Page 49 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“Dorothy, when we started, you warned me not to let my feelings get involved lest you leave,” Axel reminded her.
“That was before I fell for you,” she said.
“You never told me that,” he retorted.
“Because I was scared it would scare you off,” Dorothy replied.
There was a moment of silence, with Dorothy sniffing and dabbing at her eyes while Axel sat in awkward silence as he watched her.
“I am sorry, Dorothy,” he apologized. “Maybe things would have gone a little differently if you had told me how you truly felt about me.”
Dorothy laughed. “You are just saying that to make me feel better,” she stated. “We both know I am the one at fault.”
“Will you be all right?” Axel asked.
“I will be once I meet her! She must be here given that it took you so long to come to meet me.” Dorothy took a few steps to the door, and before Axel could even begin to make sense of the situation, she ran out of the room.
“Dorothy!” Axel shouted, running after her. During the time that he opened and closed the door, Dorothy had managed to get to the end of the hallway, and she was already beginning to round the corner.
“What are you doing? Where are you going?” he shouted.
But he already knew where she was going. He ran as fast as he could to stop her from ruining the only thing that gave meaning to his bleak life.
Axel quickly climbed the staircase after her, and the sight that he saw chilled him to the bone. Dorothy stood right at the entrance of the open drawing room, her mouth opened as though in shock. Further inside, at the other end of the drawing-room, was Jasmine, who had one of her books opened in front of her.
Thankfully, Jasmine was too engrossed in her book to notice the woman staring at her. Axel, however, knew that he had to be very careful at this moment. Any squabble with Dorothy would end up getting the attention of Jasmine, and that was the last thing Axel needed.
“Dorothy,” Axel said calmly. Dorothy did not seem to have heard him as she only stood there, staring at Jasmine.
“Dorothy!” He spoke louder this time.
Dorothy slowly turned to him. Axel saw tears brimming in her eyes.
“Is it because she is younger?” She whispered. Axel shook his head, exasperated.
“No,” he replied.
“You know, I could ruin it all for you if I entered this drawing room,” she threatened, smiling manically.
“You would not dare do something like that,” Axel said.
“Why not?” Dorothy shrugged.
“Can you just come over here so we can talk?” he pleaded.
“No,” Dorothy replied, “I would rather stand here.”
At this moment, Axel made a daring move. He walked toward Dorothy and placed a hand over her hand with bated breath as he hoped that Jasmine would not choose that moment to look at the entrance.
Axel all but dragged Dorothy away from the door. Thankfully, she did not put up much resistance. Once Axel got her back down the staircase, he could finally take a deep breath. He, however, ensured that he still had Dorothy’s hand in his firm grasp.
“Why did you pull me away? Are you afraid I may tell your new lover everything that happened between us?” she asked.
Axel shrugged. “Or maybe I am also afraid for you.”
“For me?” Dorothy asked, confused.
Axel nodded. He knew he had to take control of the conversation right there and then. He had to act like the man that he was. This was not the time to pity Dorothy; this was the time to be ruthless with her and show her why he was called the Nordic Beast.
