Page 96 of Married to the Cruel Duke

But before she could over think it or try to take the question back, he spoke.

“If it had happened, though I hate to think of it, I would have done whatever it took to get you home safely.”

“William!”

“I mean it, Rebecca. I love you and any price he could have demanded would have been worth it to have you back by my side. I can’t imagine my life with out you.”

Her eyes burned. She rapidly blinked back the emotions swelling inside her.

“Does that answer your question?” he smiled.

“But why? Why go to all that trouble just for me?”

He chuckled. “I hope someday you understand that there isn’t much I wouldn’t be willing to do for you, but until that day I suppose I will just keep having to tell you just how much I love and care for you.”

“You are too good to me.”

“Ordinarily this is the point when I would tell you that actually you are too good to me, but I know you don’t like when I say such things, so instead I will say that we are as good to each other as we know the other deserves.”

She smiled “I think I like the sound of that.”

The pair continued on their walk, away from the duck pond.

A few days later, Rebecca was in her sitting room one day when Penelope dropped by. She looked up from her book, delighted by the unexpected guest.

“Penelope!” she got to her feet, pulling her long time friend in for a hug. “It’s been too long.”

“That’s supposed to be my line,” she chuckled as they took their seats. “Where’s William?”

“He had to go out of town on business for a few days, but he should be back later tonight, why do you ask?”

“I had a few things I thought you might like to know and I wanted to learn how long we had before he was back.”

Rebecca frowned. “Why? Is it something you don’t want him to hear? Is something wrong?”

“No, no,” she chuckled. “Its nothing like that. I just don’t know if it’s something he would want to hear.”

“Why? What is it?”

“It’s about your family. I thought you might want to know how things have been for them since your little confrontation.”

Rebecca tried not to seem too interested. “It isn’t right to gossip.”

“I wouldn’t need to if you would ever come out to a ball. Everyone would love to see more of you you know.”

“That might be true, but the pair of us are quite content at home.”

“Then you could always host one.”

“If I agree to think about it, will you tell me what you came here to say?”

“I thought you might want to know how Dorothy is doing. She actually tried to show her face at a ball last night. It went so bad it was almost sad, really.”

“That sounds bad. Why? what happened?”

“Very few people liked her very much before, but your father lost so much standing after that day in the park, so no one wants to be seen associating with her,” Penelope grinned with just a touch too much glee for the occasion.

“I won’t lie, there is something therapeutic about hearing that she is getting a taste of her own medicine.”

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