Page 92 of The Duke's Second Bride
“No,” she repeated, more firmly this time. “It seems you are hard of hearing, if you did not hear me the first time. I bid you good night.”
She turned to call Kate. Before she could, however, he laughed so loudly it startled her.
“Not so hard of hearing that I have no idea what is going on in that happy little townhouse of yours,Your Grace,” he said, putting an extra cruel mocking emphasis on her title.
Ava lifted her chin up. “You can’t frighten me with any of those old rumors, Brandon,” she said. “I am married. I have a new life.”
“Yes. A new life with a man who has since grown cold on you, no? Or else you wouldn’t be walking home alone from your widowed friend,” he pointed out snidely.
He took a step closer. She took a step back, but held off on calling for Kate, if only because she needed to know what sort of horrible thing Brandon might threaten her with next. In some ways, it was more frightening not to know.
“You deserve a man who understands your body,” he purred, his voice running even lower. An even crueler glint entered his eye. “And who won’t burden you with the ghost of a dead wife?”
Ava’s breath froze in her throat. “I had thought you couldn’t possibly sink to any further depths, and yet it turns out you are ten times viler than even I had thought,” she hissed.
Brandon tossed his head back, letting out a cavalier laugh. “Ah, women say such funny things in the throes of passion,” he said. “Consider my offer, Ava darling. I could be very discreet. You needn’t fear for your marriage. I have always preferred my mistresses with a ring on their fingers.”
“Get away from me,” she said, so sharply she even surprised herself.
It seemed she surprised Brandon, as well. For the first time, he stopped his slow approach, and the ever-present smug expression dropped from his face.
“If you ever speak to me like that again, you will regret it,” she said. Then she saw Kate approaching, having taken the increased volume of the conversation as a sign to return. “Come, Kate,” Ava said. “We are leaving.”
To her surprise, Brandon did not make any sort of attempt to gain the last word. However, when she glanced back at him, her blood ran cold at the hatred on his face.
She pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. She and Kate both kept looking back at the remainder of their walk home.
CHAPTER 33
“Where are we?” Christian demanded as the carriage came to a stop.
Vincent opened the door and hopped down, gesturing for Christian to follow him. “St. George’s,” he said. “Hanover Square. Come. Don’t make me stand out here for nothing.”
Christian followed his friend, brow furrowed.
Vincent ignored the church entirely, instead making a beeline for the adjacent cemetery.
By the time he stopped, Christian finally realized what was happening, but it was too late.
“Here we are,” Vincent said, looking down. “I don’t have any flowers on hand. Though, to my credit, I was rather hoping it wouldn’t come to this. If you had just listened to me back at thebar, you could have been home by now. Still, I’ll be sure to bring some later in the week. Sophia will want to visit, I’m sure.”
Christian followed Vincent’s gaze with some reluctance to the headstone before them.
Isabel Adler, Marchioness of Drake, it read.Wife and mother.
“Why have you brought me here, Vincent?” Christian protested.
“Talk,” Vincent said. When Christian opened his mouth, he rapidly shushed him. “Not to me,” he said, shaking his head. Then he jabbed a finger in the direction of Isabel’s grave. “Talk toher.”
He bowed at the grave. Then, after patting Christian’s shoulder firmly, he walked back to the carriage. Christian heard the sound of Vincent climbing up and shutting the door, leaving Christian entirely alone.
He swallowed, then looked down at the grave.
The sight of her name was too much, and he immediately looked back up.
The graveyard was silent around them. But the silence seemed to grow louder in spite of the emptiness of the place.
Christian stood there for a long time with his hands in his pockets, feeling more foolish as the seconds ticked on.
