To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)

Chapter 16

"You're an idiot," Rosalyn snapped at her brother who was sitting on an armchair in his study looking like a lost puppy.

She wouldn't feel sorry for him, she told herself sternly.

"Rosalyn..." her husband interrupted. She held up her hand. She knew he'd ask her to go easy on Ralph.

"I've had enough of your lot. First you," she turned her stare on Theodore who began to mumble something about regretting coming here. "And now you," she looked back at Ralph.

"I can't believe it! We left you alone with her for all of half an hour and you managed to ravish her and then tell her that you wouldn't marry her. You're a monster!"

"I didn't exactly ravish..." Ralph began to say but Rosalyn asked him to keep his mouth shut. Ralph obliged.

"What are you doing Ralph? I've known you've had feelings for Alice from a very long time. And it seems like she likes you too. Then why don't you just marry her and put her out of her misery!"

Ralph was silent.

"Say something," she exclaimed.

"To be fair, you asked him to keep his mouth shut," her annoying husband said meekly.

Rosalyn merely stared at him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled again.

"Ralph? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It's so very complicated, Rosa. I wish I could tell you, but I can't," he groaned.

"You think I don't want to marry her?" he went on. "I just can't."

"Can't or won't?" She taunted.

Ralph pulled at his hair and covered his face in his palms. Rosalyn felt a twinge of remorse at his helpless appearance. She tamped it down.

"I didn't want to hurt her, I didn't want to make her cry," he whispered.

But Alice had cried anyway. Oh she hadn't sobbed, she had too much dignity to display her grief before an audience. But Rosalyn had seen her tear filled eyes. Alice had held them in with a lot of difficulty as she'd bid them goodbye.

So here she was with her husband, interrogating her brother. What she'd learnt so far made her want to rip his head off.

"And she said something about men only wanting to bed her and not wed her," Ralph murmured, not looking at any of their faces, as if in a trance.

Rosalyn inhaled sharply.

Was this what she thought this was about?

Yes.

"My love, can you give me a few minutes alone with Ralph?" she turned to her husband.

He immediately stood up and came to her. "Are you alright?" He asked, looking concerned. Rosalyn nodded, unable to speak.

She wanted to share it with Theo, but this was about Alice. It was too personal. Sharing it with Ralph itself was a breach of trust, not that Alice had extracted any promise from her.

He left then, after placing a soft kiss on her forehead, somehow understanding what she needed, that her heart was heavy.

"What is it, Rosa?" Ralph asked as soon as Theo exited the study.

She paced the room, coming to a halt by one of his shelf of books. She let her hand trail over the intricate cover of one of Ralph's books, losing herself in the memory of that night. That night, three years ago.

"Alice was in love, Ralph," she murmured.

"I'd doubted as much," her brother said stiffly. "What happened?"

"It was during her first season. They met during a ball that had been hosted to honour the navy. He was a part of the regiment. He was young, exceedingly handsome, dashing, well read...everything Alice had dreamed of and more. He claimed to be dazzled by her beauty and wit. He swept her off her feet the way a prince does his princess, he courted her secretly for more than a month. And then, during the Viscount Brook's ball, he asked her to accompany him."

Ralph remembered that ball, the same night Alice had caught him with Lady Agatha.

"What then?" He prompted because Rosalyn had suddenly fallen silent.

"Alice had been so happy, Ralph. She was gushing about how he was going to propose to her. And we were all so pleased to see her that way," she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.

Ralph felt something ugly forming in his belly. Dread. Remorse. It didn't take a genius to guess what was coming. But he remained silent, not wanting to interrupt his sister.

"She came back with you, I do not know if you recall. The light in her eyes was dead. And we all noticed the slight tear in her sleeve. Oh she laughed, for us, for her parents. But t'was empty, the sound. She said nothing about her beau. And we didn't ask," she finished sorrowfully.

Ralph felt his hands tighten on his armchair. He wanted to ask her who that spineless prick was, but she wasn't done yet.

"She recoiled from all men for months. She wouldn't dance and she wouldn't court anyone."

"She didn't recoil from me that night," Ralph said, confused. She'd been angry with him, but not uncomfortable, he recalled.

"Because she's always trusted you. Even that night, she trusted you to keep her safe," Rosalyn's smile was small, sad.

She'd trusted him and he'd behaved abominably, snapping at her without asking after her well being .

"Who was that man?" He asked, already prepared to kill him with his bare hands.

"Ralston," she said immediately.

Ralph hadn't even heard of this man.

"He was French," Rosalyn clarified.

"Where is he now?" He asked tightly.

"He left the next day, Ralph. The entire regiment left. And if he ever returned, none of us saw him or heard of him," she answered, much to his disappointment. He would give his right arm to shoot that man.

"I know we dealt with it badly, but we were unsure on how to approach the issue. She acted as if it never happened and we didn't want to cause her more agony by talking about it," Rosalyn said.

"I can't believe it," he whispered, unable to fight the sadness in him. He'd failed her. She'd trusted him, she still did.

Instead of shielding her from that pain, he'd been the cause of it.

"So I must ask you, Ralph? What are you doing? You think we don't notice, but we do. What do those stolen kisses and flirtatious smiles you two exchange mean to you? I hope you realise that Alice does not make a habit of such things. You're not just any suitor, Ralph. You mean something to her..." his sister was saying.

He knew.

He'd tried not to dwell on it, but he couldn't ignore the truth anymore. Alice Woodbury was just as crazy about him as he was about her.

But could he marry her? Would he be able to keep her safe if he did?