pretending. She was tired of the fortress of stone she’d erected around herself.
A forlorn smile curved his mouth. “My greatest cross to bear was that you reminded me of her. Your mother. And those months after her death, I couldn’t bear any reminders of her. I wanted to lose myself in a world that held no connection with our life together. Heavens, I remember you used to look up at me as if expecting me to make everything all right when I was barely holding onto my sanity.”
For the first time in her life, Amelia felt the depth of her father’s grief at the loss of his wife. All her young life she’d seen him as a father, infallible and indestructible. But he had also been a husband who had probably lost a piece of himself when the woman he loved had passed away. And his grief was compounded, not relieved, with a living, breathing reminder of that inconsolable loss. Her throat locked up, making speech impossible.
“But that is no excuse for how I handled your upbringing. After your illness, you became distant and cold. I should have known it was more than your mother’s death. I should have pressed harder. However, I’m embarrassed to say, I was relieved that you were no longer looking to me for answers or for comfort. Thomas’s problems—financial issues—I could solve. With you, as I said, I was ill-equipped, ill-prepared, and wholly inadequate.”
Thomas. The sound of his name burned her ears; memories of him tore at her weak and battered heart. “I always believed you loved Thomas more than you did me.”
Her father looked stricken in the ensuing silence. Slowly, he raised his hand to gently cup her cheek. “If you fail to believe anything else I say, believe me when I say I love you above all others.” He then pulled her close, and she stood pliant as he enfolded her into his arms. It had been so long since he’d held her like this. Soon, she was returning his embrace, holding onto him tighter as time progressed.
A minute later, he drew back and held her at arm’s length. “I will endeavor to make it up to you. All of it.”
Amelia smiled tremulously. “I’d rather we start fresh.”
Pulling her to him again in a brief hug, he said, “A fresh start it will be.”
What Amelia wouldn’t give to hear those same words from Thomas.
Chapter 31
Thomas should have breathed a sigh of relief when he crossed the threshold of Stoneridge Hall; instead he felt the emptiness of knowing Amelia was gone.
It had been three weeks and four days since he’d seen her. Midnight would add yet another day to the crawling total.
Harry had taken her home, back to Fountain Crest. His letter informing Thomas of this had arrived at his residence in London three days before. It was a timely departure as his mother’s winter ball was set for this evening. At least he wouldn’t have to see her.
“Thomas, you are late,” his mother said as she coasted toward him, her chartreuse taffeta and tulle gown floating about her. She kissed his cheek in the manner of a mother affectionately admonishing her offspring.
“Good evening, Mother.” He wanted to protest he wasn’t that late. In fact—he glanced around—he appeared to be one of the first people there.
“I have so many little things to tend to before the guests begin to arrive and every one of the servants is occupied. Dear, would you mind terribly if I asked you to check about the place for the punch bowl. I’ve mislaid it somewhere, I simply cannot remember where. Oh, and you can store your coat in there. I have no idea where all the footmen could have gone.”
Thomas glanced around, noting the frenzy of activity in the brightly lit Stoneridge Hall. It appeared his mother had emptied the biggest local candle shop of its inventory.
“You might want to start with the library. I believe I went in there earlier for some reason or another.” She finished with a motherly pat on his hand, before turning and hurrying toward the ballroom.
With his great coat draped over his forearm, Thomas strode down the corridor to the library. It too was brightly lit although the curtains were closed. He walked over to the brown leather armchair. His coat fell to the floor at the same time his mouth fell open in dull surprise.
A wide-eyed Amelia stared at him from the sofa. She looked ravishing in a lavender gown, the neckline