Chapter 85 - Eighty Five
Delia came down the grand staircase, her heart beating a little faster with every step. She saw him standing in the main hall, looking out the large front window. He turned as he heard her approach.
"You came," she said, her voice soft.
Eric’s tired, worried expression from the last two days was gone, replaced by a warm, genuine smile. "You called," he replied simply.
She took his offered coat, her fingers brushing against his as she did. The simple touch sent a jolt of awareness through her. They walked to the drawing room together and sat down, a comfortable silence settling between them.
"So," Eric began, breaking the quiet. "What have you been up to these past two days?"
Delia smiled, a real, happy smile. "I went out with Grandma," she said. At his surprised look, she explained, "Her Grace, the Dowager Duchess. She told me to call her Grandmother from now on. We are going out again today, too."
"Oh?" Eric asked, looking pleasantly surprised. "What’s the occasion?"
"Well..." Delia began, her own smile fading as her expression turned serious. She looked at him directly, her gaze unwavering. "First, I owe you an apology, Your Grace. I’m sorry. For the other night, and for how I acted. I was inconsiderate and careless."
She continued, her voice gaining strength with a newfound resolve. "You were right. I was drawing a line between us. I was running away. I was so focused on my own past, my own pain, that I didn’t even consider yours. Telling you to stop avoiding your problems without any real knowledge of what you’ve been through... that was wrong of me. So, I want to lead by example. From now on, I will stop running away. I will confront everything I am facing, head on."
She looked at him, her blue eyes shining with a fierce determination. "I believe that’s the only way I can truly save myself. And maybe," she added, her voice softening, "it’s the only way I can help you save yourself, too. Save both of us from the abyss we seem to have fallen into."