A Solemn Promise

XXIII

"After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her." Mark Twain, Diaries of Adam & Eve

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XXIII.

Adam faced Sarah on the twin settees positioned by the fireplace in her bedroom. She sat beside her mother as chaperone. Sarah appeared very nervous, and not at all put together as she usually was. He had surprised her, as it was still very early.

Really, he should have waited, but when was an appropriate time to break an engagement? The sooner they both understood their futures, the better. He could not let Sarah think there was a future between them for a moment longer.

"Lady Sarah, I am terribly sorry to hurt you," Adam said sincerely, his voice low. "But I cannot go through with this marriage. It will not work between us."

Sarah allowed her lip to tremble for a moment before she concealed her face with her handkerchief as she buried her face into it. Lady Ashley, however, did not conceal her feelings. Her eyes flared in a moment of pure rage.

"What is the meaning of this?" she hissed furiously, putting a protective arm around her daughter. "How dare you!"

Adam did not know what to say to make anything better. He knew nothing he could say would make it better. They both had a right to be angry. But he honestly could not feel guilty for feeling deliriously happy in that moment. He had spent the last month in utter misery, and he knew there were incredibly dark days ahead. For this brief moment, he wanted to be happy.

"I am sorry," Adam repeated. "I am so sorry," he added, looking upon the quietly weeping Sarah. He did feel very awful for hurting Sarah, as she didn't deserve it. She was young and beautiful, and she believed herself in love. Adam hoped that when she really fell in love, she would know that she had not lost anything to Adam.

"We had an agreement," seethed Lady Ashley. "Your mother and I had arranged everything! My husband is arranging my daughter's dowry as we speak! The engagement was announced!"

"And I beg you to please blame me," Adam offered. "I will wear whatever repercussions there are."

"Who else would I blame?" spat Lady Ashley.

"Is it her?"

Both Adam and Lady Ashley looked at Sarah, who had pulled her handkerchief away from her face to look upon Adam. Her eyes and nose had quickly become red.

"Who, darling?" pressed Lady Ashley.

But Sarah didn't answer her mother. She simply looked upon Adam with sad, quizzical eyes. "Is it?" she asked again. "I ... I hadn't suspected until ... it all made sense ... you even called me Grace once at a ball in London ..."

Adam nearly choked on his own tongue. Had he? Sarah certainly hadn't said anything, and he certainly didn't remember doing that. But it simply displayed how deep Grace was in his veins. Even when they were estranged, she was never far from his thoughts.

"And when she spoke of you yesterday," Sarah continued, her voice a little stronger now, "and I saw her eyes ... it wasn't only the colour that clicked, but the care she had when she ... she wanted me to protect you ..."

"Darling, who are you talking about?" Lady Ashley demanded to know.

"Denham, Mama," Sarah cried. "He's in love with her! And she's in love with him!"

Lady Ashley gasped in shock as her angry glare returned to Adam. "Oh, good Lord!" she spat. "A servant! What a vile little vixen!"