Rejection Runs Deep (The Canleigh Series, book 1: A chilling psychological family drama), Carole Williams [ebook reader 8 inch .TXT] 📗

fitted wardrobes in the dressing room, all in Ruth’s favourite colours of pale green and cream, creating an oasis of calmness as soon as one stepped inside.  Ruth was overwhelmed when she saw it and her love for Charles was cemented even further and grew deeper and deeper as their idyllic life together continued.  She was so lucky to have found such a wonderfully kind and thoughtful husband.  She had never thought it was possible to be so happy, content, and full of joy.

Although being an actual Duchess took a bit of getting used to.  She was still in awe of the fact that she was the mistress of Canleigh and was married to its master, wondering sometimes if she was in a dream and would wake up one day and her lovely life would come to a crashing end.  But it was all true … and it was all due to this wonderful man who walked beside her.  She loved him with an intensity that left her breathless at times and thanked God regularly at the tiny church on the estate for bringing him into her life.  She was truly blessed but she had to make the most of it as one day in the future Delia and Richard would probably do their best to make life difficult, especially Richard who couldn’t stay away forever, as he was the rightful heir.  At some point he was going to have to come back and become involved in the running of the estate.  It was inevitable … and Ruth knew it was going to be disturbing, to say the least.

Richard was still in Oxford but hadn’t made any attempt at communication since Charles and Ruth married last Christmas.  There was a cold silence and although Charles wrote regularly, keeping Richard up to date with estate matters, there was no reconciliation.  Ruth wasn’t surprised.  Her last conversation with Richard had been stormy and alarming, leaving her in no doubt as to his feelings regarding her marriage to his father.

While she had been staying with her parents before her marriage, Richard had telephoned her out of the blue and asked that she meet him for a walk.  Ruth was reluctant to go but as he was going to be her step-son, which seemed utterly absurd as he was the same age as her, she owed it to Charles to try and smooth things over.  They met on Christchurch Meadow in Oxford.  Ruth was on her guard and Richard looked tense and was unable to look her in the eye, doing little to reassure her that he wanted to repair things between them, even though the first words out of his mouth were conciliatory.

“Firstly, Ruth, I want to apologise for the way I treated you last time we met.  It was unforgivable and I really don’t know what came over me.  I think it must have been the wine, Delia’s dreadful tantrums and then finding you with Father …”

“We were only talking, for goodness sake,” Ruth said sharply and then biting her tongue.  After all, Richard was trying to apologise.

“Yes,” he said wearily.  “I suppose you were … then … and as I said, I apologise.  It really isn’t in my nature to be … to be so brutal.  Can you forgive me?”

Ruth kept quiet.  She wanted to forgive him but the ugliness of what had happened in Canleigh’s kitchen that night was still vivid in her mind.  She had been so frightened he was going to rape her there and then and afterwards, once reaching the safety of her room and locking the door, she hadn’t been able to stop shaking, let alone sleep.  It had been the worst night of her life and she couldn’t forget it easily.

“I see you can’t,” said Richard softly.  “I am so very sorry, Ruth.  My actions were appalling … did you … did you tell Father?”

She stopped walking and looked at him defiantly.  “No, Richard, I didn’t.  He loves you very much and there is no way I would tarnish you in his eyes but I don’t know if I can forgive you.  I want to but … but … I could never feel safe alone with you again.”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.  I want you to.  I really do.  I want to resume our friendship … perhaps take it further.”

Ruth looked at him, horrified, but didn’t speak.  Surely he couldn’t mean …

“I hadn’t realised until that weekend how much I really think of you, Ruth.  It’s been killing me since you left Canleigh … and then Oxford.  I never get to see you anymore and I don’t know if I can bear not having you in my life … as my wife.”

He turned to face her, his big dark eyes boring beseechingly into hers as he tried to take her hand.  She pulled hers away swiftly.  “Richard, I am so sorry but you are deluded if you think there can be anything between us now.  There might have been a slim chance once … I valued you so much as a good friend … but not anymore.  You killed any respect I had for you and it can never be regained … and anyway, I know your Father telephoned you about our engagement and our plans to marry just before Christmas so I really don’t know why you are saying all this.”

“You can’t.  You simply can’t marry him,” Richard whispered.  “It’s obscene, disgusting.  He’s an old man.  Why would you?”

Ruth stood her ground.  “I’m sorry if it upsets you, Richard, but I love him deeply ..., and he loves me.  That’s the honest truth, whether you believe it or not.”

“I don’t!” he said abruptly, his voice growing menacing and his eyes glinting coldly.  “Delia was right.  You’re a bloody little fortune hunter.  I was the prize until you met Father and realised he was