Page 41 of A Duke to Steal Her
The cool night air hit her face like a benediction as she stepped onto the stone balcony. She gripped the marble balustrade with shaking hands, willing herself to breathe, to think, to find some semblance of the composure that had carried her through so many trials.
But all she could hear were those cruel words echoing in her mind.
How very convenient… complications… disappointment…
The worst part was that they weren’t entirely wrong.
None of that mattered now.
All that mattered was the story society would tell. And that story painted her as a fickle bride who had broken her word and brought shame upon her family.
Emily closed her eyes, fighting back tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.
I should never have come back,she thought desperately.I should not have been so eager to leave Nightfell.
Behind her, she could hear the muffled sounds of the ballroom—music and laughter and conversation flowing on as if her world hadn’t just shattered all over again.
Emily had barely managed to steady her breaths when the terrace doors opened behind her.
“How touching,” came a voice she had prayed never to hear again. “The runaway bride, seeking solace in the shadows.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Lord Peirce,” she managed, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her throat. “I was just?—”
Zachary Giles, Earl of Peirce, stood in the doorway. Gone was any pretense of the charming gentleman he’d played in public. His handsome features were twisted with cold fury, his pale eyes glittering with malice.
“Just what? Hiding?” He stepped onto the balcony, closing the doors behind him with deliberate care. “That sounds familiar, doesn’t it, my lady? Run when things become inconvenient.”
“I’m not running from anything,” she said, lifting her chin despite her racing heart. “I needed air. Nothing more.”
“Air.” His laugh was bitter as winter wind. “How perfectly innocent. Tell me, my dear, did you also need ‘air’ before our wedding day? When you left me like a fool?”
Emily forced herself to remain calm. “I was ill, as you well know. The physician confirmed my situation.”
“The physician confirmed nothing but lies,” Peirce snarled, advancing on her. “Do you take me for an idiot? Some mysterious illness that struck just before our wedding? An illness so severe it required immediate removal to parts unknown, yet left no lasting effects?”
“These things happen.”
“These things do not happen!” His voice cracked like a whip. “Not just like that, anyway. You humiliated me. Made me a laughingstock. Do you have any idea what I endured? The whispers, the speculation, the pitying looks?”
Emily’s back hit the stone balustrade. “I’m sorry you were embarrassed, but I truly was?—”
“You were what? Overcome with nerves? Suffering from maiden’s vapors?” His eyes raked over her with contempt. “Or perhaps you were already giving yourself to someone else?”
The crude words hit her like a slap. “How dare you?—”
“How dare I?” Peirce’s voice rose dangerously. “How dare you question me when you’re the one who brought shame upon both our families? When you made me the subject of every gossip in London?”
“Your reputation seems to have recovered admirably,” Emily shot back, finding courage in her anger. “I see you’ve secured yourself a woman of great means.”
Peirce’s face darkened. “Don’t you dare mock me. Not when you’re the reason I was forced to—” He stopped himself, jaw clenching.
“Forced to what? Find a richer bride? You are a man, Lord Peirce. Your reputation has bounced back much quicker than mine.” Emily’s voice shook with fury.
“Spare me the social commentary.” Peirce stepped closer, his presence suddenly menacing. “You cost me everything, Lady Emily. Contracts, investments, social standing. All because you couldn’t be bothered to honor your commitments.”
“I have fulfilled every commitment I could?—”
