Page 105 of Ravished By the Beastly Duke

“I suppose it is easy to blame him, but I cannot help but wonder if he simply finds me lacking as a woman,” Eveline admitted, looking at her friend and sisters.

Ava and Lily exchanged a look that told her they found her words rather incredulous.

“How could you think such a thing?” Stella gasped.

“I am just wondering. Perhaps it is my robust figure?” Eveline continued. “I know that most people do not find it appealing.”

“Eveline, you cannot possibly blame yourself for the Duke’s inconsistency,” Ava insisted.

“Yet I wonder if I was simply not good enough. Perhaps in bed?” Eveline asked. “But he seemed to be rather pleased every time we spent time together in bed.”

“If he does not love you, then it is not because of anything that you have done. It is simply and solely for the reason that he is a shallow man who is incapable of love,” Lily declared rather fervently.

“I suppose.” Eveline shrugged. However, she was not quite convinced.

“It does not matter what the Duke’s reason is. All you have to know is that his love, or the lack of it, does not determine your worth. Any man would consider himself lucky to even be gazed upon by you.”

Eveline blushed as she smiled. She believed Lily’s words, even if only for a moment.

“Do you know what Eveline needs? An afternoon of fun to take her mind off her troubles,” Lily suggested.

Eveline’s ears perked up at this. “Now, I must hear about this,” she said excitedly.

“It would not do for you to simply sit at home all day. We should all go to Gunter’s Tea Shop in Berkeley Square. You do not have to think about the cost.”

Eveline found the suggestion rather pleasing. After all, Gunter’s Tea Shop served the finest tea in England, and she had only been there a couple of times.

“Oh Eveline, say yes, please!” Stella begged, bouncing excitedly on her seat.

“Stella, don’t be so forward,” Ava admonished.

Eveline nodded. “I suppose tea would bring some succor to my rather sour heart.”

CHAPTER 26

William closed his eyes just as quickly as he opened them, the sunlight streaming in from the window momentarily blinding him.

The sunlight was, however, the least of his troubles. He groaned as his head pounded. He tried to get out of bed with his eyes still closed, but he felt rather heavy and sluggish. It was as though he suddenly weighed double his size.

His movement was slow, and he felt weak.

When he finally reached the edge of his bed, he opened his eyes and managed to rise to his feet.

However, the sunlight that hit him again was rather too bright, and it only compounded his headache.

He swayed as he struggled to stand on his feet, his legs almost giving out.

He felt as though he would vomit any moment, and yet he felt thirsty, his mouth as dry as a desert. He could not help but wonder how he had come to be in this condition, but the memories of the previous night eluded him.

All he could remember was that he saw a figure entering his house just as he passed out.

His eyes suddenly widened.

“There was an intruder!” he cried, his fatigue evaporating.

He rushed out of his chambers, determined to protect his home. However, when he reached the hall, he could not see any intruders. In fact, his home looked just as pristine as it had always looked.

It was then that William began to wonder if he had truly seen an intruder.

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