The Duke's Wife (The Three Mrs #3) - Jess Michaels Page 0,75

a colt then, not breaking her. But if you saw an animal that was injured, one that lashed out or ran away when it was afraid, would you stomp after it, demanding it understand that you were a friend?”

“No,” he said softly. “I would go slowly. I would be gentle. I would earn their trust.”

Rhys glanced up at Pippa with a smile. “Woo her,” he said. “Win her heart and her confidence. You may have to face the past, yes. But in the end, it’s all about the future that you could build together, no matter the cost.”

Pippa’s expression softened, and for a moment it was like Nathan wasn’t even there. And while normally he would turn away from this display of intimacy, today he looked at it. Pippa and Rhys’s love had been hard won, he knew. But seeing it flow between them, he could see that it was worth it.

And so was Abigail. He just had to teach her that he was also worth the risk. That he would never let her fall.

He cleared his throat. “Your husband is a smart man.”

Pippa smiled at him. “The very smartest.”

“Then hopefully between the two of you, you can help me chart a plan to do exactly as you say. When I go to find her, I want to start down this road right away.”

Pippa nodded and came around to sit across from them again. “Then let us think on this.”

“Do you think it will work?” He heard the crack in his voice. Felt the pain that accompanied the question.

Rhys nodded. “I hope so. No two people in the world deserve happiness more than you both.”

Chapter 20

Abigail had thought to come to Celeste’s house and clear her mind, but the moment her friend had entered the parlor to greet her, she burst into tears. Now she sat on the settee, Celeste’s arms around her.

“Oh, dearest,” Celeste murmured as she rocked her gently, like she was a child. “Come now, tell me. Tell me what it is and let me help you.”

“You can’t,” Abigail whispered, and sniffled as she tried to right herself. She did not ever show this kind of vulnerability and she needed to stop it now. She sat up and wiped her tears with the handkerchief that Celeste produced.

“Is this about Gilmore?” Celeste asked gently.

Abigail considered denying it for a moment, but she needed counsel and guidance in that moment. That eclipsed all self-protective instincts.

“Yes,” she whispered. “We had an argument and he left. I’ve ruined everything, Celeste.”

Celeste wrinkled her brow. “What did you argue about?”

“He doesn’t like that I don’t want to join him and Ophelia at Rhys and Pippa’s at the end of the summer. He thinks I don’t want to pretend to care for him at a ball he wants to hold. He doesn’t like that I hold him at arm’s length, even though it is what we agreed to do.” She felt the tears welling back up and blinked to keep them at bay. “And now he left and I know everything is ruined.”

“He left? How long has he been gone?” Celeste pressed.

“I don’t know. He departed my study and then I c-came here.”

Celeste stared at her. “Oh. So he left…he left the room, not the house? And this was today?”

Abigail nodded. “Y-Yes.”

There was a moment’s hesitation and then Celeste reached out to take her hands. “I don’t disagree that these are serious issues, but…the argument doesn’t sound like it was so horrible. You are navigating a new marriage, one you were thrown into suddenly. There were bound to be waves in the water. You can’t believe that it would really cause such…” She trailed off and her eyes went wide. “Oh.”

There was something about her tone that was almost pitying, and Abigail shook her head. “Oh?”

“That was what he did, isn’t it? Erasmus.”

Abigail bent her head, trying not to let all the memories come back. “Yes,” she admitted once she had controlled her breathing. “If he left the room during an argument, then I didn’t see him again for days. And when he came back, he was never sorry. He wanted my apology, but I don’t think he ever gave one to me.”

Celeste shook her head. “I’m so sorry. He and I weren’t close. He never made me care for him or pretended to care for me, but I can imagine how painful and frightening that uncertainty must have been.”

“Everything was the edge of the end,” Abigail whispered. “Why shouldn’t I believe it is