Chapter 17 ~ The Ball Part 2

The Duchess’s whimpering did little to soften Alexander’s heart as he realized she had intended for Henry to find them as he had. “Do you not realize that Henry has been my dearest friend since we were boys?” Alex’s tone was fearsome despite the low pitch.

“What you have incited is revolting to say the least, for you may very well have not only ended a dear friendship but ended a much desired union as well. If I find that his actions were anything but honest I shall retract my offer.” He growled, narrowing his eyes upon the shaken woman.

Gasping, Beatrice stared with wide frightened, eyes upon Alexander. A feeling of dread sank to the depths of her stomach. “My Lord, Ava loves you and I assure you she is not of loose virtue,” Beatrice cried out in vexation and fear. “I-I truly had not known Henry was a friend, I-I was only trying to put an end to his infatuation… to help him to see that she had moved forward.” The Duchess was broken and feeling at her lowest ever. Lower now than she had felt the day she had sent Annette from the house.

“You admit it then? You purposefully sent him to seek her out, knowing that she was in my company?” Alexander accusingly breathed. His anger and heartache grew more with each passing moment and every word spoken from Beatrice’s lips.

“You play a dangerous game with hearts that do not belong to you, My Lady,” he snarled, lowering his gaze to the pale frightened woman.

“The announcement will not be made tonight, for I am sure that I do not desire to be united with this family,” Alex spat out before turning and storming from the room. He ignored the sobs Beatrice emitted as he headed towards the only other place he knew Ava would be…

Beatrice sank to the floor as he left. Her tears flowed freely as she knew she did not dare fault Alexander. She had truly committed a heinous act and, worse, it was she that had broken the engagement. It was her fault that her outraged, fragile granddaughter would once again be shattered and this time she doubted her ability to repair the situation. Every time she looked upon Ava, Beatrice knew the young woman was falling fast and hard into the throes of love. It was a powerful, emotional, heartfelt, soul consuming love that not even she had been privy to during the beginning of her own marriage thirty five years earlier. A heartwrenching thought released a fresh wave of guilt and grief and another episode of guttural sobs. “What have I done…?” Beatrice stuttered between body consuming cries. “What have I done…”

Henry’s entire body went numb. His heart shattered like a crystal goblet at Ava’s words. Each love soaked statement flooded his soul with grief and guilt at his ill thought statement and purposeful actions against Alexander not an hour before.

Gruffly he pushed himself away, his entire body shaking with rage and pain. “I am terribly sorry Milady,” he snarled. The ache of his soul manifested itself into a physical pain, especially as he thought of how he had wasted two months pining for and mourning over Ava. Fighting his own growing emotions for Marianne, he allowed himself to hope.

“I-I should have known, especially when I found that my dear friend had been invited for you two are quite similar.” The words Henry spoke, though they pained him terribly, were truth.

He had known in the depths of his heart it had ended. He had always known that the cunning and charming Lord Alexander would suit her just as she would suit him. Still, Henry could not let it go nor could he bear to face reality. “Alexander is good man and I would wish no other for I know him well and he will never stray,” Henry sighed.

His words were laced with tears despite his attempt to keep them hidden. His body went tense and rigid.

His stiff stance was unwavering as Ava hugged him warmly, placing a gentle and friendly kiss upon his cheek, a kiss that burned his soul and shattered his heart.

“I figured I would find you here,” Alexander’s angered voice cried through the darkness of the woods.

The vision of Ava and Henry embracing was stabbing his heart with lethal precision as he made his mind up that they were in fact lovers. The heartache and loss shattered his little remaining sense of civility.

“I never would have believed either of you to be so callous and blatant as to sneak away during such an important event,” he accusingly ground out as he imagined that they had just enjoyed a long awaited tryst.

His words were darkly edged as Alex glared upon Ava and Henry’s proximity. The silhouetted sight of their form, shattered what remained of his heart.

“I’ve not the slightest idea of what you speak,” Ava breathed out. She was taken aback by his disregard and his anger and confused by his accusations.

“Alexander it is not as you think. Lady Ava has enlightened me in regards to her true emotions,” Henry hurriedly added, knowing full well what was going through Alexander’s mind.

