Aiden fell back in his chair, rubbing at his eyes with thumb and forefinger. “She’s won already. I... I don’t think I can go back. There is just too much I don’t understand.”
“Then perhaps you should speak with her. You may find her more willing to cooperate than you think,” the butler said.
“I take it from the way you’ve planted yourself in front of me that you’ll keep this up until I give in and take your advice?” Aiden said.
A small smile curved Gottfried’s thin, aristocratic lips. “Quite.”
“Lead on, then,” Aiden said, levering himself up to his feet.
Chapter 28
“You!” Judith said, “My lunch is almost fifteen minutes behind schedule! And my tea is cold. I’ve expressed before to you how I feel about cold tea.”
“Madam, Aiden Manning here to see you,” the butler said, bowing.
“Really? Send him in, then!”
When Aiden heard, he went into the sitting room and found Judith seated by a small table with a tiffany lamp on it.
“Hello, boy. I’m not sure I like what you did to that Englishman’s face. There are better ways to go about making your opinions known. And better ways to avoid such bruised knuckles.”
She knows what I did to Ben, Aiden thought. He glanced to the butler, who nodded at him.
Without asking permission, Aiden sat on the settee across from Judith. “Mister Haller...” he began.
“Von Haller!” the butler said.
Aiden began again, “Mister von Haller told me that you might have changed your mind regarding your feelings towards my fiancé.”
“And who is this Mister von Haller?” Judith replied.
“Your butler, Judith. The man who’s been tending to your every need since you got here.”
Judith looked over at the butler, who watched from the corner, impassive as a statue, not counting his little outburst. “So that’s his name, is it? I’ve just been thinking of him as the butler. Does that offend you, butler?”
“No, madam,” Gottfried said.
Aiden waited a moment before continuing. “Are you ready to tell me the truth about what you and Ben did to us?”
“Oh, Aiden, he was just a tool. A useful tool. Yes, I had him record that conversation as well as edit it. Yes, I had him go up to your room to cause another scene when he saw you return to the hotel. What of it? My point still stands. You see Gwen how she really is now, don’t you?”
Aiden’s hand throbbed. “No, I saw her as you wanted me to see her. Not anymore, though. And, if what I’ve heard is correct, I think you see her differently, too.”
“What nonsense,” Judith said, “My view on her hasn't changed since I first learned of you two...”
“Then why don’t I believe you? If you believed that yourself, you wouldn’t have had to doctor evidence to try and convince me. Stop lying to me and to yourself,” Aiden said. He stood up. “Judith, if Gwen will still take me, I’m going to marry her. And then I’m completely cutting you out of our lives. I’ll get a restraining order if I have to. That ridiculous contract is evidence enough for one. You don’t have any close family left without me. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life bitter, stubborn, and alone? Because that’s how it’s going to be.”
They stared at each other, neither willing to budge. Then Aiden shook his head and disengaged. “Goodbye, Judith.” He started for the door, the butler moving to see him out.
“Wait, Aiden!” Judith said.
***
Gwen followed Beatrice down the hall. Of all the places in the hotel, Gwen hated this part of it the most.
“You’re sure this is it?” Beatrice said, “She’s staying down here? In one of those big apartments?”
“Yes,” Gwen said.
“Fancy,” Beatrice replied. They were almost at the door to Judith’s rooms. Gwen kept thinking that B had to be wrong. Aiden couldn’t be here. There was no reason for him to be there.
Unless, Gwen thought, stopping, he thinks Judith is right and wanted to go tell her.
“Get over here! No giving up, not now,” Beatrice said, grabbing Gwen’s wrist and hauling her forward.
Gwen couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She didn’t want to see that look of hurt on his face again, she didn’t want to feel his anger directed towards her anymore.
And then the door swung open before they even got there. Aiden stepped out. He stopped as soon as he saw Gwen and Beatrice bearing down on him.
“Gwen?” he said.
There wasn’t any anger or hurt in his voice or on his face.
“Hah! See?” Beatrice started. Gwen ignored her.