Page 75 of Starlight and the Duke
In truth, Bromleigh had not ordered him to leave so much as begged him to do the right thing and stop giving Fiona so much pain. “She’s barren, Rob. That ache remains with her day in and day out. Do you think it is easy for her to refuse you? She does itout of love for you, knowing a wife who can bear you sons is what you need.”
Yes, he did need sons.
Yes, he hoped for children.
But if it meant losing Fiona in order to have them, then the choice was an easy one for him.
He would always choose Fiona.
He meant to seek out Bromleigh and thank him for giving her the push she obviously needed to give up her obsession with salvaging the Durham line. There had been a few intelligent but ruthless Durham dukes who had built it into one of the most powerful titles in England. However, for generations there had been mostly wastrels and fools.
A few had been beheaded. A few had lost the title only to reclaim it when their faction rose to power again.
Most of the recent Durham men had died before ever ascending to the title because they were reckless idiots who’d managed to destroy themselves before they ever got their hands on the dukedom’s assets.
Rob had never been raised to be a duke. In truth, he was either forgotten by his father or beaten whenever in that ogre’s company.
He wasn’t sure which was worse.
His mother had gone along with it all because it suited her life of luxury, and she had no wish to disrupt the convenient arrangement reached between her and his father. For this reason, she’d easily convinced herself that beating strength into him, watching that brute beat a helpless little boy, was all right.
So, did he care about the Durham title?
Not nearly as much as he cared about Fiona, the fairy princess who had nursed his wounds and held his hand throughout his pain, and, with that gesture, lessened it.
And now she would be his. Because it was his turn to lessen her pain.
He dared not blink and lose it all.
Since Bromleigh and Cherish were busy getting ready for their dinner party, he and Fiona chose not to disturb them now and agreed to take them aside just before the meal commenced. The general announcement would be made later in the evening, once the men had imbibed their ports and joined the ladies in the parlor.
Of course, Rob had every intention of speaking up during their meal if Lady Cordelia said anything out of line. “All right, Fiona? If she spouts her venom, I am going to announce our betrothal there and then.”
“All right. Agreed.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. She was not going to back out.
He escorted her back to the house and they parted ways at the top of the stairs, he turning left to his guest chamber while she turned right to head to hers.
He entered his room with a smile on his face, and kept that smile as he undressed and then washed up.
He saw his reflection grinning back at him as he adjusted the tie of his formal black attire with the assistance of Gawain’s valet, who was making it his life’s mission to see it knotted to perfection.
He then endured more fussing as the man measured the distance between his cuffs and sleeves to ensure just the right amount of white lawn shirt was showing under his jacket sleeve. The world would not collapse if too much of the white lawn was showing, but Rob dared not say this to the earnest man. So he smiled and thanked him.
In truth, he had never felt better.
He strode downstairs and marched into the parlor where the guests were to gather before being led into the dining roomfor tonight’s feast. Fiona was there, chatting with several other guests. He recognized Aubrey, Florence Newton, Milbury and his waspish sister, Lady Cordelia, and the other wasp at this house party, Lady Anne Hastings, all of them standing in a circle around Fiona as they conversed.
He felt a moment’s concern upon noticing that unpleasant pair, Cordelia and Anne, standing together.
Evil seeks out evil.
He did not like that they were both beside Fiona, and worried they would destroy her confidence with their insidious comments. It had taken a huge leap for her to overcome her guilt about being childless and agree to marry him.
His fears were allayed when she lit up like a bright candle the moment she saw him standing at the threshold and motioned him over.
Perhaps he was the one blazing like a fully lit chandelier and brightening the room. He did not know, and he was too elated to care.
