Miles knew his friend was right, but Bennett didn’t understand. No one could possibly grasp the immense depths of pain that consumed him each and every day. He was broken, a mere shell of the man he once was.
Turning his attention towards the manor, Bennett continued, “There may be one person who understands, but you pushed her away when she only wanted to offer her support.”
In a steely voice, Miles said, “I do not need- or want- Lady Edwina’s help.”
With a shake of his head, Bennett countered, “Regardless, the next time you hurt my cousin, I will have no choice but to challenge you to a duel.”
Miles resisted the urge to laugh. “You would lose. I am a trained soldier and sharpshooter.”
“Most likely, but I love my cousin and I won’t have her dishonored in her own home,” Bennett declared in an unyielding and resolute tone.
“For what it is worth, I am sorry,” Miles said, feeling contrite. “It was not my intention to dishonor Lady Edwina.”
Bennett gave him a knowing look, conveying both understanding and disappointment. “I am not the one that you owe an apology to,” he stated before making his way towards the manor.
Miles waited until his friend disappeared into the manor before he hung his head. What he had said to Lady Edwina was terribly unfair. Now he found himself in the uncomfortable position of having to apologize to her and make amends for his thoughtless words.
Chapter Five
Edwina hurried up the stairs as she fumed about her conversation with the arrogant Lord Hilgrove. He was truly insufferable, and his audacity to claim that his grief somehow ran deeper than hers only infuriated her more.
Who was he to tell her howsheshould feel?
As she entered the library, Edwina approached the tall windows that overlooked the sprawling estate. Lord Hilgrove was still standing on the lawn, clutching a mallet in his hands as he spoke to Bennett. He had a deep furrow etched between his brows, giving him an air of utter misery.
Lord Hilgrove’s gaze shifted towards the window and Edwina quickly crouched down, ducking out of sight. She didn’t want Lord Hilgrove to think that she had been spying on him- which she most definitely was not.
Her friend’s amused voice came from the doorway. “What, pray tell, are you doing down there?”
Remaining in her low position, Edwina replied, “I did not want Lord Hilgrove to see me from the lawn.”
“But why were you watching him in the first place?” Miss Bawden asked.
“I wasn’t,” Edwina insisted.
Miss Bawden’s smile only seemed to widen. “But you were peering out the window at him.”
“No, I came to the library, and I just happened to see him out there,” Edwina clarified. “It was all very innocent, I assure you.”
Stepping closer to the window, Miss Bawden said, “You can stand now. Lord Hilgrove is no longer on the lawn.”
“Good,” Edwina replied, rising and smoothing out her gown. “With any luck, he decided to shorten his trip and return home.”
Miss Bawden studied Edwina’s expression. “You are angry.”
“I am,” she confirmed, her jaw set in a determined line. “Lord Hilgrove said the most maddening thing. He said that the loss of my father wasn’t as terrible as the loss of his brother and wife.”
Miss Bawden raised an eyebrow. “Why should his opinion matter to you?”
“It doesn’t.”
“It appears as if it does,” Miss Bawden pointed out. “You are clearly upset about it.”
Edwina shrugged. “How can I not be? My father died and he tried to minimize my feelings.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Miss Bawden spoke gently but firmly. “Lord Hilgrove doesn’t have the power to tell you how to feel; only you do.”
“I should have known that you would take a practical approach to this,” Edwina muttered.