Page 78 of Married to the Cruel Duke

Rebecca reached out a trembling hand.

Without hesitating, William took it, holding it firmly in his own. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m listening.”

Rebecca took a deep breath then spoke. “The other day, when we sent out the invitations, something happened.”

“I figured as much. That was the day you started acting different.”

She nodded before she continued. “While you were out, my father came to see me.”

“Did he lay his hands on you?” William said, his hands curling into fists.

“What?” she gasped at the question, eyes wide.”

“I will thrash him myself,” he growled turning to storm from the room.

“Wait!” she called, voice high. “Where are you going?”

He paused, turning to face her. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I need to comfort you right now. I can go confront him when we’re done talking.”

“I don’t understand,” she whispered, shaking her head. “What are you saying?”

“He hit you. I know you said you fell that day, but I don’t think that’s the whole story is it?”

Rebecca hesitated.

“It’s all right. You don’t need to tell me anything else if you don’t want to. I know everything I need to know. As soon as we’re done here I’ll go talk to him and make sure he knows he can never lay a finger on you again.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“I won’t let him hit you again, especially not in your own home.”

“No,” she shook her head. “You don’t need to do that. He didn’t lay a finger on me.”

“But then why did you say you fell?”

She sighed. “He didn’t hit me, but did have quite a bit to say. After he left, I sank to the floor because I was upset and I needed an excuse for why I was down there, so I said I fell.”

“What kind of things?”

“First he tried to say that I was lying to you. That I had told you all kinds of lies so I could ensnare you. Then he started to say once you realized that, you would leave me high and dry.”

“I would never do something like that. I care about you and I want you to be happy.”

“I know, and that’s what I told him. I told him you were a good man and you would never do something like that to me. Then he said that it didn’t matter what was true. All he had to do was spread rumors that you mistreated for him to ruin you. He said unless I told you I lied about them before and told you that you should support him that he would ruin you. I didn’t want to let that happen, but I didn’t know what to do.”

When she finally got the last of her words out, Rebecca broke down, tears streaming down her face, trembling from the stress of it all.

William didn’t hesitate. He darted forward, capturing her in his arms and pulling her to his chest.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. He just held her as she cried, letting out everything she had kept trapped inside for the past few days.

Once she had calmed down, he spoke. “He can’t hurt you anymore. I won’t let that happen.”

“That’s sweet of you to say, but I don’t know what we can do to stop him.”

William frowned. “Rebecca, you’re a duchess now. You outrank him. When I say he can’t hurt you any more, that isn’t only because of me. It's because of your own power too.”

“But if he says all those things, if he spreads all those rumors, it could hurt your reputation.”

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