The Earl, the Lady and the Song of Love by Fanny Finch

Chapter 31

Nigel was returning home from a meeting when he spotted a familiar carriage in front of the teahouse. He knew immediately that Imogen had arrived in London.

 

She had told him she would be visiting to say hello to her family. He wondered if she had decided to stop at the teahouse for some refreshment or if perhaps she was meeting someone.

 

The weather was so wonderful that he had thought to walk home as his townhouse was only a few blocks away. He had also been looking forward to an early lunch after skipping breakfast.

 

I should let her be and continue on my way.

 

It was the right thing to do. Yet, he found himself crossing the street to the side where the teahouse had stood for decades.

 

Would she be surprised to see him? He could pretend that he had not known she was there, that it was simply a coincidence as he had been hoping to get some tea as well.

 

He stopped just as he reached the door. Why did he wish to see her? It was not as though it would do anything to help matters. He would only end up hurting her like he had been doing in the past weeks.

 

He knew she was confused, worried, probably going mad from wondering what was happening, why he had suddenly grown cold and distant.

 

He had wanted to tell her, many times. Yet, he could not bring himself to. What was he supposed to say?

 

I know you love another man. I am jealous because I love you?

 

She would laugh and remind him of his place, tell him once again that she had never made any promise of love and he would appear an even bigger fool.

 

How long will you continue this way then?

 

For however long it took.

 

Is this how you hope to win her heart? By pushing her away? How can she love you when you will not even perform your marital duties?

 

She must be grateful for it. What woman would want to lie with a man she does not love?

 

Excuses, excuses, the voice in his head chided.

 

Nigel remained affixed to the spot, more confused than ever on what to do. Indeed, they could not go on this way, not if he hoped to win her, not if he still wished for the day when she would love him half as much as he loved her.

 

Whatever was he to do?

 

He was still outside the teahouse, contemplating, trying to reach a decision when another carriage arrived.

 

As he looked up to see who it was, his blood ran cold.

 

Exeter.

 

It could not be, could it? It was not likely that he was here to meet Imogen. Even though she did not love Nigel, she had married him. How could she continue to meet another man in secret? How could she dare to have an affair?

 

He grew livid, his anger leaving no room for reasoning as he marched up to Exeter. He put his huge frame in the man’s way, stopping him from going any further. Exeter looked up at him, brows furrowed in perplexity.

 

“What is this madness?” The Baron inquired.

 

“I should be asking you. What is your business here?”

 

Exeter looked even more bewildered. “Pray tell me, how is that any matter of yours? Since when do I have to answer to your Lordship?” the last word was said with mockery.

 

“If you will not answer my question then I am afraid I cannot step aside. I will give you the chance to turn back and leave before I lose what little is left of my patience.”

 

Exeter was a good actor, that much Nigel would admit. The man truly looked as though he truly did not understand a thing of what was happening.

 

“I beg your pardon! I am here to see my lady. I promised her I would pick her from the teahouse. Who are you to stop me?”

 

My Lady.

 

Nigel saw red. “How dare you? How dare you call her your Lady? How dare you covet that which belongs to another man? How dare you hope to deceive her still after you so cruelly hurt her before?”

 

Exeter had the look of bewilderment.

 

“Have you gone mad? It is the only explanation for this nonsense. Step aside now and I shall forgive this insanity. You are already beginning to cause a scene I happen to have no desire to be a part of.”

 

He made to sidestep Nigel, but Nigel was quicker.

 

“I already told you, the only way to go is backward. You can walk no further.”

 

Exeter lost his calm. Planting his hands on Nigel’s shoulder, he pushed in an attempt to shove him out of the way.

 

That did it. Nigel snapped then and threw the first punch. Exeter wasted no time returning it and before they knew it, it was a full-blown fight.

 

A crowd had gathered around them and some men were trying to pry them apart, but Nigel would hear nothing of it. Exeter was the filth of the earth and deserved no mercy. After this was over, he would challenge the man to a proper duel and make him pay for daring to look at his wife. Daring to deceive her yet again with empty promises!

 

He felt a kick land on his shin and as he groaned, he threw an elbow jab into Exeter’s side, following closely with a blow to the stomach.

 

The other man cried out in agony, cradling his stomach for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Nigel made to throw another punch. He had barely raised his arm when a familiar voice pierced through the air, stopping him short.

 

“Nigel?”

 

He was afraid to turn, afraid that she had caught him in such a shameful debacle.

 

The baron must have decided it was a good time to strike. Nigel did not react quickly enough, catching the blow in his jaw before he could swerve. He would have returned the favor if he had not heard that voice again.

 

“Nigel, don’t you dare!”

 

“Jerome, stop this, this instant!”

 

They turned, towards the two voices.

 

Nigel already knew he could not have been mistaken. He would recognize that voice even if he were void of consciousness, so he was not surprised to see Imogen standing there with Miss Fitzwilliam by her side.

