Page 7 of Doubling Down on a Duke
“I can state with a clear conscience you are the one and only lady who has traveled in this coach with me.”
“Impossible. How could that be?”
Head tilted slightly to the side he asked, “Are you calling me a liar?”
“Well, I find that rather difficult to believe.”
“I’ll confess I’ve not been a saint, and while I have engaged in a liaison or two, I’m not half the rake the ton makes me out to be…and I can assure you I’ve never once lied to you.”
Helen studied his serious features and the sting of jealousy that accompanied his confession burned deep within her chest. She wanted to know more and yet at the same time she didn’t.
He reached for her hand. “Do you believe me?”
“I trust you.” She withdrew her hand from his and tucked it under her leg. “I’d like to hear what you know of the three suspects?”
“There is not much I can share. I typically steer clear of wallflowers and spinsters.”
“I’m afraid I too can provide no further insight than what Lord Hadfield provided. We need to determine their motivation for the theft. I’d hazard a guess it wasn’t for financial gain.”
“What other reason could there be?”
“For love.” She hadn’t hesitated to respond. It was simply the first thing that came to mind. While not the most logical explanation, it resonated with Helen, mayhap because she found herself sympathizing with the three women. She would risk everything to find love or to fall in love.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nightfall was looming and Bryce had to decide—push on or rest at the next coaching inn. He shifted lower to cradle Helen’s head that was bobbing about. Sneaking a peek at his wife, he remembered her slumbering against his shoulder when they were children. The gentle sway of the coach always lulled Helen into sleep even on the short trips between their family country estates. He missed the days when she would reach for his hand to jump across the stream or tug on his sleeve before asking for a ride on his back when her feet tired as they traipsed about the forest. Summers in the country had been the highlight of his existence, but they had ceased a few years before he inherited the dukedom. When his father fell ill, he was forced to stay in town more and more, which meant less and less time with Helen. A chasm between them grew wider and wider each year.
Bryce released a sigh.
They had been kidnapped, married, and hurried off on a mission all within the course of forty-eight hours, yet Helen hadn’t once complained. It was at least a three-day journey to the small, quaint town of Delkaid Wells. There was no reason to risk traveling at night except to avoid his fear of rejection. Beforeshe had fallen asleep, Helen had painfully ensured that there was always at least a foot of space between them in the cramped interior of the coach. There was no chance the lady would be willing to share a bed chamber with him even if itwastheir wedding night.
He reached out to brace his wife’s forehead with a gloved finger as the coach jolted forward before coming to a stop. Instinctively he ran his finger along her hairline, tucking the wisps of hair that had escaped during the arduous day’s travel. She didn’t awaken right away, and Bryce took advantage of the opportunity to admire her. Helen’s chubby, rosy cheeks were less chubby now, but her plump, pouty lips remained an alluring pink. Like countless times over the years, he found himself fantasizing of having those same lips pressed against his.
Helen’s eyes fluttered open. “Have we reached the coaching inn?”
Lightheaded at the sight of her dreamy dark brown eyes, Bryce nodded. “Do you wish to continue on after a respite or should I inquire about lodging for the evening?”
“I shall defer to you.”
Her response took him aback. Helen always had an opinion and rarely shied away from sharing it—at least, when they had been close. He moved to the rear facing seat so he could clearly and directly speak to her face-to-face. “I’ll admit that it has been some time since we’ve spent time in each other’s company, but I’d hoped that we could return to being at the very least friends, friends that were open and honest with one another.”
“Is that your way of stating that we are to be partners on equal footing for the duration of the mission?”
Her question hit him square in the chest. He leaned back and crossed his arms as if the action could defend him from her heart-piercing words. Here he was reminiscing of a bond he thought they had forged during their formative years. They hadspent nearly every daylight hour of every summer in each other's company; sometimes debating, sometimes laughing, and many times sitting across from one another in front of chess pieces. He was a fool for hoping she could come to care for him as he cared for her. Knowing it would rile the woman, Bryce remained silent.
“Well?” she asked with both eyebrows raised.
Blast his overriding desire to see her smiling and happy. To hell with his pride. He unwound his arms and braced his elbows upon his spread knees. Once he was eye level with Helen, he said, “We have never been on equal footing, and I’d be an idiot to expect it to be so going forward. You and I both know that you have always held the upper hand. However, ourmarriagewill only succeed if both of us are willing to be honest with one another.”
“As a member of the Network, did you or did you not pledge to place missions and the protection of PORF’s first and foremost?” His wife lowered her gaze to her clasped hands in her lap. “If it were not for that pledge, we would not be married now.”
“That is simply not true. We were betrothed well before this mission. I’ve never once questioned who I was going to marry, it was only a matter of when and where.”
“Why?”
He must be exhausted. He wasn’t following Helen’s train of thought which he normally did with ease. “Why what?”
Hands balled into tight fists, she met his gaze and asked, “Why did you never question our betrothal? Why did you not follow your heart and marry one of the ladies who…” Helen’s voice trailed off.
