Hey all, thank you so much for reading and leaving your wonderful reviews :) I really appreciate it.
Here's the next chapter for you all...
Secrets - Part 3.
It had been a little over an hour since Joseph had parked his car on the country lane where Clarisse had told him that she had caught Rupert cheating on her, and he still felt angry. Angry over the fact that he could do that to her after all she had done for him and his family. He still wanted to kill him too, but knew it wouldn't do himself, or Clarisse, any good. Shaking his head, he wondered how anybody could treat her the way she had been treated, she was the most loving, caring person he had ever met and she deserved so much better.
But turning his head now to look at Clarisse sitting on the backseat of his car from where he was sat in the front passenger seat, where he had moved to after accidentally leaning on the horn and scaring them both, his anger seemed to melt away and was replaced, instead, with an overpowering urge to protect her even more than he had done before.
She looked so fragile with her eyes closed, her body turned slightly while slumped back in the corner of the seat and the door with her arms crossed, resting on her stomach and her legs outstretched in front of her. Her ankles were crossed, and her feet were resting up on the armrest between the two front seats, her shoes discarded and forgotten about in the footwell. It was a rare moment seeing her like this and he felt truly blessed that she felt comfortable enough with him to let her guard down, especially after what she had been put through earlier that day.
They had been mostly sat in silence over that last hour, only exchanging a few words here and there. He had wanted to give her time, her own space and certainly didn't want to push her if she didn't want to speak. But he needed to ask, "are you okay?"
Letting out a deep, heavy sigh, Clarisse lifted her head from where it had been resting against the back of the seat and lifted her arm to check the time on her watch, but seeing it had turned around she raised her other hand and twisted it back how it should be. "I am," she nodded and looked up at Joseph, "but I suppose we should head back to the palace now."
"Ok, I wasn't sure if you wanted me to take you to a hotel for the night instead," he said and watched as her eyes widened, "you know, so you don't have to face Rupert."
"Oh, yes, of course," Clarisse said, quickly realising what he had meant and nodded, "well as much as I would prefer to stay away from the palace, and Rupert, I still need to go and pack, arrange the flights and the hotel in London, unfortunately," she said while lifting her feet from the armrest and put them down into the footwell, "and I can't do that from an hotel room."
"That's true," Joseph nodded and looked down a moment before feeling Clarisse's hand on his shoulder. Looking back up, their eyes met a moment.
"Thank you for looking out for me though, I appreciate it," she said and removed her hand from his shoulder.
"You're welcome," he said and watched her a moment as she looked down into the footwell where her shoes were and slipped them back on, before he climbed back into the drivers seat and started the engine.
Later that evening, after packing another suitcase, Clarisse zipped it up and lifted it from her bed where she'd had it. Carrying it through into her suite, she placed it down just inside the door beside the other suitcase that she had packed earlier when a knock came to her door. Knowing exactly who it would be, she took the few steps to the door and opened it to find Rupert stood looking back at her. "I spoke to Pierre and Philippe while you were out," he said, watching her take a long breath, "they all arrived safely."
"Good, I'm glad that they arrived safely," Clarisse nodded and watched her husband as he slipped his hands in his pants pockets.
"I know you probably don't want to but can we talk," he asked, "please?"
Reluctantly, she stepped back, allowing him entry to her suite before closing the door back up behind him and slowly turned to him. He was right, he was the last person she had wanted to see, but having to be at the palace to sort out all she needed for her trip and to pack her cases, she knew it was only a matter of time before he came to her.
Turning to her and spotting the suitcases by the door, Rupert slowly looked up at her. "Are you leaving?" He asked.
"I am, in the morning," she nodded while pulling her cardigan together and folded her arms to keep it closed.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I'm going to London, and before you ask, no I don't know when I will be back, or if I will be back for that matter," Clarisse said and walked across the room to take a seat on the edge of the sofa.
"Ok, I deserve that," he nodded and looked down at the floor while turning to her, "but please, is there anything that I can say that will make you change your mind?"
"No, I don't think so Rupert," Clarisse said with a shake of her head and looked over at him. "I know that I haven't been all that perfect myself and I'll admit that I have been tempted over the years but I have never gone as far as you, Rupert," she exclaimed.
"I know, and I hate myself that I allowed it to go that far in the first place," he replied, "but Clarisse, I can't do this without you. I need you here by my side."