 

The latter must have been the one who had shouted Exeter’s name.

 

It suddenly dawned on him.

 

My Lady.

 

Of course, the Baron was here for Alicia, his fiancée. Imogen was obviously meeting with her old friend who had asked her fiancé to pick her up afterwards in his carriage.

 

He had been mistaken. This was not a secret meeting between two lovers.

 

Now that he thought of it, what lovers would seek to meet in a teahouse? Scandalous affairs had hidden rendezvous spots, known to only the people involved.

 

How could he have been so foolish? All this time, he had thought Imogen pined after the baron still. Like Ethan had said, he had never thought there could be another reason. Every time they had run into the baron, Miss Fitzwilliam had been by his side.

 

What if she was the one who had made his Imogen sad? What if she was the one Imogen missed? An old friend who had meant a lot to her? He had dismissed the thought when Ethan had mentioned it, but he should not have.

 

He knew more than anyone, how soft-hearted his Imogen was. Of course, she would miss her friend despite the betrayal. She would seek to make peace.

 

Filled with shame, he willed the earth open up and swallow him.

 

All that time living in pain . . . all he had had to do was ask and she would have cleared his misunderstanding. He was a fool. No more, no less.

 

He would never be able to live this down, he could just tell.

 

“Do you care to explain what is happening here?” she asked again, drawing him out of his thoughts.

 

Before he could find his voice, Miss Fitzwilliam spoke. “Not here. You two, follow us this instant.”

 

They went back into the teahouse, with a dozen pairs of eyes following them. Murmurs filled Nigel’s ears as they walked past people into the private tearoom Miss Fitzwilliam quickly requested. Nigel did not care about all those people and what they thought of him. His only concern was Imogen.

 

How did he hope to atone for the embarrassment he had caused her?

 

Finally, they settled into their respective chairs. The men sat, facing their women. They looked like young lads about to get a proper scolding from their mothers.

 

For a long time, nobody said anything. It was Imogen who finally broke the spell.

 

“So, are either of you going to tell us what happened, or do we have to find out for ourselves?”

 

“What was the meaning of such madness? What possessed you two to brawl like a pair of schoolboys?” Miss Fitzwilliam followed.

 

It was Exeter who spoke first, grumbling. “You should be asking him. There I was, on my way to meet you like you had requested and in comes Kensington. He steps into my way, demanding to know my business here. I thought it ridiculous and asked him why that would concern him. He would not answer. He continued to ask that I state my business. I told him I did not have to answer to him and asked him to step out of my way. I would have sidestepped him, wanting no trouble but he still would not let me. So, I told him I was here for you, My lady.”

 

The ladies nodded, urging him on.

 

He continued. “Next thing I know, he is going on about how I am coveting what belongs to another man and how I am deceiving someone. I could not understand a thing he was saying. I truly believe he had gone mad. You should have seen his eyes. Red, blazing. I would have thought he was drunk, but for the absence of alcohol on his breath. I ran out of patience and attempted to shove him aside. Then, he snapped like a beast and came for me. He threw the first punch.”

 

Imogen looked at Nigel, he still could not bring himself to hold her gaze. “Is this true?”

 

He lowered his head. “More or less.”

 

“Even if it were so,” Miss Fitzwilliam interjected, “You could have walked away, Jerome. You did not have to provoke him by pushing him. One would think you were just as eager for a fight.”

 

Jerome dipped his head in a vow. “Forgive me. I have no inkling what possessed me. I swear, it will never happen again.”

 

If Nigel did not have his own plight to worry about, he would have marveled at how meek the otherwise proud baron suddenly seemed. It would appear Miss Fitzwilliam truly had Exeter wrapped around her fingers, just like Imogen had him.

 

He knew better than anyone how love could do that to a man. Perhaps, the baron was not such an awful man after all, if he was capable of such a feeling.

 

Imogen drew in a sharp intake of breath. “And you, Nigel? What have you to say for yourself? What came over you?”

 

This was it. He wished he did not have to accept his folly with Miss Fitzwilliam and Exeter present. However, he could not bring any more disgrace to himself than he already had.

 

So, head still bowed, he told Imogen everything. From that afternoon at the teahouse all that time ago to this very moment.

 

When he finished, her jaw was dropped in awe.

 

“You mean to say all this time, everything . . . your coldness, the heartbreaking distance, this fight . . . it was all because you thought I was still in love with Lord Exeter?”

 

He nodded.

 

Just then, she broke into hearty laughter. Confused by her reaction, Nigel finally looked up at her.

 

Despite the circumstance in which he found himself, he could not help falling deeper in love with her. It was such a beautiful sight, seeing her laugh so hard. Its sound, glorious in his ears.

