Bewitching The Recluse [BOOK 2 of Price Family Saga]

6. Chapter (Good Endings, Bad Beginnings)

Present Day, May 1757

For Bella, it proved an intriguing spectacle – witnessing a young couple so profoundly enamoured and content, even in the face of all they had weathered, including the haunting memory of Eliza's gunshot wound. Since that sultry August night when she had found no refuge in sleep, a good nine months had come and gone. Today, the Grays graced Mayfair House with their presence, breathing life into its opulent chambers.

Apart from the young lovers, the gathering included Daniel's younger brother, Felix, who bore a striking youthful resemblance to Daniel both in appearance and disposition. Their mother, Rose, the Duchess of Northumberland, added an air of grace to the assemblage. Bella's parents, John and Elizabeth, radiated a palpable sense of genteel pride, and her twin sister, Aileen, offered her own unique spark of liveliness to the affair, though she was somewhat frowning at that moment.

Rose was engaged in a spirited tête-à-tête with Elizabeth, while John found himself ensnared in an animated discourse with Daniel and Eliza. Across the room, Felix and Aileen exchanged clandestine glances filled with a touch of enmity, a dance of emotions in their own right.

In due course, Arden approached Bella, his presence a breath of fresh air to the gathering, albeit somewhat tardy due to his earlier engagements in the city.

"A thousand guineas for your thoughts," he chimed with a roguish twinkle in his eye.

Bella turned gracefully and offered a warm smile to her elder brother.

"I find solace in the fact that we have successfully navigated the tumultuous events of the past months and resolved the age-old feud to the contentment of both our families," she expressed.

Arden let out a sigh, prompting her to continue, "Well, at least, most of us. I extend my sincerest apologies, Arden, for I never intended—"

Arden swiftly interrupted her, his lips curling into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"All is forgiven," he replied, his tone gracious. Yet, the truth remained that Arden's mistress, Lynette, had been ensnared in a perilous game of lost chest with all its important secrets, and the scars it left were etched not only upon her body but also upon her very soul. Their relationship had been profoundly altered, and it seemed that there was no easy path back, especially not for Lynette, whose trials had transformed her so profoundly that Arden hardly recognized her any more. 

Elizabeth, his stepmother, regularly confronted Arden about the impropriety of a future duke being entangled with a mere cook, constantly reminding him of the consequences of such a liaison. While John, Arden's father, didn't overtly express his stance, Arden knew from earlier conversations that his father held a rather conservative view on the matter due to his own trials taking a commoner for a wife. And only his own complicated past prevented John from being hypocritical toward his heir.

"Ah, Arden, you've finally graced us with your presence!" Elizabeth exclaimed with great enthusiasm upon spotting him, deftly pouring a cup of tea without milk to his liking.

He offered her but a fleeting glance, for he could muster no more, and certainly couldn't maintain his false smile when gazing upon her.

"Our guests shall undoubtedly forgive my tardiness," Arden replied, hastening to kiss the Duchess of Northumberland's hand. "With each passing day, you become lovelier, and it truly suits you today, Lady Gray," he complimented her, even gracing her with a wink, much to Rose's amusement.

"You needn't flatter me so, Lord Arden, for I have no daughters to wed," she quipped.

"What a lamentable pity, Rose. I would have hoped for a more substantial intertwine between our houses," John commented.