The Arrogant Duke

CHAPTER NINETEEN

There was no lie in what Marcela had been telling Grace. She was dangerously ill from what Doctor Jacoby had confirmed for her.

It was cancer. Grace could not have imagined it from anyone most especially from Marcela who still had a lot to accomplish with her young life.

Unfortunately, there is no cure to the disease at all. Victims usually suffered immense pain during the span of their shortened lifetime, physically and emotionally. She had seen it a dozen of times before in James' practice. Men, women and children. It was heart breaking and extremely pitiful.

She had lost an aunt to stomach cancer as a child. It was a traumatic experience for their family. Aunt Beatrice had been five and thirty. She received the diagnosis from the family doctor, she died less than a year later.

Grace pitied Marcela greatly. What had happened after their interrupted chat in the sitting room was a whirlwind. She had paid a boy who lived next to her home to call for the village doctor, and paid an extra to call for the Duke of Mansfield as well.

Edward looked completely disheveled once he arrived. He did not even know that Marcela had left, but of course, he had been drunk. It seemed that he had just woken up.

He, Doctor Jacoby and Marcela stayed in an extra room that was currently unoccupied as James and Grace had been sharing a bed chamber.

It had been an hour before Doctor Jacoby descended and left Marcela. He had scheduled to check for Marcela the very next day at the manor. Grace sat patiently as she decided of what she had to do. She quietly observed James playing and thought of how he would be if she herself had been ill. The thought sickened her, James would be left as an orphan should anything happen to her.

At least she knew that James would be well looked after if ever it should happen. It would be a comforting thought to know that she at least had been happy in her life once upon a time. She married, bore a son and had been unconditionally loved by a man that she loved back. It was a satisfying life to have lived, and Grace thought that it would be just right if Marcela could experience the same just once. But the thought of Edward still confused her a bit.

"Grace," Edward called for her attention quietly. He looked tired and worried. "I am terribly sorry. I did not know that she left just like that, and to disturb you -"

"Edward," Grace looked at him sadly and paused for a moment. " Marcela told me everything and I want her to be happy."

Simple words broke Edward's heart. He did not know if he should be angry or understand what Grace was trying to say. The woman was simply kind and generous that it sometimes hurt him too much. "I want her to be happy as well, but not like this. She is asking for too much."

"Time, attention, love. Is that too much to ask for? Edward, please, I beg of you." Grace pleaded.

"Why?" Edward asked simply.

"Because you and I will never be happy knowing of Marcela and how selfish we were to her. Greed is a capital sin, and it is even more of a crime knowing that we kept ourselves to each other when the Lord himself had given up his own life to sacrifice for mankind. It would be shameful and disgraceful." Grace explained.

"But can't you be selfish for what we have?" Edward asked. "Grace, we do not have to be perfect. We only need to love each other, and nothing else would matter."

"Not even her?" Grace asked Edward. "I love you, Edward. Very much. But love will not help tolerate guilt. It would only make it worse."

"Will you be alright knowing that she is happy and I am miserable? Haven't I suffered long enough that even though you're here we can still not be happy?" Edward cried.

"We will be, Edward. Just not right now. I believe that someone deserves you more than I do. We will have our own time, our own happiness. And when the day comes, it would all be sweet and worth it." Grace smiled at Edward comfortingly. "And if you think that this will only hurt you, it doesn't. It is as painful for me as it is painful for you. But think of her, the woman suffering more than us right now ... do you honestly believe that she deserves all of this?"

Edward thought hard. "No, but marrying her will never be the answer to her wishes. I do not love her."

"Then marry her for me." Grace said. "You do not have to love her, she has gotten to the point where she isn't even asking for your love. Simply, your attention."

"I can give her the attention she needs, as much as she wants, and I do not have to marry her even."

"Please?" Grace begged.

"No," Edward disagreed. "Grace, you're asking for too much. It is my life that you're prepared to give away for another woman. I feel as if though you do not love me enough."

"Do not doubt my love, my dear." Grace said calmly. "Because I love you enough to know that she will be the best decision for you right now. You may not know it yet, but giving her her last wishes will be fulfilling for your mind, heart and soul, knowing you have done what is right and just. And when all of this is over, I will come back to you."

"Come back to me?" Edward asked. "Are you leaving?"

"Edward, it is only for a short while. I want you and Marcela to have time alone, and with me here, that will never happen." Grace tried to reason with Edward. "You know that."

"Where are you going?" Edward asked defeatedly. He knew that he would never win against Grace's stubbornness. He knew that once she had set a goal, then not even the world could stop her.

"Are you going to do it?" Grace asked.

Edward nodded sadly. "Because you told me to, and I love you enough to bare through it all. I love you enough that I will do whatever it takes to have you by my side forever."

Grace cried happily. "Thank you."

"Let me ask you," Edward began. "How do you honestly feel about this? About Marcela and the situation we're in."

"I feel sad, of course. I sometimes blame God, that out of all the people in the world, he chose us to suffer like this. To love, but we can never seem to have each other. It makes me feel as though I do not deserve you at all. It honestly hurts me just as it hurts you." Grace admitted. "But I know in my heart and mind that there is no greater love, than to love with a love that falls and rises yet again. I believe that it is much more precious and meaningful, much more valuable. It makes it more worthwhile. Marcela, on the otherhand, I feel great pity for. I will always have you, and you will always have me. But what of her? I want to share the love that we have, Edward. Because I know that that love that we have will never be lessened, but expanded. It will only ever continue to grow."

Edward smiled. "I love you, Grace."

"I love you too," Grace closed her eyes, noticing that Edward had been leaning closer. Soft lips had gently pressed against hers. It was gentle and sweet. It was innocent and pure. He was a man who knew how to make a woman feel special with a kiss that conyeved all of his feelings and desire for her.

Grace parted from Edward. "That was lovely," she whispered in between breaths. "Someday, we will never be apart again."

"Someday soon."

Two weeks later ...

"Forasmuch as Edward Knight and Marcela Church have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given their pledge and throth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

The vicar finished the ceremony of readings, and had Edward and Marcela sign marrital documents to honor their vows to the church.

Marcela had been elated to hear that Edward had accepted her proposal. She thought the day would never have come. She had been well enough to plan her wedding.

She had sent for her family, as well as the dress that her own mother had worn during her wedding. She dreamt of wearing the elegant piece since she ad been a child.

The wedding had been word through the streets, but a small wedding had been held for the Duke and his wife.

It was unexpected, and a lot of people wished to have been invited. But the wedding had been kept to themselves, family and close friends. Edward had insisted to keep it that way.

It was the only request that he had.

"Thank you, Edward." Marcela smiled genuinely at him for the very first time. "You just made me the happiest woman in the world."

Edward's thoughts drifted to the woman that had left to sail across the seas, and how he dreamt of her return once more.