"You should have thought of that before you slept with Ruth, shouldn't you?" Clarisse said and leant forward, resting her elbows on her legs and clasped her hands together in front of her. "What if our sons hadn't gone away this morning? What if one of them had walked in on you and Ruth having sex on your desk instead of me?" She said coldly, stating the hard facts. She couldn't bare the thought that one of her sons, or both of them, could have walked in and found them together in his office, but knew if they had been there at the palace it could have quite easily been one of them instead of her.
"I know, I know," Rupert exclaimed and began to pace the spot in front of the fireplace as Clarisse looked down at her hands.
"Was she worth it? Was she worth losing me over?" Clarisse asked and watched as he stopped pacing and turned to her. Nodding, she looked down at her hands and continued, "after I lost our baby, I thought, with a little bit of hope, that we might have gone on to try again," she said and looked up with tears rolling down over her cheeks.
Shaking his head, he hurried over and knelt down in front of her. "We can, we can try again Clarisse," he exclaimed and grasped hold of her hands as they looked up into each other's eyes. "Let's try again, please?"
"No," Clarisse said while pulling her hands free and rose to her feet, moving away from her husband kneeling on the floor. "How do you expect me to stay here after this, let alone try for a baby," she exclaimed and folded her arms while standing by the window. "I know we had our differences at the start of our marriage, Rupert, but I thought we had fallen in love. I genuinely thought we loved one another."
"We did, we do. I still love you Clarisse," Rupert exclaimed and got to his feet, "and I would do anything to turn back the clocks, I would do absolutely anything for you to stay," he said and moved to stand in front of her, "Clarisse, I love you. Please don't leave tomorrow."
Looking up into her husbands eyes, Clarisse shook her head. "You need to leave."
"Clarisse please, I can't lose you," Rupert exclaimed while putting his hands up onto the tops of her arms.
"You have broken my trust Rupert," Clarisse cried while shaking her head, "you need to leave."
Lowering his hands from her arms, Rupert knew it was no good. No matter what he did, or said, would make her change her mind. "Alright," he nodded and turned to walk over to the door. Reluctantly he left her in her suite, alone, and went back to his where he poured himself a double scotch on the rocks and sat on the sofa.
Sitting curled up on her sofa, Clarisse sat with a tissue in her hand, her mind going over everything that had happened that day. Even though she was in love with another, she had made space in her heart for Rupert and she felt completely heartbroken that her husband, the man she had given up her life for, had done this to her and their sons.
Raising her hand, she dabbed her eyes with the tissue that she had held of when a knock came to her door. She had wanted to be alone but knew who it was from the knock, so pushing her blanket that she'd had covering over her legs to one side, she got to her feet and walked over to answer it.
Hearing the key turning in the door, Joseph stepped closer and watched as the door slowly opened. "I just came to check to make sure that you were alright before I stand guard on your door," he said, studying her weary face.
"I'm okay," she nodded and stepped back, allowing him entry.
"Are you sure?" He asked as he walked into the room and turned to her as she closed the door.
"Rupert came to see me, tried to get me to change my mind," Clarisse said as she turned to him.
Seeing a tear escape her eye, Joseph instinctively reached his hand out to cup her cheek and brush it away with his thumb. "It'll be okay," he said softly and watched as she nodded while looking down.
"I just can't wait to leave tomorrow, I need to just get away and clear my head," she said and looked back up at him, "which reminds me, I have sorted the flights and the hotel for us, and I have also arranged for Andre to come with us, because when I spoke to Sabrina about seeing her she reminded me that she and Harry were having a New Year's Eve party."
"Oh yes, I forgot about that," Joseph said and watched as she walked over to her sofa and sat down where she had been sat moments before. "But why have you asked for Andre to come with us?"
"Because Sabrina has said that the invitation was still there for us to attend her party, I doubt I will feel up to it, but you are more than welcome to attend, and you should," she said and watched as he walked over to her and took a seat on the edge of the coffee table opposite her.
"And you think I'm going to attend do you?" He asked.
"Of course, I want you to have fun and see in the new year with our friends, Joseph," Clarisse nodded, "especially since I have messed up the plans you had for here."
"I would much rather see in the new year with you, not at some party while you are alone in your suite," Joseph said honestly.
"But I'm not going to the best of company," she said and watched as he shrugged.
"And? Clarisse you are my friend, and I'm going to be there for you no matter what mood you are in," Joseph said.
"Thank you," she said and reached her hand up to cup his cheek, "I'm so grateful that I have you."
"Me too," Joseph replied.
I know it's not my best work, but I felt that a chapter was needed for this bit. The next one will be New Years Eve, any guesses on what's going to happen? And remember, please let me know your thoughts :) it is, and always will be, appreciated.
Thank you x