Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 57

Dear readers,
thank you very much for your comments on the previous chapter. To say they made my day will be an understatement. Sorry I can only deliver one chapter this time. Enjoy it and I'll be thrilled to know what you think. Love you all.

All the way to the park, Matthew racked his brain for some good reasons for his absence last night, but until halfway through the journey, he couldn't seem to find one. Fortunately at the last minute, a sudden idea sprang to mind. He would tell Bella that he had the runs all day so he really couldn't come. However, he wasn't sure how she would take it, so he braced himself for the worst. When the carriage slowed to a smooth halt, he wasted no time and got out onto the curb.

Stepping past the open gate, he made his way across the lawn. The fresh scent of grass wafted up his nose and a gentle breeze brushed his skin. Not many people chose to take a walk in the park at this hour, and after a brief search over the uncrowded area, he found Arabella, standing by the edge of the lake with her back to him. A sudden rush and doubt hit him and his pace slowed, but he knew that delaying the inevitable would only prolong the torture. Taking a long, fortifying breath, he forced himself to call her.

"Bella!"

Matthew had expected to see her angry expression, but when she swiveled her head in his direction, her face showed only great distress. She rushed towards him and took both his hands in hers,
"Matthew, I'm glad you came!"

He nearly slumped with relief.
"Bella, I thought you were angry!"

She gave him a questioning frown.
"Why should I be?"

"Because I didn't turn up at the party last night."

"Neither did I! My parents have been locking me in my room after our little scene. They said they wouldn't let me spoil their plan. They want to marry me off to Bentley as soon as possible!"
She blurted, a sound of panic in her voice.
"Our ruse doesn't seem to work! The ladies of the ton are gossiping about us but Bentley doesn't seem to care. I think he is after my dowry. He is desperate for money."
She paused for breath. Overwhelmed with her rapid, incessant talking, Matthew still processed the information when she continued,
"Matthew, I need to disappear. I have to flee home and hide somewhere faraway."

"No!!!"
He startled her when he grabbed both her arms, as if to keep her in her place. When he saw her wince, he loosened his grip, but not withdrew his hands from her. He couldn't help himself, because the thought of losing her again filled him with unspeakable dread. Strange how he'd somehow managed to go on with his life without her for a good ten years. Now he couldn't even bear to live a day without seeing her.

"Bella, you're not going anywhere!"

"I must go! I don't want to get shackled with a man I can't stand to be with for the rest of my life!"

Matthew stiffened at the words. Everything in him rebelled at the thought of Arabella becoming somebody else's wife, bearing another man's children. Only imagining it made his blood boil, and every dark, vicious emotion in him seemed to spin out of control. It took all the strength he could muster to hold himself together and maintain his composure.

"Bella, listen to me! I know you're panicking right now, but it's not like you're going to marry him tomorrow. We still have time to stop him, to prevent this from happening!"

"But how?!"

"Perhaps if we do the... pretend kiss in front of him, he will get infuriated and stop pursuing you."

The worried expression still lingered on Arabella's face, but she seemed to consider the idea.
"Well, that's worth a try."

At her answer, his gaze automatically dropped to her lips, and the memory of their sweetness started a fire in his loins.