Page 89 of The Duke's Inconvenient Bride
Ah, so there it was. Direct confirmation that Emma wanted love. For some reason, it hurt to know for certain that he’d gotten in the way of her achieving it.
“Then why did you?” he asked.
Her lips twisted wryly. “I met my husband. Once I worked out what I felt for him, it could not be denied, and I knew I couldn’t marry anyone else.”
Vaughan twirled the pen between his fingers, wondering—for the hundredth time—how he’d so badly misjudged Violet when he’d chosen her to be his future duchess. He felt like his bridal search had been doomed from the moment he’d set his eyes on her.
“Why not become betrothed to Mayhew right away?” He didn’t understand her logic. “Why accept my proposal if you knew you had feelings for another man?”
Violet shrugged. “As I said, I didn’t immediately realize what I was experiencing. When you proposed, it was everything I’d ever said I wanted, and my mind was in a muddle, so I instinctively accepted. I regret that now. If I’d turned you down, it would have been a scandal, but nothing of this scale, and I wouldn’t have needed to elope.”
She reached across the desk and placed her hand on his unoccupied one. He froze, shocked by the contact.
“I hope you have found what you wanted, even if it isn’t with the sister you initially intended to wed,” she said.
A shadow flickered in the hall, catching Vaughan’s attention before it returned to Violet. He snatched his hand away, placing it on his lap where she could not reach it.
“I appreciate your apology, and I believe you had good intentions when you came in here.”
Probably.
“But you are dishonoring both the duchess and your husband by being alone with me. Please do not seek me out alone again during your stay with us.”
Violet’s mouth dropped open. “E-Excuse me,” she sputtered.
“I believe you heard me perfectly.” He stood, and gestured toward the door. “Please return to your husband.”
Violet’s mouth snapped shut. She rose with a huff and stalked out of the office. Vaughan watched her go. He’d dodged a bullet with that one. She wasn’t half the woman Emma was.
CHAPTER 21
Emma woke up alone.
Nothing about that was unusual. However, her chest ached with an overwhelming sense of loneliness.
Despite all appearances to the contrary, she’d felt as if she’d been making progress on her closeness with Vaughan. To be sure, he hadn’t made love to her for a while, but she suspected that was only because she’d been ill.
Now she was certain it was more than that.
Last night, she’d been going to speak with him in his office when she heard voices inside and paused. She’d peeked around the door frame and caught a glimpse of Vaughan and Violet holding hands across the desk like long lost lovers, and then she’d fled.
The sight had made her insides hollow. She’d felt sick and empty all at once. She hadn’t been able to face either of them after that, so she was relieved it was the end of the night and she could go to bed without being disturbed.
Unfortunately, this morning, reality came crashing back. Or at least, it would if she’d let it, but she had a plan to delaythe inevitable for a while longer. She reached for the bell and summoned Daisy.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” Daisy said as she breezed into the bedchamber. She stopped in her tracks on the way to the windows to pull the curtains, her head swiveling as she stared at Emma.
“You look terrible,” she exclaimed.
“I feel it,” Emma said. “Would you be able to bring me a tray of breakfast and tell our guests and the duke that I am unwell?”
Daisy continued to the window and pulled the curtains open, allowing weak sunlight to stream into the room.
“Of course,” she said, approaching the bed. “What’s wrong? Is it a headache? Do you think you might cast up your accounts?”
“A little of both.” At this point, it wasn’t even a lie.
“Should I call for Dr. Edmund?” Daisy sounded worried, and Emma hung her head, a little ashamed. Perhaps it hadn’t been the best plan to feign illness so soon after her fever, but she couldn’t think of any other way to evade both her sister and her husband.
