Page 33 of Bound to a Wicked Duke

“I hold the Duke in great affection and esteem,” Madeleine answered judiciously.

Cecil snorted. “He said the same of you.”

“You act as though you do not wish for me to marry him,” Madeleine observed.

“I do not,” Cecil admitted.

“Why?”

Cecil looked as if he were considering his answer carefully. “I do not believe you to be well matched. You never cared for him when we were children. We would all be having fun together then you would get upset and leave without any explanation.

“How do you propose to build a life and family with someone that you cannot bear to spend time with? You do not share the same interests. You made that quite clear as children.”

“It was not our shared activities that upset me, Cecil.” Madeleine could not believe that her brother could be so blind to the pain that he had caused her. “And it was not just Percy that I was trying to avoid.”

Cecil’s frown deepened in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”

“I also wished to avoid you.”

“Me? Why would you wish to avoid me? Do not be ridiculous.”

“Do you truly have no notion as to how much your teasing and name calling affected her?” Emily demanded to know, coming to Madeleine’s defense.

“What do you mean?”

“How would you feel if you had spent your formative years being called Bacon Face? It still affects her to this day. Or were you too wrapped up in your friends, jokes, and handsome looks to consider how your cruelty affected her.”

Cecil’s eyes grew dark as his expression sobered.

“Twice in one week,” he muttered under his breath.

“What was that?” Madeleine asked. She was sure she had heard him, but she had no idea what he was referring to.

“Nothing,” Cecil said quickly, shaking his head. “Emily is just not the first person to point out the sins of my past is all.”

He looked up at her, shame and regret coloring his face.

“I am so sorry, Madeleine. I did not think.”

Madeleine’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. She was surprised by Emily’s vehemence on her behalf. Madeleine would have gone to her grave without ever telling her brother how much he had hurt her, but now that he knew her feelings, there was no going back. She was also deeply curious as to whom else would be bold enough to shame her brother outside of their family.

“Emily speaks the truth,” she found herself saying. “I am still affected by it to this day.”

He reached for her hand, squeezing it tight.

“Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” he asked, his eyes pleading. “As you have forgiven Percy?”

Madeleine looked at him, startled.I have not forgiven Percy. He is still calling me names. Sometimes he calls me names in public, shaming me further.She almost said the thought out loud but stopped herself.Even if the term monkey does not bother me as it used to, it is still rude.

Cecil took her look as meaning that she could not forgive him. “Please forgive me, Madeleine. I never meant you any harm. I was foolish. I will not call you names or tease you about such things again.” His face showed true regret.

Madeleine rose from her chair and walked over to Cecil. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug. “Of course, I forgive you. You are my brother. We are family. I could never stay mad at you forever.”

“Thank you,” Cecil sighed in relief as he returned her hug. “I am so very sorry.”

“It is in the past now,” she attempted to soothe his regret.

“You must know, I never meant it seriously,” he went on, his elder brother tone coming back to his voice. “You are beautiful. You have no need to concern yourself with such matters. You could have any man that you want. You need not fear spinsterhood.”

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