CHAPTER 185: DOWNFALL (4)

Dale laughed at Erin’s suggestion. It was unlike her to act this way, so he believed she was being influenced by someone. It could also be the pressure to solve this matter getting to her head.

Dale shook his head as he continued to laugh. "This is why you need me here. You come up with these silly ideas. I will get us out of this. Trust me."

"It wasn’t a silly idea. It was a smart one to get my shop out of the mess it faces now and to save our marriage. It will never be good for us if we see each other here all day and then go home together. We need time apart," Erin said, standing firm on what she suggested.

Erin needed a break from seeing Dale for so many hours in the day. She loved him, but he was constantly at her side, offering advice she didn’t need and sometimes giving the wrong advice to young ladies who came to her.

Despite over two decades of marriage, Dale hadn’t learn anything about dressmaking to have a say in the business.

"Telling me that we need time apart from each other sounds like our marriage is close to ending. You can’t just toss me to the side now that my name is coming up around the town. You know that I am innocent," Dale argued.

Dale didn’t have any part in Simon’s actions. Dale couldn’t think of a time he had a conversation with Simon about women. He once believed that Simon took forever to pick a wife because he wasn’t interested in the company of women.

The townspeople were wrong for mentioning his name and wrong for bringing his brother into this. All blame should only go to Simon.

How was it possible for the dead to be creating so many problems for the living?

"I’ve given plenty of my time to your shop, Erin. I am not going to sit by because you are worried about your reputation and hiding it behind the excuse of saving our marriage. There is nothing wrong with our marriage," Dale said, not interested in her excuses.

This was all about saving reputations. Erin could not fool him.

"I think there is something wrong, and it is so because our families are at odds with each other," Erin replied.

"It is your mother who thinks she is far better than she is," Dale argued.

Erin had long surpassed her mother, so Dale didn’t feel the need to take orders from Charlotte Porter.

"It is not only my mother. Do not forget that we had to sneak around because your mother had a hard time accepting me. There was a point in time when I was convinced that we wouldn’t marry, but we did. Your family looks down on me for some strange reason," Erin said, failing to understand it.

Erin came from a family with money since her mother had long been a successful dressmaker, and her father had his work.

Dale came from a good family, but his wealth wasn’t anything to brag about. It was always said that Dale and Kyle were known around the town because of their friendships with men who had titles like Simon.

Erin was the one who could have married someone better, but she loved Dale and fought against her mother’s wishes to be with him.

"Some strange reason?" Dale repeated. What did she think of his family? "I see now that you’ve become a lot like your mother. You have never stopped to think about why my mother is angry. So many years yet not one grandchild."

"I have been doing my part so we can have a child, but our efforts failed to provide any results, so I focused on my work. Perhaps we are not meant to have children, and you cannot place that solely on me. Your mother thinks it is my doing," said Erin.

There were two people involved in the making of a child, so why was only one given the blame when they failed?

Dale clenched his fist. "You think I have some fault in it?"

"We cannot tell who holds the issue, therefore it is not right to blame one-"

"I am not the one who fails to carry a child in the womb. That is why my mother is upset. Kyle is the only one to bring her children," Dale said, frustrated that their talk was coming to this.

"Kyle is married, yet all his children are from women other than his wife. Your mother accepts so little from him and his wife, but places pressure on us. As my husband, you shouldn’t place any blame on me as well. Protect me," Erin tearfully spoke.

Erin had used most of her strength to find a way for them to marry, and now it was Dale’s turn to do something about his family. He could even please Erin’s mother by finding good work.

Erin moved to sit down. "How have we come to this? This is why I don’t think we should work together. We will argue, and it tires me. I cannot be tired now."

"All you think about is work," Dale muttered under his breath. "I believe this is the work of the duke. The answer to this is simple. You will go to the duchess-"

"No," Erin denied, not needing to hear the rest of his plan. "I will not go to Alessandra to apologise so I can save this shop. When I go to her, it is to save my friendship and nothing more."

Erin knew well that if she went to Alessandra to save her shop, then their friendship was done. It would be that she was using Alessandra, and Edgar would not stand for it.

Erin wanted their talk to be genuine, where Alessandra wouldn’t have any doubts about her intentions.

"Erin," Dale sighed, pinching his nose. "That doesn’t matter now. You need to think about your shop. You can worry about your friendship with the duchess afterwards."

"No," Erin replied, putting her foot down. "You wanted me to avoid them when there was a curse, so I will continue to do as you wish for now. We will find other ways to get past what is said about you. For now, send the duke his money."

"Erin!" Dale yelled. That money wasn’t a tiny amount for him to just send off. "I am not going to pay him for what he asked for. Since you claim to be so close to them, go to the duchess."

Erin kept her composure. "I love you, but I can’t have you dictate everything I do. I can’t have you ruin my friendship. Send the money Edgar wants. I don’t care how much it is. I have much to apologise for and won’t let you get in the way of making up for my mistakes."