An Acceptable Marriage (BOOK 5)

Chapter 16

The next morning Arabella awoke feeling refreshed and clearheaded with a grim determination to speak to Bertram and explain to him what happened the night before.

She waited for him at the breakfast table barely touching her tea and jumping at the slightest sound.

However it was clear after half an hour that Bertram wasn't going to wake up anytime soon so she finished her cold tea and had a slice of bread before going back upstairs and listening outside of Bertram's bedroom where she could hear his light snores. For some horrible reason she imagined that he wouldn't be in there, that he had left and done something to get himself killed. She opened the door a crack and peered in to see the lump of her husband's form under the blankets. She pushed the door open and slipped inside, tiptoeing over to look at him.

In sleep he looked even more handsome, his face set in a serious frown, his eyebrows drawn together and his mouth slightly slack. He could be the face of a classical statue with his strong nose and high, fine cheekbones.

She rested a hand on his cheek which had a smattering of stubble so pale she could barely see it. He was warm and as she touched him he shifted slightly, murmuring in his sleep before becoming still again.

She bent over and kissed his forehead gently, half afraid he'd wake up, before leaving the room again and shutting the door.

Timmins handed her the mail as she entered the drawing room and she flipped through it, finding, to her surprise, a letter from Oliver's longtime friend William Brown who had gone to Italy with him.

She opened it and read with mounting dismay:

Dearest Arabella,

I hope you and your husband are well, I am sorry I could not attend the wedding, I would have loved to.

I am writing because Oliver is too distraught to think of practicalities; it seems that his darling Valentina was engaged and is now married to a successful surgeon. Oliver is fraught with sorrow and betrayal. He has been drinking heavily which you know is most unlike him and I have not seen him sober for quite some time. You know he is my dearest friend and I cannot bear to see him like this. I worry for him also, as he has made threats to throw himself off of bridges or to ingest some toxin that would end his life. You and I both know Ollie is usually the most mild tempered and agreeable fellow so seeing him like this is nothing short of alarming. I am writing to ask what I should do for I am not equipped to have any knowledge in this matter and as you are his closest sibling, both in age and affection, I thought I should write you.

Affectionately,

William B.

The letter was addressed nine days ago and who knew what pain her brother was going through. He had always been a somewhat innocent boy who felt strongly about everything and obviously was not taking this development lightly. She remembered how adamant he had been about wedding her.

And the child? What had happened to the child? Was she with his child even as she married another man?

She hastened to the desk to write a letter back to William though she hardly knew what to do herself.

Dearest William,

Forgive me if I do not deal in pleasantries in the moment, how is my brother? Is he any better? I shall send a telegram before you receive this so by the time you've read this I hope I shall be aware of his condition.

However I must ask this, and it is a delicate matter, but to my understanding there was a child—what happened? Is Miss Valentina still with child? It surely must be showing by now. Has something terrible happened? Why did she marry this surgeon?