“She is innocent and unless you wish to make a fool of yourself, I dare say calm down, my man,” he added nervously. He hoped that Alexander understood what he was trying to say. A part of him wanted to protect the girl from the ferocious temperament of his dear friend.

Alexander’s gaze fell quickly to Henry’s outlined form. The sudden surge of jealous rage wreaked havoc as Alex fought to control the desire to choke the man. “Henry return to your wife,” he ground out. He clenched his hands into fists and closed his eyes in an attempt to dispel the bilious thoughts that ran rampant through his mind.

Silently, he cursed himself for, at the moment, the last place he desired to be was in her company. He needed to be away and yet his legs stubbornly refused to move.

Henry understood Alexander’s anger. A fresh surge of guilt washed over him as he thought of the way he had played Alex. “My dear friend, I assure you it is not what you think,” he haltingly attempted to assure him.

“Henry… NOW!” Alexander’s thick angry voice cut through the cool air, each syllable reverberating through the night. His shout startled not only Henry but Ava and several of the creatures as well. He let out a shuddering gasp at the dark man silhouetted in the shadows of the trees.

Taking a tentative step forward, Henry listened intently to all the sounds about him. He jumped slightly as a frog dove into the pond with a gentle plop in the water. A bird called into the dark, its slumber disrupted. Some unseen creature hurriedly scampered through the leaves in an attempt to distance itself from harm.

If there was one thing he knew above all, this was a side of Alexander that was not to be ignored. This was especially true when Henry had already made a fool of himself and had inflicted pain and anger upon the two who meant the most to him. Stiffly, he moved through the dark.

He stopped when he was sure there was a safe distance between himself and Alexander and he spoke: “Lady Ava is in love with you Alex. In such a manner I must beg your justice and plead with your sensibilities. I could not bear to know that her heart is aching at my hand once more,” Henry softly explained.

The words invoked the breaking of heart yet again before he disappeared into the dark grove of trees.

Ava could not help the fluttering in her heart and nerves as she took a tentative step towards Alexander. Her confusion grew with each passing moment.

Pain engulfed her as she reached for him only to be coldly refused. “My Lord whatever is wrong?” Ava timidly questioned as fresh tears formed in her eyes at the rebuff.

The sight of Alexander standing before the pond his stance telling her he was angry with her as well, and all the pieces fit together as she recalled Alexander and Henry’s brief conversation.

“Please Alexander, say something…anything…” She breathed nervously.

Alexander’s anger was too much to bear. His heartache and the feeling of deceit were overpowering. For the first time since he’d met Ava his whirlwind of emotions turned towards absolute loathing.

“You gave yourself to him.” Alexander’s words were far from kind and reflected his belief in the matter as he unjustly accused her. The pained and tormented statement continued before she had an opportunity to defend herself.

“Are you with child, is that why you were so willing to accept my proposal?” he shakily accused. The heartbreak was tearing through his body and soul. It weakened him as he stared out at the glimmering water, tears forming in his eyes.

His words caught her off guard. Unable to wrap her mind about his accusation, Ava stared in silent disbelief at his powerful stance.

“I am not with child, it is impossible,” she whimpered, suddenly realizing that he believed she had lain with Henry.

“I accepted your terms out of love,” she whispered as she suddenly felt nauseous from the pain and heartbreak that enveloped her. “Please Alexander…” Ava fell silent as he turned his penetrating heartbroken and furious eyes upon her…

“I do not know what or who has given you that impression for I have remained virtuous,” she whispered, her voice cracking as the tears began to fall.

“Your pitiful plea will not work with me Ava and I pray that you find another fool to take my place before your condition is found,” Alexander spit out. The comment stole her breath as sorrow engulfed her.

“Did you think I would not know? I am not by any means lacking intelligence,” he continued ranting. His hands quivered with fury as his heart ached for her. “There is no point in your ridiculous attempts to assure me that you are indeed enamored, for as of this moment I sever all ties to you.”

With that Alexander stormed off into the dark, not bothering to wait for her and unable to spend another moment within her sight lest she see his heartbreak, a weakness no one but his sister had ever been privy too.