His Innocent Rose (Hinley Manor Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-two: Mine

"Truth demands confrontation. It must be loving confrontation but there must be confrontation nonetheless."
-Francis  Schaeffer
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Hinley Manor

Damian's room

Peterson was helping him disrobe and change into a simpler riding habit. He planned to leave by the back door instead of announcing to the guests that he and his wife would now consummate their marriage. He did not need to humiliate Lydia further.

"That is all, Peterson. Be a good man and have them draw the carriage would you?"

"Yes my lord." Replied the servant.

After the door closed, Damian turned to look outside the window. He could see the people dancing from up here. His mother and father seemed pleased with everything and he let out a sigh. He did lived to please them at every turn. He wondered what would have happened had he followed his brother's footsteps. If he went to Portham and worked physical labor, slept in a shared room, ate very little or none for dinner. Would they still give him Hinley?

His thoughts halted when a knock came sounding outside. "Who is it?"

"It's me brother."

Damian went to the door and pulled his brother inside. He then looked to the left and right to make sure no was there. Once the coast the clear he slammed the door and locked it.

"Why are you hiding up here?" Dathan asked. He looked his brother up and down. "And why are you dressed in a riding habit?"

"I do not want people to gawk at us when we leave for the cottage. Lydia and I shall leave through the back." He replied.

"I see." But Dathan's mind was whirling around. He planned this afternoon different but his brother outsmarted him, again. "Can you spare me a few moments then?"

Damian was ruffling through some papers before putting them inside his satchel. "Go on."

Dathan inhaled deeply. How was he going to say this? He figured he could just be affront with his brother. "I know about you and Emelia."

Damian paused. His eyes slowly moved to his brother. His face looked guilty. Dathan's knuckles crunched but he fought himself back. "Brother, I can explain."

"Can you now?" He snapped. "How long have you been snooping around with her?"

"I was not snooping around with her. We had feelings for each other, yes. But that is on the past. We have since long moved on."

"Is that so? Or did you just dropped her off because you have your Lady bride now? Was Emelia not enough? Was it because she was a servant?"

"I cannot fathom why you are upset, Dathan. And I certainly do not have the time to answer these questions right now. Can it not wait some other time?" Damian closed his satchel and made his way towards the door but Dathan beat him to it.

"I am not upset, I am mad brother! Because she was our friend. You knew what she had been through and we could have been the brothers she never had but instead you chose to play with her emotions. What sort of gentleman does that?"

Damian sighed. "Spoken like a real gentleman, brother. Are you not the ladies sort of man? Who left women hanging for your attention when you've already moved on to another?" He shook his head. "I did not play with her emotions. I loved her, Dathan. Ever since we were little. We sort of grew closer and...and we were young. We thought we could beat the world together. When we separated ways five years ago I thought I'd forget about her. I thought she'd grow her fondness with someone else." He touched his brother's shoulder. "I did not mean to hurt her. When we came back I realized I still had feelings for her. And she felt the same."