Devoted Nobility

Chapter 78

Jane

I couldn’t believe what Sophia told me. She was set in her mind. Alexander was no longer what she wanted. He must have hurt her so deeply that even she doesn’t know how to repair the damage. I had to try because his betrayal against her was personal in my heart. I stormed down the halls to his room as soon as I got out of Sophia’s. I knocked on Alexander’s door repeatedly before he answered. His face was not very welcoming and his stance didn’t seem to invite me in, but I entered anyways.

He shut the door and walked over to where I was standing. “If you are here for...”

“That has nothing to do with my presence.” I interrupted. “I am here to get your craven attitude to stop.”

Alexander rolled his eyes. “Has my attitude been craven recently?”

“Oh, please. You are such a coward that you can’t even admit to your own wife when your wrong.”

I seemed to hit a nerve with that sentence. Alexander’s face tensed up and his hands balled into fists. “I ask you to mind your business and leave my personal affairs between me and my wife.”

I crossed my arms. “I can’t because women must stick together. Sometimes, there is no one who will speak for them when they can’t, when they are being oppressed by cruel husbands. I cannot let you make such a mistake, a mistake you will regret for the rest of your days.”

He turned from me and began walking in a line from his bed to the far window and back. “I know she is upset, but I did what I had to. I didn’t want her to be hurt so I had to make a difficult decision. What else was I to do?”

I thrashed my arms in the air in exasperation. “What else were you to do? You could have thought about it for half of a second and realized a good person would have given her the credit to make her own decisions. She is far from stupid, no matter what others believe.”

He stopped walking and looked at the floor for a long time. Finally he spoke. “You’re right. I made a selfish decision.”

“Then you better apologize before you lose her. She is broken hearted and ready to give up. Stop her.”

His eyes met mine for a brief moment before he went running out the door.

Alexander

I knocked on her door for minutes on end but got no response. Eventually one of the guards unlocked it for me. When I entered, Sophia lifted her head. She was sitting on the couch and her face looked tired. I shut the door, but stood near it. Seeing her looking so horrible hurt me. That was why I left her room last night when she was crying. I knew I shouldn’t have, but seeing her in so much distress from something I caused was too painful to watch.

“Hello.” I whispered. Her expression didn’t change. Her eyes were dead as they watched me. I took a few steps closer to her and then continued. “I’m here for two reasons. One is to inform you that 30 companies of men left for Spain this morning. They will be there by tomorrow night to save your family.” Her expression stayed frozen. “But the more important reason I am here for is to apologize. I was horrible to you. I made selfish and archaic decisions. I am so sorry.”

She still stayed silent. I was sure my words would have ignited some sort of reaction from her, whether it good or bad. Apparently there was only one side to our conversation at the moment. “I know you are angry and I do not blame you. I took advantage of your trust and I’m so sorry. I understand if you never forgive me, but I will do whatever it takes to prove to you that I am a better man than I have been for the past few days.” She moved her head and blinked a few times, but again she had nothing to say. “Please say something.” I pleaded.

She finally responded, but it was a response I wasn’t expecting. “I’m pregnant.”