Page 58 of His Duchess' Wicked List

“Your Grace!” Lady Ollerton’s voice was a squeak of surprise.

Hastily, everyone rose to their feet, bowing. The Duke didn’t even seem to notice. His eyes turned to Maddie. He looked wild. Then, he turned to his mother.

“There will be no more talk about this wedding,” he said slowly.

The Dowager Duchess frowned. “You cannot just barge in this house and make a proclamation like that, Daniel! We were discussing the possibility of having a double wedding…”

The Duke shook his head, cursing under his breath. “ I do apologize for the intrusion, Lord and Lady Ollerton.” He hesitated. “But the answer is no. Not at all.” He turned his eyes back to Maddie, gazing at her beseechingly. “I have something more important to discuss with Lady Madeline. I must speak with hernow.”

There was a sharp intake of breath. Maddie gasped, feeling like she was about to faint.

“What is going on?” the Dowager Duchess demanded, looking perplexed. “Daniel?”

But he didn’t turn and acknowledge his mother. He just kept staring at Maddie.

“Please?” he entreated. “May I speak with you?”

Maddie’s jaw dropped. It was so sudden and unexpected that she didn’t know how to react at all. A silence descended on the room. Clearly, no one knew how to react to this odd intrusion.

“Do you recall when you told me you would do me a favor when I asked?” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Maddie gasped again, coloring violently. Everyone’s head swiveled towards her.

“Do you?” he pressed, taking a step towards her.

She nodded uncertainly.

“Well, I am asking you for that favor now,” he continued, his voice wavering with emotion. “Marry me.”

There was a collective gasp of shock around the room. The Dowager Duchess was so stunned that she had to lean on the back of a chair for support. Lord and Lady Ollerton lookedutterly bewildered. The only person in the room who didn’t look at all surprised was Augusta.

“I think we should let His Grace and my sister talk privately,” Augusta said, in a crisp, authoritative voice, a small smile on her face. “Let us leave.”

She started heading towards the door. To Maddie’s shock, everyone followed her—even the Dowager Duchess—like docile sheep trailing behind a shepherd. She supposed they were all so floored by the Duke’s shocking announcement that they hadn’t had time to get their wits together.

Augusta closed the door. They were alone.

Maddie’s heart was thumping so loudly that it sounded like a war drum in her ears. She could barely breathe. Was this actually happening? Had the Duke just marched into this room and asked her to marry him?

I am feverish.I must be imagining it.

Slowly, he walked over to her, until they were only inches away from each other. She smelled his cologne. His grey eyes were burning into her own. Gently, he reached out, taking her hand in his.

When he sank to his knees, gazing up at her earnestly, she snapped out of her trance, finally knowing it was real.

The Duke was formally proposing to her.

She felt like she was about to faint.

“I don’t understand,” she stammered.

He squeezed her hand tightly. “I am sorry, Maddie,” he whispered solemnly. “Sorrier than I can ever express. I was a fool—a witless fool. My only excuse is that I was fighting it, for my own reasons, which had nothing to do with you.”

“Fighting it?” Her voice was a faint whisper.

“Fighting falling in love with you,” he said, his voice husky. “I knew that I felt more intensely about you than any woman I have ever been attracted to, but I still couldn’t admit it to myself…”

“You have fallen in love with me?” She could barely speak.

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