Page 95 of Claiming his Cursed Duchess
Phineas sighed helplessly. “Rosaline cares for you, just as you care for her. Whatever you have done, remedy it, because you deserve to be happy and she is the source of it all.”
He placed his hat on his head, giving Adam a smart nod, and walked out, leaving him with nothing but the crackle of the fire and the truth of his friend’s words ringing in his ears.
Chapter Thirty-One
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Rosaline asked, as she and her driver stared at the building before them.
It was an isolated spot, the only building in any direction for miles. The façade of the inn was dark and imposing with very little light illuminating the exterior, and heavy curtains covered the windows of the rooms above.
It looked like a haunted house to Rosaline’s eyes.
She was of half a mind to ask the driver to continue onward and abandon her plans to remain there for the night, but she knew it would be unwise to risk another long journey through the darkness.
She alighted, looking at the mud beneath her feet and feeling a chill in the air as she headed for the front door, expecting the worst.
As she walked inside however, she was pleasantly surprised by a warm, cozy atmosphere. There were several travelers in the main room sitting around tables, but there was a bright fire and it was warm.
She looked to her left as a portly man with a magnificent beard came in from the other room, smiling broadly.
“Your Grace?” he asked, as she raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. He chuckled. “We had word of your arrival from the Duke of Ravenshire.”
God bless Wilhelm.
“I see. Yes, I am the Duchess of Oldstone, I would be grateful for a room for the night.”
“It is all ready for you, Your Grace, if you would like to follow me. I shall send some supper up for you as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, I am most grateful to you,” she said as he led her up a narrow flight of stairs to a long corridor lined with dark doorways all along the length of it.
The room he showed her was small but pleasant and well-proportioned. The fire had been burning for some time, and there was a warmth about the space. The bed looked very inviting after her long journey.
“I shall be back shortly with your supper, Your Grace. We shall see to your horses and your carriage, so as you are ready for the morning.”
She handed him a coin as he backed out of the room with a formal bow.
As the door snapped shut, she looked at the bed once more. Only one night with Adam’s arms around her and she struggled to sleep without them.
She dispensed with her cloak and sat down on the bed, gazing at the room around her.
I hope I am doing the right thing. What if, when I eventually return, I am too late and he believes we should live entirely separate lives from now on?
But Genevieve’s words flitted through her mind, just as they had the entire carriage ride.
I cannot run from him forever, even if learning what he truly wants risks losing everything I have.
A little time later there was a knock on the door, and Rosaline went to it, expecting it to be a maid with her supper.
But when she opened the door, it was her uncle.
Rosaline stood motionless for a second, staring at him, unable to understand how he could possibly be here.
He held up an expensive-looking bottle of brandy.
“I am sorry to surprise you like this, dear Rosaline. I know that you and I didn’t part on the best of terms, but…I regret what I said. I wanted to make amends.”
He brandished the bottle again, his eyebrows raising as he gave her a warm smile. Rosaline hesitated, glancing behind him to the hallway.
“Whatever happened to your face?”
