Page 41 of Captured By the Cold Duke
“Thomas? Are you all right?”
Cherie looked into the study where her husband was sitting in the semi-dark, his head resting in his hands. He didn’t seem to hear her, so she moved deeper into the room.
“Thomas? What’s wrong?”
Her husband looked up, and she almost took a step back. The look on his face was so distraught that for a moment, she almost didn’t recognize him. She had never seen him look as devastated as he did now. It was probably how he had looked after his father had died.
“Cherie.” His tone was formal, clipped. It reminded her of how he had spoken to her that first night she’d seen him again, outside of the inn. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here,” she said. “I came to check on you after the butler told me that Lord Rochford had left.”
“Ahh. Yes. The earl is truly gone, then?”
“Yes, and hopefully he stays gone.” She lingered in the doorway, waiting for an invitation to enter. When he didn’t extend one, she took it upon herself to approach him.
“What happened with the earl?” she asked anxiously. “I heard raised voices…”
“I’m sorry you had to hear that,” Thomas said curtly. “It was not my intention.”
“I didn’t hear any particulars if that’s what you’re worried about,” Cherie said, gazing at his face and trying to decipher exactly what it was he was feeling. “I’m not trying to eavesdrop on the business arrangements between the two of you.”
“What?” Thomas looked confused. “Oh, right…”
Cherie licked her lips. She knew that her husband probably wanted a moment alone, but she needed so badly to talk to him, to explain. The guilt of what had happened with Lord Rochford was weighing too heavily on her. And even though she had rejected him, there had still been a few moments when she’d hesitated, and they were filling her with a sick feeling of guilt.
“Thomas…” He looked up at her sharply, and she hoped that having used his given name would make it easier to hear what she had to say. “There is something that you should know about Lord Rochford’s visit.”
Thomas sat back in his chair. The look of utter devastation had left his face, and he seemed alert now, and back to normal—if still aloof.
“I know what happened with Lord Rochford,” he said, before she could explain further. “I heard everything.”
“Everything?” her heart hammered in her chest. “You were there the whole time?”
“Or long enough to get most of it. But you needn’t fear, I heard the way you demonstrated your loyalty. And I appreciate it very much.”
But his face was still expressionless and cold, and Cherie wasn’t sure she believed him.
“If you heard everything, then you know that I have no interest in the earl,” she said. “I just want to emphasize that. I was not tempted by his offer for even a moment.”
“I am glad to hear that.” Again, though, Thomas looked anything but glad.
“I just didn’t want to keep what he said from you,” she hurried to say. “It is important to be honest in a marriage, and I would never keep from you that he came here to proposition me. I hope you can believe that.”
Thomas took a long time to respond. He watched her for what felt like a whole minute, and then he said, “I appreciate that, but you do not need to tell me about every man who propositions you.”
“I—wait, what?” Cherie stared at him. “There are no other men who are propositioning me. You must know that.”
“There aren’t any now,” Thomas said, raising an eyebrow. “But you can’t truly believe that Lord Rochford will be the last.”
She gasped. “I hope that he will be!”
“It is not uncommon for married people of the peerage to pursue … affections… beyond the bounds of marriage,” Thomas said, although the words seemed to cost him some effort. “So, I would not be surprised, or offended, if you—a beautiful, interesting, charming young woman—were to receive other offers.”
Cherie felt as if her head was spinning. This had never even occurred to her, and she did not like the idea of it one bit.
“That is preposterous,” she said faintly. “I am a duchess. The men of thetonshould show me more respect.”
“It is their way of showing respect,” he said flatly. He then stood, stretched, and walked across the room to her. Only once he was standing in front of her did he say, almost too quietly for her to hear, “I would also not be surprised, or offended if you were to accept one of these proposals.”
