Page 96 of The Duke and the Accidental Bride

“Yes!”

“And it is what you want? You are not going to regret it the moment we leave?”

“I want to go. Now!” She looked back in the direction of their carriage.

Duncan considered. He looked down at her, studying her, hopefully seeing the truth in her eyes. Knowing that it was better to agree with her than to fight about it. She needed him to be on her side here.

“Alright,” Duncan said with a smile, then he kissed the back of her hand. “If you insist...” Slowly, still holding her hand, he turned and started leading her away.

Isabella breathed a sigh of relief, and she felt better immediately.

This is for the best. I am in over my head, and I was a fool to think that I could do this. Even if it was my life’s dream. Even if it was everything I ever wanted. Even if...

Unable to stop herself from doing do, Isabella cast a glance back in the direction they had been heading. There it stood, the eastern wing of St. George’s University, London. Through the doors was located an auditorium which any second now would be host to an introductory course on the human anatomy.

Duncan had surprised her last week with the news. As he told it, he had reached out to a professor friend of his who taught there and asked a favor of him. That favor being, would Isabella be able to take some classes this summer. A seemingly simply request, even if it was anything but.

To look around, it was easy to see why Isabella was so nervous. Although there were plenty of woman hurrying across the campus, they were with men, and it was those men who were attending the lectures and seminars, not the women. Study was man’s business and few women, if any, were allowed to partake in such a prestigious vocation.

Yet Duncan had pulled those strings. He had applied pressure. He had used his title and name to force the heads of the university to accept Isabella as a student. At great personal cost to him also, not that he cared.

All he cared about was that finally, Isabella was living her dream. And here she was, about to spit in his face by turning it down.

She came to a stop. Still looking back at the eastern wing, she was caught in two worlds. On the one hand there was the fear and it would be so easy to give in to that fear and walk away. But on the other hand...

“Having second thoughts?” Duncan asked.

“What? No!”

“Can I let you in on a secret,” Duncan said, smiling at her as he turned and took her by both hands. “I know that you are scared.”

“I am not scared!”

“And that is normal. But look around...” He indicated to those who hurried past, many pf whom here paying them curious glances. “You might be scared of them and what they think but would you believe that they are even more terrified of you.”

She blew through her lips. “Doubtful.”

“Truly, they are. They see you here, with your books, attending classes that no lady should attend, and they can’t help but wonder. Who is she? Why is she here? And how fiercely brave she must be for doing what so few have dared to do. You are a lion among cubs, and they know it.”

She blushed furiously. “That is... ridiculous.”

“You are also the bravest and most stubborn person I know,” he continued. “So brave that the idea of walking into that auditorium as the only woman there excites you. And so stubborn that even if you were terrified --”

“Which I am not!”

“Which you are not,” he agreed. “But even if you were, it wouldn’t make a difference. In fact...” He grinned. “I can’t help but feel that all this --” He indicated to the two of them about to walk back to the carriage. “-- is just a ruse to make me think you changed your mind. Right?”

Isabella could have kissed him. She could have done a lot more than that!

She was scared, that was no lie. And yes, the idea of walking into that auditorium, surrounded by men judging her and snickering behind her back had her legs shaking. But that was always going to be the case. From the first day that she’d dreamed of doing this, she had known it would be her against the world, and she had known that if she wanted this as much as she did, it would not be easy, that she would have to fight for it, that she would have to be brave.

All she needed was a reminder.

She beamed, leaned up and kissed Duncan on the lips. “Thank you.”

“For what? I didn’t do anything.”

She felt tears welling in her eyes. “You’ll be here in an hour?”

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