Page 29 of The Duke and the Accidental Bride

“You didn’t give me a choice!” she cried.

“Nor did you give me one,” he shot back with a hint of frustration. “All I asked of you was to be my guest at dinner and you took that simple request and brought this calamity upon both our heads. Leaving me to clean up the mess.”

“But it was an accident.”

“Even accidents have consequences. All we can do now is face them, head on.”

She shook her head. “I... I don’t accept that. There must be a way --”

“There isn’t.”

“You can --”

“I cannot.”

“Then I --”

“Will do nothing,” he cut her off with a snarl, for even Duncan’s patience had its limits. “You have done enough already.”

Her calm facade was fading. She had come here with her hat in her hand, prepared to drop to her knees and beg if she had thought it would change his mind. For how much she seemed to think she knew about him, she should have known that such weakness shown would never work on somebody like Duncan.

Finally, having come to understand how hopeless the situation was, the change was taking her. And because of that, Duncan felt an express desire to be anywhere but in the same room as Miss Gouldsmith. The man only had so much self-control, after all.

“You should leave...” He swept past her and made for the door. “Your point has been heard but it was for nothing. I am sorry.”

“I hate you,” she said, not moving to follow him.

“Excuse me?” He turned around furrowed his brow, as if he had not heard her.

“I said that I hate you.” She stormed across the room, coming right for him. “You asked what is in store if we marry, well now I will tell you. Hate. Antipathy. You wish for a subservient, obedient wife? Ha! I vow, Your Grace, that I will be anything but!”

Duncan felt a pang radiate in his stomach. Like a match being lit, it flooded him and warmed him and had his inner urges peaking to the fore in ways he knew to be dangerous. Legs shaking. Sweat beading. He took a deep and calming breath...

“Be that as it may,” he said as he continued toward the door, reaching for the handle to open it. “This is a conversation best saved for --”

“For now!” She walked around him and cut him off from opening the door. “You will not throw me out – when we are wed, you willnot be able to. So, best that you understand fully what it is that you are signing up for!”

Duncan’s body was shaking. The anger was rising. That desire to put Miss Gouldsmith in her place was building. But he knew he could not do it. It was a side of himself that once let out from its cage was nearly impossible to put back in.

“I understand too well...” He spoke slowly, refusing to look at Miss Gouldsmith. “Now, if you do not mind, I ask that you leave. I will see you again --”

“I am not going anywhere,” she cut him off with a snarl. “Is this how you plan on treating me when we are married? If I upset you, you will throw me out? Or better, run and hide!”

His body turned stiff at the insult. “You do not wish to play this game.”

“This is not a game, You Grace. This is my life! Now, either treat me with respect – as you would your wife! Or admit that this is folly and cancel the engagement!”

She was standing up to him. Either because she had not taken his warning seriously or because...

Duncan dared meet her eyes and he saw the fire in them. The way that she shook while fighting it off because she had to stand up to him. Because shewantedto be reprimanded. Was it possible that she knew what he would do and wanted it?

“You wish to be treated as my wife?” he said carefully. “You might not enjoy that.”

“I know for a fact that I will not. Just as I know you will not enjoy being my husband.”

“I do not know about that.”

She took a step closer, less than a foot away, her face right in his. “Cancel our engagement.”

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