 

She eventually recovered. “I cannot believe this! Oh, Nigel! You are such a fool! I never even loved Exeter! I was only infatuated with him. I soon realized that when I started to fall in love with you. The difference was clear. The way I feel about you could never be compared to how Lord Exeter made me feel. It was Alicia’s friendship I was pining after, if you could call it pining. Never Exeter.”

 

Nigel’s heart stopped. Had she said love? She had fallen in love with him?

 

He swallowed hard. He could not have heard wrong, could he?

 

Imogen shook her head. “I cannot believe that we wasted all that time over something as silly as this. Why didn’t you tell me? No matter, I had the choice to ask you, but I could never bring myself to. I suppose it was the same for you.”

 

Nigel nodded. “I never seemed to have the words.”

 

She took his hands then, forcing him to hold her gaze. “I understand.”

 

He could tell that she did indeed understand. When she smiled at him, he knew that he was forgiven. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was as though a ton of weight had suddenly been lifted off him. He felt pounds lighter.

 

“Well, now that we have it all sorted, I suppose you two have some reconciliation to do. Apologize to each other now and end this quarrel once and for all. No one must leave here with grudges today.”

 

That was Miss Fitzwilliam. Smiling, the men rose to do just that. Afterwards, their ladies fussed over their bruises, much to Nigel’s delight, they spent the entire afternoon, drinking tea and beginning a beautiful friendship.

***

 

As noon neared its end, the couples said their farewells and parted ways. Deciding that it would be lovelier to walk, Nigel and Imogen sent the carriage ahead of them.

 

“I believe this is a story I am going to tell our children and grandchildren,” Imogen said, breaking the comfortable silence after they had gone a few yards.

 

Nigel’s response was a soft chuckle. “Shall we trade it for the spider tale, then?”

 

“No. They shall hear both.”

 

“I suppose I am doomed to spend the rest of my life in ridicule,” he groaned.

 

This made Imogen giggle. She realized that she could not bring herself to stop laughing. She was so happy. The day had been a good one after all.

 

Her reconciliation with Alicia and learning that Nigel had only been cold because of a misunderstanding. He might not have said the words—yet. However, the fact that he had fought another man on her account told her all that there was to know.

 

He cared for her. He most certainly loved her. All she had to do now was get him to say the words.

 

“Perhaps, I could bring myself to reconsider,” she said.

 

His brow arched. “You could?”

 

She nodded. “Yes. On one condition, of course.”

 

“Anything,” he readily replied.

 

“Anything?”

 

“Anything,” he repeated.

 

She smiled. I have him just where I want him.

 

She drew to a stop then, turning to face him. “Alright. I would reconsider on the condition that you finally tell me of your feelings for me. I am not mistaken to think that you do have some, am I?”

 

She watched as he stilled. She wondered if his heart was beating as hard as hers. If his stomach would not stop squirming.

 

Was this really it? The moment when all would finally be revealed? What if she would only have her hopes dashed once more, hurting her yet again?

 

“I love you, Imogen.”

 

Her eyes widened as those words rang in her ears, cutting her thought short.

 

Did she truly hear that? Or had she imagined it? As though he could hear her thoughts, he drew closer to her, repeating those words, slowly this time.

 

“I love you. I do not know when exactly I fell so deeply in love with you. However, I am fairly certain I started falling for you from the moment I watched you climb down those steps as a debutante. I have only loved you more and more, ever since.”

 

She was dreaming. She had to be. How could he say it so simply, so honestly, yet so profoundly? All this time, she had waited. All he had needed to do was this.

 

“Oh, Nigel! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

 

“I was afraid,” he admitted. “First, that you would refuse my affections as we had both decided we did not desire love. Then when I started to hope that perhaps you would accept, I began to believe you loved another.”

 

“You really are a fool, are you not? I have only ever loved you, Nigel. Only you. You know, I do believe we are both fools for I too could have simply told you, but I was afraid. Imagine all the heartache we could have saved each other.”

 

“You just said you love me, did you not?” he asked.

 

She smiled. “Yes.”

 

“Good. I wanted to be certain I had heard right, and I was not imagining things. That blow Exeter landed on my head was pretty hard!”

 

Imogen broke into another happy giggle. “No, you are not imagining it. And you are not dreaming either, because if this is a dream, then I must be asleep as well. I love you, Nigel. I am utterly in love with you, and I want to live the rest of this life with you, growing old and grey.”

 

He drew her into his arms, not minding that they were in such an open place.

 

“It would appear we desire the same thing, my love. What do you say? Shall we hurry home and finally become husband and wife indeed?”

 

Imogen suddenly grew hot. Her cheeks, aflame.

 

“You only need to lead the way, dear husband,” she responded, breathless.

 

He kissed her then, a soul-healing kiss that held all his love and promises of forever.

 

For the first time in a long time, Imogen knew that all was finally right in her world.