Page 80 of A Virgin for the Rakish Marquess

Oh, I will make you pay for it. I will push you in the Serpentine and keep you under.

Diana was fuming. With such grand plans in mind, she agreed.

At least James would have the pleasure to leave for the afterlife on such a lovely day. The Kensington Gardens were in full bloom—a breathtaking sight.

Manicured lawns extended as far as the eye could see, peppered with ancient oak trees and elms. The air was filled with that satisfying smell of fresh earth mixed with the intoxicating fragrance of roses. The river was flowing softly, giving the space a sense of tranquility.

The two of them were anything but. He had led them to a more secluded part where Ms. Bremford got so easily lost. That meant no witnesses to keep Diana from committing murder.

“The gardens are quite lovely today,” James said nonchalantly.

“Yes. The trees do seem to be where we last left them.”

James bit back a smirk.

Diana wanted to slap him across the face. She had no idea why he would call on her after their last interaction, but this new kind of torture was stretching her patience thin.

“You seem to be tense, My Lady.”

“You truly have an amazing ability to state the obvious, My Lord.”

“I feel I am the cause of your foul mood,” he ventured.

“How rarely insightful of you,” Diana said through gritted teeth.

“Diana…”

Oh no.

She stopped walking so abruptly that James nearly took another step before catching himself. When he turned to face her, shewas already glaring up at him, her chest rising and falling with the sheer force of her fury.

“I forbid you to call me that again,My Lord. You lost that right when you called me entertaining. I, for one, stopped having fun.”

James opened his mouth to talk.

“Do not interrupt me!”

His mouth snapped shut.

Diana took a furious step toward him, her voice trembling. “I do not know what cruelty made you call on me today, but I would appreciate it if we ended it soon and pretend we have never met from now on.”

“Diana… My Lady, please allow me.”

Diana raised an eyebrow expectantly.

“I behaved like a brute,” James said earnestly. “The moment I heard what my father has done…” He took a deep breath and swallowed. “I hated him for so many years. When my mother died, he chose to wallow in his grief and abandon me. I felt hurt, insignificant, unworthy. And when he came back and laid a claim on me and my affairs, I lost all control.”

His voice dropped. “You were caught in a war that was never meant to touch you. And for that, Diana… My Lady, I am sorry.”

Diana’s fingers dug into her palms. “And that gave you the right to treat me the way you did?”

“Diana…” James winced.

She raised a hand, stopping him cold.

“No. You had no right.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “I am sure your excuses bring you comfort, but rest assured, I am not placing all the blame on you. I take half the blame.”

“You are not to blame,” James tried.

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