Page 13 of Trapped with a Wicked Duke
"Lady Rose," Thomas said, finally breaking the silence. "I realize that I have been quite rude to you, and I want to make amends. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Rose turned to him, her eyes meeting his. "Forgive you?" she asked, her tone cold. "What could you possibly have to be forgiven for? Kidnapping me, forcing me to travel to Londonwith you, making me pretend to be your betrothed? Those are the actions of a gentleman?"
Thomas winced, clearly taken aback by her words. "I… I understand that this is not ideal," he said, his voice strained. "But I assure you, I have good reason for doing what I have done, and you will be compensated accordingly."
Rose shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger. "That is not good enough," she said, her voice rising. "I have no reason to trust you or believe a word you say. You have taken me against my will and expect me to go along with your plan. How could I possibly forgive that? I told you I would go along with this plan, but I will not enjoy it and I will not make idle chatter with you."
Thomas was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I understand your anger, Lady Rose," he said finally. "But I assure you, this is for the best. I have a plan that will benefit us both. You just need to trust me."
Rose let out a bitter laugh. "Trust you? How could I possibly trust you? You have given me no reason to do so. You even tried to…"
Thomas sighed, leaning back in his seat, fascinated by the blush on her cheeks. "This is a difficult situation, Lady Rose," he said, his voice low. "But I promise you, everything will be all right in the end. Just give me a chance to prove it to you."
Thomas blew out his breath in frustration at her indifference. Every attempt he made to connect with Rose like before hadbeen rebuffed. He decided to try again to befriend her. If she did not utterly loathe him, they would be able to convince his peers that he was engaged to marry a beautiful woman.
Is there anything I can do to make your journey more comfortable?" Rose simply looked at him, her eyes filled with suspicion.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I want to help you," Thomas replied, feeling a sense of frustration building within him. "You were in trouble, and I came to your aid. It is only fair that I expect something in return."
Rose shook her head, her eyes filled with fear. "My family will demand satisfaction for this," she said, her voice trembling. "They will come looking for me."
Thomas shrugged, trying to hide his uncertainty. "Perhaps they will not," he said, trying to sound confident. "You have shamed them by running from your wedding. They may not want to find you."
Rose's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward, her voice rising. "You know nothing of my family and how close we are to each other, Your Grace," she said, her voice filled with anger. "They would never give up on me."
Thomas felt a twinge of jealousy, intrigued by the close bond she shared with her family. He had always longed for that kind of connection and love, but he had never experienced it. He found himself wanting to know more about her and her family. "Tell me about your family," he said, his voice filled with interest. "What are they like?"
Rose simply looked at him, her eyes filled with suspicion. "Why do you want to know?" she asked, her voice guarded.
Thomas shrugged, trying to hide his true intentions. "I am just curious," he said, trying to sound casual. "I want to know more about the woman who is going to help me change London."
Rose looked away; her eyes filled with sadness. "My family is close," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We have been through a lot together, and we would do anything for each other."
"My brother William is the eldest. He dotes on us. He is extremely protective and will be up in arms over me running away." Rose took a deep breath before continuing. "The twins, Daphne and Cassian, are seventeen years old, and my parents spoil them to no end–"
"Twins? Are they alike in personality? I find that many share the same ideas and traits."
Rose shook her head and laughed as she thought of them. "Not at all. Daphne is absolutely stunning, and she is very smart. She cannot wait to be introduced and become part of theton.Cassiancares for none of it. His only goal in life it to join the military. They are as different as chalk and cheese."
"So, two brothers and one sister, then." Thomas was an only child and there were moments when he longed to have siblings.
"I have a younger sister, Jasmine, too. She and her husband are expecting their first child. I am to be an aunt," Rose's eyes softened as she spoke about her sister. "My mother is a social butterfly who loves beautiful gowns and fancy parties. She loves flowers to the point that she takes care of the gardening herself. My father, on the other hand, cares nothing for parties and the like. He adores my mother, though, he does everything she asks of him."
Thomas nodded, trying to hide the twinge of jealousy that he felt toward Rose's large and close-knit family. He had always longed for that kind of connection, but he had never found it. "It sounds like you have a wonderful family," he said, trying to sound genuine. "I am sure they miss you."
Rose's eyes filled with tears, and she looked away. "I miss them too," she whispered. "I did not think I would, but now, I realize that I will. It doesn't matter. It's the price I must pay for my freedom."
Thomas felt a pang of guilt, but he shook it off. He had acted impulsively, and now he was stuck with her, unable to let her go. He cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. "So, your sister is expecting a child. How exciting," he said, trying to sound cheerful. "I am sure you will make a wonderful aunt."
Rose gave him a small smile, but her eyes remained sad. "Yes, it is unfortunate that I will never know my new nephew or niece. Perhaps one day in the future, I can be reunited with my family but not until they realize that I am an independent woman who has no wish to marry."
Thomas nodded, feeling a sense of frustration building within him. He had never been good with emotions, and he did not know how to comfort her.
Just then, the carriage pulled over near a large stand of trees. "Ah. A chance to stretch our legs. Shall we?" Thomas stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand to Rose. She ignored it and exited the carriage by herself.
Thomas led the way with Rose following close behind. They walked down a small path that led to a serene stream. The sound of the water trickling over rocks was a soothing background to their walk. The sun was shining, casting a warm glow over the lush green forest. The scent of flowers and fresh earth filled the air.
