Page 94 of A Duchess Bound
“She will soon be of age,” Gerard said softly. “You cannot protect her from every danger in the world. No one could do that.”
“Dorothy!” Elias shouted.
Dorothy’s brow furrowed. She cast Gerard a final, fleeting look. And then, she went after her brother.
Gerard remained where he was, thinking about how close he had come to saying something more personal to her than he had meant. He curled his hands into fists. He was not a suitable man for Dorothy, and no matter how much he tried to change himself, he doubted that he could ever become a man who was worthy of her.
But maybe he could help her weather this storm.
CHAPTER 33
The next day, Dorothy sat with her embroidery in the drawing room. Bridget sat in the chair across from her, sketchbook open, but nothing had yet been drawn. With a sigh, Elias joined them and slumped into the sofa beside Dorothy. He looked as though he had aged overnight, and the gray shadows beneath his eyes confirmed that sleep had been scarce.
After they returned from the ball, Elias had demanded answers from Bridget. Their young sister had been silent in the carriage on the way back to the townhouse, but in the face of Elias’s frustration, she had burst into tears. Dorothy had tiredly suggested that they discuss the matter in the morning, and Elias joining them in the drawing room confirmed that the time would come.
“I will kill him,” Elias said, breaking the silence.
“You will not,” Dorothy said.
Elias tipped his head back and met her gaze with a rueful expression. “If he does not marry Bridget, I will challenge him to a duel, and I will win. He has dishonored her, and I expect that accursed man to behave with honor!”
“He is not accursed!” Bridget exclaimed, jumping to her feet. “And you will not need to duel him. Lord Fourton will come to call today and agree to marry me.”
“How can you know that?” Dorothy cried. “Do you realize the severity of what you have done? How could you let a man dishonor you? You wanted to do whatever you pleased, and now, we shall all pay the consequences for it!”
“No!” Bridget argued.
Dorothy cast aside her embroidery and surged to her feet as well. “Yes! He has ruined your reputation and abandoned you, and now, Elias must challenge him to a duel!”
“If I can find him,” Elias said dryly. “If he has not already left.”
“He would not leave!” Bridget snapped, raising her voice. “He loves me, and I love him!”
“If he loved you, he would have already come to see you!” Dorothy exclaimed.
“He will!”
“We shall see,” Elias said placatingly. “I will admit that I have my doubts, however, for Lord Fourton is a notorious rake. I wish I had known that you were so close to him.”
Dorothy clenched her jaw and looked away from them both. Guilt twisted in her chest. Worse, the stifling sensation was accompanied by the soft memory of Gerard, his gentle face framed in the silvery moonlight. He had looked at her and told her that it was not her fault, and the man did not even realize how much that meant to her.
Maybe he never would.
“You have made the worst mistake of your life,” Dorothy said, her voice shaking.
“No,” Bridget said. “No, falling in love would never be a mistake! Not that you would know! You have never loved anyone and never will!”
“Do not speak of things that you know nothing about!” Dorothy snapped. “You have no idea how much I have loved!”
Bridget inhaled sharply, her eyes wide. She put a hand to her chest, as if to force air back into her lungs.
No one said anything.
A light knock came from the door. Dorothy drew in a sharp breath, her eyes snapping to the door. Was it he, Lord Fourton? Had he come?
“Yes?” Elias asked.
Their butler bowed. “You have a caller, the Duke of Greenway.”
