A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 37: Regrets

Dear Diary,
I always used to love solitude. It's odd
how quickly one can change one's mind.
Now I miss having someone beside me
in bed at night.

"He's already left for London?" Mrs Grey repeated with an incredulous shake of her head. "When?"

"During the night." Angel stared down at the teacup in her hands. It was embarrassing to think she had angered Nathaniel enough to make him leave his own house in the middle of the night. Her fingers tightened around the cup. But her own anger had been justified. He had lied to her. Used her vulnerable position to gain the thing he had apparently always wanted: her in his bed.

"Has he gone mad? Leave in the middle of the night." Mrs Grey tutted. "Why would he do such a foolish thing?"

Not willing to meet anyone's eyes, Angel focused on stirring her tea as she mumbled, "We had an argument."

The older woman was silent for a moment, and then she sighed. "That foolish boy and his temper. Always gets him in trouble."

Silence settled over the breakfast table where the family had gathered to eat, no one wanting to ask any further details. Or, almost no one. Nick leaned forward, her elbows on the table, and her green eyes alight with interest.

"What did you argue about?" she asked. "I argue with Nathaniel all the time, and he's never left for London afterwards. You must tell me your secret."

Angel choked back a desperate laugh. Sending him packing for London hadn't exactly been her plan. She wasn't sure what her plan had been, but not that. Now that she had calmed down, she found that despite her feelings of betrayal, she still missed him. Maybe they could have discussed things in a more orderly manner if they had waited until their tempers weren't running high. They were married, no matter the reasons why, and they would have to make the best of it.

"I think that is between Angel and Nathaniel," Mrs Grey said. "Finish your meal and then you can go outside to read in the garden. The weather is lovely."

"But—" Nick stopped short when her aunt gave her a stern look. "Very well then," she finished grudgingly.

After breakfast, Mrs Grey brought Angel to the morning room where they sat down on the sofa while Jessica took the younger girls outside. Jessica wasn't too happy about being excluded but had done as her aunt asked. Once alone, Mrs Grey gave Angel's hands a reassuring pat.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "Would you like to talk about it? I may not be his mother, but I know my nephew quite well."

A smile tugged at the corners of Angel's mouth. "I am certain you do. It was a silly argument, and we were both too upset to think clearly. I overheard him and Wortham talking in the library, and Nathaniel admitted to marrying me so he could..." She trailed off, her cheeks heating.

"Yes?" Mrs Grey prodded gently.

"So he could bed me," she finished in a whisper.

Mrs Grey inhaled deeply. "Did he now?" She shook her head. "I hope you did not believe him."

"I... I did." The words still rang in her head and were difficult to deny. "I know he doesn't love me, but I thought he married me to save my reputation. Hearing this was quite a shock. But maybe it's better—" A brittle laugh escaped her. "If he truly married me to have me in his bed, at least that means he cares in some way, rather than just seeing me as some damsel in distress that needs saving."

"My dear girl." Mrs Grey smiled gently. "Nathaniel definitely didn't marry you for either of those reasons. Whether they were small parts of his decision, I cannot say. The saving your reputation probably was, that sounds like something he would do. But it is obvious to anyone who sees the two of you together that he cares for you."