy standing there with tears in her eyes, she wiped them away swiftly as they all stared at her "F-Forgive me, please I beg you" She stammered out "I am intruding on a family matter, I had only thought to see if I might be needed." She turned from the room to leave but before she could go Rhys was suddenly next to her, his large, warm hand wrapping around her small, cold one. She had not even heard him get up from his seat, she turned to look up into his face and saw the pain for his cousin pinching his eyes and a heavy sadness set in his features that struck her deep within her heart.
"Yes, she was waiting for me. She wanted the title and fortune that comes with being my wife." He suddenly clasped both of her hands in his "But you must know, I never sought that from her, nor did I ever accept any advances that she made. I kept in her circle after Robert died purely out of respect for him. I wanted to do right by him and not leave her on her own." Rhys suddenly dropped to his knees in front of her and buried his head into her stomach, shocking her that the strong, proud Duke she had come to know was displaying so much emotion in front of herself and their guests "Please, Wendy. Forgive me for being so blind, I see now that I have caused you pain that I never wanted you to feel. Please, know that it is only you in my life."
It was not a declaration of love, Wendy was not even certain how she would have been able to handle that. Even though she longed to hear that he loved her, it would have made her feel less foolish for loving him so strongly, she was so confused by everything between them at the moment. But she could only be glad that it was not as his sister and her husband stared at them. Instead it was an apology, something no one had ever thought to give to her before, though many evil words and thoughtless, cruel actions had been hurled at her in her life, none had ever been sorrowful for them.
"Please" She gasped out as she stepped back and struggled to pull him back up to his feet until he was standing tall and well above her again "I thank you for your kind words, Your Grace. Though I would beg of you to think nothing of what I felt, my feelings were minuscule in comparison to the betrayal you have learned was committed against your family. If there is any way that I could be of help to you, think of it as already being done." Her cheeks flamed as she stared down at the carpets covering his study.
His hand reached up and cupped her cheek as his thumb stroked a stray curl away from her face. "Sweet Wendy" he murmured and her cheeks burned brighter. "I only ask that you allow me to right any wrong against you, especially those done by me."
The moment seemed to stretch on in blissful peace until the silence was broken by the tactless whisper of his sister to her husband "See, Ian! I told you that they would be perfect together!"
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