Page 91 of The Trouble with True Love

“But I can’t imagine you’ve ever been here. You can’t possibly know where the library is in this house.”

Irene stopped before a door about halfway along the passage and opened it. “I do know, as a matter of fact, but I’ll explain that later. Go on,” she added, urging Clara through the door. “I’ll bring him to you.”

“He’ll never agree to come,” she mumbled even as she walked into the library. She waited, heart in her throat, and though she didn’t know how long Irene was gone, it seemed like an eternity before the door opened again and her sister ushered Rex into the room.

The pair of them paused by the door, and Clara did not miss the frown Irene gave him. “When you came to me a fortnight ago,” she said, much to Clara’s astonishment, “I agreed to help you arrange this meeting with my sister only on the condition that you behave impeccably. If I find that you have taken any liberties with her today, I will, quite literally, kill you.”

Rex nodded. “I understand, Duchess. And thank you.”

“Irene?” Clara cried, baffled. “You arranged this meeting a fortnight ago?”

But her sister did not answer. Instead, she turned away to open the library door. With one last stern glance at Rex, she walked out, closing the door behind her.

“We did arrange it, yes.”

Rex’s voice turned her attention to him. “Why?” she choked. “How?”

He started toward her. “As to how, I called on the Duchess at Upper Brook Street, presented an invitation to the wedding, and requested her assistance in persuading you to accept. She complied, and promised to allow a private meeting to take place between us, if you consented to it. As to why...” He paused, halting in front of her, and she watched as that tender smile curved his lips again. “I’d rather hoped my speech would answer that question.”

“You couldn’t have meant it,” she burst out. “True love and happiness in marriage?” She shook her head. “You said it for them, for Lionel and Dina.”

“No, sweet lamb. I said it for you.”

Joy rose inside her, joining all her hopes and all her fears, and yet, she could not quite believe he meant what he was saying. “I already turned you down. There’s no obligation for you to offer me marriage now.”

“True,” he agreed.

“There’s no baby,” she said. “Didn’t you—” She paused, her voice failing, but she knew she had to ask the question. “Didn’t you receive my letter?” she whispered.

“I did receive it, yes. It’s right here.” He patted the breast pocket of his morning coat. “Over my heart.”

She made a choked sound, half sob, half unladylike snort, but thankfully, he didn’t seem to hear it. Instead, he reached for her hands, pulling her toward him. “I love you, Clara.”

Such a declaration was impossible. It was absurd. “That day in the garden at Lisle, you said the opposite, quite unequivocally, as I recall.”

“Yes. Because I’m an idiot.”

“Well, that much I can believe,” she muttered, glaring at him as he laughed.

“You always do manage to put me in my place, don’t you?” he said tenderly. “When I said that, I believed it. I’ve never been in love in my life, you see, and though I desired you, I didn’t understand that my feelings were actually far deeper than desire. The truth is, I’ve loved you for ages. In fact, when I look back on everything, I think I fell in love with you that afternoon on the settee.”

She stared at him, confounded by yet another incredible piece of news. “When you kissed me?”

“No, earlier, when you asked me if we were becoming friends. I knew I wanted you like mad and that I didn’t want to be your friend, but I didn’t know at the time that was love. And I didn’t know it that night in your office, either, or when I literally fell at your feet on the tennis court. I didn’t even know it when I came to your room. That’s why, when you asked me if I was in love with you, I said no. I didn’t recognize it. I thought it was lust, and I didn’t want to give you any false hopes that my feelings would deepen. I didn’t think they would, and I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Her anger flared up, and she took a step back. “It was a little late by then,” she choked, fighting tears.

His lips tightened, and he swallowed hard, watching her. “Yes,” he agreed. “I’m just hoping it’s not too late to win you back.”

Inside, she was shaking. “When did you make the amazing discovery that you really do love me after all?”

“It was when I received your letter. Yes,” he said as her gaze slid to his breast pocket. “That letter. You told me there was no baby and my obligation to you was now over, and that’s when I knew—” He broke off, waiting until she looked up at him again to continue. “I knew I was in love with you because your words broke my heart.”

His voice cracked on the last word, and Clara’s protective shell cracked apart as well. “An organ,” he added, laughing a little, “I didn’t even know could be broken, until you.”

A sob escaped her, a sob of joy that disintegrated all her anger, fear, and hurt. “Rex, I—”

“Let me finish, please. I must say these things now while I have the chance, for I know you may never give me another. Without a baby, you see, I knew I had nothing left to offer you, nothing to hold you. Your sister’s returned, I’m not writing Lady Truelove for you anymore, and when I got your letter, I knew my only remaining link with you had been severed. I couldn’t bear it, Clara. I still can’t.”

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