Page 74 of Her Ruse with the Rakish Duke
“Farton is the perfect match. There’s no gamble being with him.” His mother glared at him.
It was a fool’s task trying to convince his mother. Once her mind was made up, there was no changing it. The problem however was to convince himself. Farton would make her happy. She might not love him at the moment but with time, after she’d forgotten about Victor, after they had shared their marital bed?—
His hands balled into fists at the thought of another man having his hands all over her. His Daphne. She would touch him, moan his name, she’d let him inside her.
He hissed and tried to shake the thoughts out of his head. But the scene vividly perforated his mind.
“How did I raise you to be so selfless and so daft at the same time?” The dowager got up from the desk and took his hands in hers. Her eyes were pleading.
Staring into her face didn’t do much to weaken his resolve. Her face hadn’t completely healed. There were cuts that hadn’t properly healed; her nose was slightly misshapen from when his father’s fist had broken it.
“Farton might never hit her, he might claim to love her, but he would never honor their marital bed. Their first engagement was broken because he couldn’t respect Daphne enough not to wait a couple of years before he started chasing skirts.”
“How do you know this?” He was filled with disgust.
“Everyone does.” Thetonmust be laughing at her. “It’s a common occurrence. No one bats an eye any longer.”
She continued. “Farton would get his heir from her and then return to the brothels. He might not even exert himself that far. Men now bed their maids.”
He knew Farton always had his eye on every skirt that passed him. Even when Daphne was near him.
Victor gritted his teeth. He had watched her stare at him with distaste every time he came into the room.
She couldn’t marry him. She didn’t want to. Percy would never fight his impulses. Percy would never see anything wrong with his impulses. Victor would. He would fight night and day to keep her safe. He would live his life just to be good to her. He could give her love. He could give her children which they would raise together.
She could never have with Farton what she and he did. Percy never got the same look she gave him. She wouldn’t willingly go to his bed. He would force her, and she would not enjoy it. Farton was egotistical and shameless. He flirted unabashedly with whoever was available. She was sunshine, brightening up his dark worlds. Her rays would vanish if she remained with Farton. She would lose her light. That couldn’t happen.
He now understood the look in her eyes when Farton had gloated about their marriage. She was pleading. Begging for him to save her, but in his pride and anger, he had abandoned her. He couldn’t let her marry Percy. He would save her before Farton latched his claws into her.
He would give her a fortune and her freedom. Free to start her life over again.
ChapterEighteen
Amelia was delirious with joy and relieved to have made it to her wedding day without any scandals involving her sister and the duke. It was one of the reasons why she and Mama had made sure to place them at two opposite ends of the church just in case their volatile relationship decided to combust while the wedding went on, but fortunately, the duke was absent.
She would admit that the duke and her sister made quite a good couple, and she was quite tired of their back-and-forth relationship. Each one of them was fighting to guard their hearts while ignoring the amazing bond they had between them. She couldn’t stand such a beautiful thing to go to waste.
Maybe it was because she was very happy at the moment, but she wanted that unfettered joy for her sister too, and she definitely didn’t think Percy Farton was the man who would give her sister that.
If only the duke were in attendance, she would have found a way to bring them together.
“What is wrong, wife?” Harry’s voice came startling her out of her reverie.
“Do not tell me you regret marrying me.” He continued, an arrogant smile on his face. “I should warn you that it might just be too late. I can’t give you back now. You are mine.” He grinned with a possessive gleam in his eyes.
“Do not worry, dearest,” she said, laughing. “I definitely had all the time to change my mind in the days leading up to the wedding. After everything we went through, I would not be in a hurry to rescind my vows.”
“I should hope so. I doubt my pride would be able to handle such a blow.” He replied more smugly and Amelia punched his shoulder playfully giggling in pure joy.
“Only your pride would be hurt?” She pouted. “Your heart would not miss me?”
“I would probably die if you left me.” He said with a hand on his chest in a dramatic move. “Is that better?”
“Much.” She smiled.
“I think we need to talk to Daphne and Victor,” she added.
“What about them?” Harry asked in a sullen tone.
