Page 58 of Claiming his Cursed Duchess
“I take it this is not a regular occurrence?” she asked.
Henry gave a small, nervous chuckle, though the flush on his face remained.
“Not…exactly.”
“I’ll handle it,” Rosaline said after a pause, her tone firm but composed. She stepped forward, placing a hand lightly on his arm. “Go change and compose yourself. I will speak to Adam.”
Henry’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected her to take charge of the situation, but he quickly nodded.
“Thank you, Duchess. And…I’m sorry you had to witness…that.”
She gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s all right, Henry. Just…try to keep out of trouble for the rest of the evening.”
With a hesitant glance toward the door, Henry rushed upstairs.
Adam sat at his desk, his hands clenched into fists as he stared into the fire.
Rosaline entered the room, closing the door quietly behind her. “Adam?”
He didn’t turn to look at her, but his voice was a low growl, still laced with frustration. “He’s a fool. I cannot believe the disrespect—God knows who that woman was.”
She approached slowly, careful to keep her voice calm. “I know you are angry, Adam, but perhaps you should reconsider how harshly you deal with him. He is your brother, after all.”
Adam’s gaze flickered toward her, his expression unreadable. “No. I won’t stand for this kind of outright debauchery inmyhouse.”
Rosaline took a step closer, her eyes softening.
“I understand. But I also know that if you push him too far, it could make things worse. He looks up to you more than you realize, even if he acts, well?—”
“Foolishly? Recklessly? Like a complete buffoon with no sense of self-preservation?”
Rosaline placed a hand gently on his shoulder, the touch surprisingly soothing. “Perhaps we can make a compromise. Let him come with us to Harrington’s ball. It will give him a chance to redeem himself, and it might just put him on a better path.”
Adam looked at her for a long moment, the storm in his eyes slowly beginning to dissipate.
“You think this will work?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Rosaline said softly, “but I do know that sometimes, the hardest lessons are learned through forgiveness. And right now, Henry needs to feel like he still has a place in your life.”
Adam’s gaze softened, just for a moment, before he stood. “Very well.”
“I will leave you to handle the details, but you should know…I have every confidence that Henry can change. And you don’t have to do it alone.”
Adam exhaled, “Perhaps. But he should be thankful to you for this.”
Rosaline chuckled, “I will be sure to let him know.”
Later that evening, as they arrived at the grand ballroom, Rosaline’s heart began to race.
She had braced herself for the inevitable scrutiny—after all, it wasn’t the first time she’d walked into a room full of prying eyes. But tonight, it felt different. The whispers seemed louder, sharper, the stares more intense. Heads turned in their direction as they entered, a ripple of conversation following them like a tidal wave.
Rosaline swallowed hard, a familiar sense of insecurity creeping up her spine. The weight of their gaze felt heavier than usual, like invisible hands pushing her further into the corner of the room.
Adam, ever perceptive, must have noticed her shift in posture. He stepped closer, his hand subtly brushing against hers, and squeezed it reassuringly.
“Hold your head high, Rosaline,” he murmured, his voice low and steady. “Let them stare. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Her heart eased by the sincerity in his voice. His words struck a chord deep within her, and for a moment, she forgot about it all.
