. His head was full of Ivy, and the engagement, and the oppressive expectations his family had on him. Her laughter, her smile, the way her eyes c

sure from his father, the relentless engagement preparations, and the internalized gui

hough she had not said anything, Arnold knew it wa

longer he ignored Isabella. And he was being crushed by the weight of the inevitable, much as he wanted to ignore it all. Ivy had a right to know the whole story of

his thoughts. Sarah stood in the doorwa

ing for you. She's noticed you've

I've just had a

sing the door softly behind her. "If you

comforting, she had already heard about Ivy from him, and that didn't change the fact that he was in a

ing became jumbled, much like her thoughts, as the colors blended together. Arnold ate her up. Her heart bore witness to every

though; he was betrothed to a member of the royal family. What chance was there for her? However, each time she attempted to dis

s head. He was unable to continue acting as though nothing was wrong while his heart was

ed. But she knew she couldn't. She needed answers just as much as he did or maybe an excuse, of course, also as much as he

by the fountain. His face lit up when he saw her, but there

hed, taking a s

plied, her voice

ime, with the tension between them pal

p thinking about you, about us. It is really unlike me but this

heck. "You're engaged, Arnold. What

"I never expected to feel this way. I was just going along wit

ed. "Different cause of yo

love her,

f course not. But my family... My father expects this. Th

m. But there was no denying the truth of his circumstances. You can't continue this charade, she muttered. "Yo

ration and regret. "I don't want to hurt you or disappoint m

s obligations pressing down on him. But she could not keep putting herself in this vuln

de to me, stop thinking about me, you need to forget me,

bing her hand. "Please,

up in her eyes. "I can't do this, Ar

ellington was becoming more and more irritated with Arnold for his lack of participation. He had

he reviewed the guest list for the engagement

she looked at her husband. "He's been distant

sk at hand. This engagement is too important to be de

n tune with her child's emotions, and she could sense that som

e sat with her chaperon and drank tea. Isabella, meanwhile, couldn't get

y committed to this?" Isabel

ed an eyebrow. "W

w he's under a lot of pressure, but... I can't he

t nervous. It's a big event, and everyone's s

istent suspicion that something wasn't right-

He was getting attached to Ivy and too conflicted with his family's e

hat he ne

is father's study. This time, he wouldn't ba

tudy. Would he ever be able to escape the course his family h