Page 36 of Trapped with a Wicked Duke
Thomas managed a small smile. "I suppose I am, Mother," he said. "I never thought I would find someone like Rose. She has been a godsend for my career. And for my…heart."
"A wife should be a helpmeet for her husband. I believe the gods were shining upon you when you met her," The Dowager Duchess beamed. "I am so happy for you, Thomas. It is about time you found someone to care for."
Thomas's smile faded a bit as he thought of the charade he and Rose were performing. He could not let his mother know the truth, so he simply nodded and took another sip of his coffee.
Rose lay in her bed, staring up at the canopy. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the kiss she had shared with Thomas at the dinner party. It had been a moment of passion, one that had taken her by surprise. But as she thought back on it, she felt asense of confusion. She had never considered herself the type of woman to want to be with a man, to be a wife. She had always dreamed of independence, of seeing the world and experiencing all that it had to offer.
And yet, Thomas's promise that she would be free to leave after the final vote weighed heavily on her mind. She knew that she should be eager to take the funds he had offered and travel to new and exciting places before she was discovered, but instead, she found herself hesitating. The thought of leaving Thomas, of never seeing him again, was a painful one.
The kiss had been so unexpected, and yet it had felt so right. She could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers, and the way his arms had pulled her close. She sighed and turned over in bed, trying to get comfortable. She closed her eyes and focused on going to sleep, but it was no use. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and she felt more awake than ever.
Rose sighed and sat up in bed, feeling restless. She needed to clear her head, sort through her feelings and figure out what she wanted. She knew that she would have to decide soon, but for now, she just needed some time to think.
As Rose made her way down the stairs, she could not shake the thoughts of Thomas's promise that she would be free to leave after the final vote. Part of her felt a sense of relief at the thought of finally being able to go where she pleased, but another part felt a sense of sadness at the thought of leaving Thomas behind.
When she arrived in the breakfast room, she hesitated in the doorway, taking a moment to observe Thomas and the Dowager Duchess as they sat together, talking in hushed tones. But before she could retreat back upstairs, the Dowager Duchess spotted her.
"Good morning, Rose," the Dowager Duchess said, her voice warm and welcoming. "Come, join us for breakfast."
Rose took a deep breath and stepped into the room, feeling a sense of nervousness. She knew that Thomas's vote was only two days from now, and she wanted to be there for him, but she did not know how to navigate the complicated emotions she was feeling.
"Good morning," she said, taking a seat at the table. "How are you both this morning?"
"It is a glorious day. Thomas and I were discussing how successful the last few weeks have been. How do you think the vote will go, Lady Rose?" the Dowager Duchess asked, taking a sip of her tea.
Rose glanced at Thomas, who was staring intently at her. "I–I am not sure," she stammered. "But I hope it goes in Thomas's favor."
"As it should," the Dowager Duchess nodded. "And once all of this is finished, you and I can finally start making the wedding arrangements. Now, I have come up with a menu for the wedding breakfast that I wanted to discuss with you…"
Thomas groaned. "Mother, not now. The vote is the most important thing right now. We can worry about the wedding later."
Rose nodded, grateful for Thomas's interruption. She still felt conflicted about the idea of marriage and the future that was being planned for her. "Yes, let's focus on the vote and make sure it goes as planned," she said, trying to hide her inner turmoil.
The Dowager Duchess sighed but then smiled. "Very well, but we must start making plans soon. The wedding should be a grand affair, after all."
Rose forced a smile, feeling overwhelmed by the thought of it all. She was grateful for the distraction when a footman entered the room to announce that Thomas's steward had arrived.
Thomas rose from his seat, ready to attend to business. "Excuse me, Mother. Lady Rose. I have some important matters to attend to."
Rose nodded, watching as Thomas strode from the room, deep in thought.
The Dowager Duchess glanced at Rose. "For two people so in love with each other, you would think you would be excited to wed. If I did not know any better, then I would think you both preferred to remain unattached."
Rose felt her cheeks grow hot as she thought about their arrangement. "It is just the stress of the vote and the wedding," she said quickly, trying to cover up her discomfort. "We both have a lot on our minds."
The Dowager Duchess nodded understandingly. "Of course, my dear. And have you heard from your mother lately? How is she doing?"
Rose smiled, grateful for the change in subject. "She is doing much better, Your Grace. However, she is still too ill to travel. I would not want to tax her health by having her attend the wedding just yet."
The Dowager Duchess nodded sympathetically. "Of course, my dear. Family always comes first. We will make sure to give her plenty of time to recover before we make any arrangements."
Rose breathed a sigh of relief. She hated lying to her, but she knew it was necessary to protect their secret. She just hoped that their ruse would hold up until they could find a way to end their engagement without causing a scandal. "We could just delay any announcement of the engagement until she is fully recovered," Rose said, hoping the Dowager Duchess would agree.
The Dowager Duchess looked at her skeptically, but she let the matter drop. "Well, let's focus on the wedding breakfast. I have a list of dishes I would like to serve, and I want to make sure that everything is perfect."
Rose tried to focus on the conversation, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Where would she go when she left here in a few days? Should she return to her family and explain the entire situation and hope they would finally see the futility of forcing her into marriage? Or perhaps follow through on her lie and go to visit her aunt in Scotland. Neither of these ideas appealed to her. The more she thought about it, the more she wished that she could stay right here where she was.
Chapter Nineteen
