A Marriage Most Inconvenient (Inconvenient Matches Book #1)

Chapter 51: Ben

With his heart in his throat and trepidation sending shivers skittering over his body, Ben raised his fist and knocked solidly on the door to Ophelia's suite at the hotel in Plymouth. The rap of his knuckles on the wood mimicked the pace of his heartbeat. He shared a hesitant look with his mother who stood, wringing her hands in the skirts of her traveling gown.

Thud, thud, thud.

The door opened partially as a maid peeked out from the gap between the frame and the door. The woman's eyes widened in shock as she threw the door open and dropped a quick curtesy, just as the footmen outside the suite had done. He walked into the sitting room in the suite, looking around as various members of the staff bowed and curtsied to him.

They had all been expecting him. They had all been expecting him because unlike him, his wife had had some faith in her spouse. That was how it was meant to be between husband and wife. That was a marriage that worked. This entire time he had thought that he had been the one trying to build a foundation, but when it actually came down to it? When they had actually been tested? She had put her trust in him and he hadn't even stopped to think.

He was beginning to suspect the self-loathing would become a permanent part of his soul.

'Who was at the door, Lilah?' Ophelia called out from the bed chamber.

'I'll fetch Her Ladyship in a trice, Your Grace. The doctor has ordered her to stay in bed as long as she is able. Her wrist was only sprained, thankfully. Nothing broken.' She rushed to reassure him, for the devastation must have been evident on his face. His mother let out a broken noise.

'Lilah, where did you get off to?' Ophelia pulled her door open and froze as Ben's veins turned to ice. Her eye had been blackened, her lip split and her arm was wrapped in a bandage. She stared at him, her eyes wide and frightened like a cornered animal before she finally said, 'No. Please. Please don't take me back to him. Ben, please. He will kill me.'

'Ophelia!' His mother cried out, reaching for her but Ophelia cringed away from her touch. He had never seen his mother wear her emotions so visibly on her face, but everything in her stance screamed heartbreak. She let her arms drop to the side and averted her face as it contorted with ashamed tears.

'He won't. I would never let anything happen to you. How could you doubt that?' He reached her in three large strides, enveloping her in his arms. 'He's dead. You and your child are safe. Even if he wasn't I would never let him touch you.'

'Dead? Truly?' Ophelia gasped, her eyes welling up with her anguished tears. When Ben nodded, she sagged in his arms and began to weep. 'Thank God! Thank God! I am so sorry.'

'You have nothing to be sorry for. I am sorry. I am so sorry that you thought that I would care about our reputation and place in society more than your safety. More than your life.'

'I thought you would be so disappointed in me. I thought you would think that Needham's words were more trustworthy than mine.'

His wife's accusations came back to knock the wind from his lungs.

Needham is wealthy, titled, English. He grew up in your world. Of course, his testimony, his word was worth more than some nobody from America. Of course, he will always have more value to you than someone like me.

Of course, Ophelia had not trusted him. She had been right not to. Look at what he had done with the person he loved above all others. He was not worthy of Ophelia's trust.

He would give anything in the world to go back to the moment Needham had handed him the torn letter.

'The only one who should apologize is me.' Lady Amelia finally spoke. 'I should have listened when you were trying to tell me. I should have protected you. I will never forgive myself for making you feel as if you had no choice.'