Page 46 of The Duke's Stubborn Wallflower
A Challenge and a Defeat
Nigel stared at Alexander as the words hung between them. As soon as they had been discovered, he had expected to feel despair and terror. Instead, he had been filled with shame.How could I have done this to her?
“Brother, please, do not do this.” Olivia’s voice was full of anger and sadness.
“This is a matter that must be settled by gentleman though I hesitate to use the word to describehim.” Alexander shot Nigel a look of pure loathing.
It felt like a knife in his chest, only adding to his shame.I should not have followed Olivia. I should not have come here. Curse me a thousand times for a fool.“I have no wish to duel you, old friend.”
“Do not call me a friend, not when you have spoiled my own flesh and blood with your wanton disregard,” Alexander spat.
“I have no excuse for what I did. I should not have allowed myself to get so caught up.” Nigel shook his head.Why did I have to go and kiss her? God damn it, what a wretchedly selfish creature am I.
“I was also caught up, Sir. We share the blame.” Olivia glanced at him, and Nigel could see the confusion and hurt in her eyes.
There was something else there too, something he could not quite place, but before he could work it out, she had turned from him to stare at her brother.
“Brother, surely there must be another way to settle this?” Olivia asked.
Nigel looked at the fury in his friend’s face. They both understood the stakes. And Nigel would pay the price for his foolishness.Perhaps this is the curse, finally come to claim me.
“The only other way to settle this would be if Maxton agreed to marry you.” Alexander met Nigel’s eyes, and he could see the hope and anger warring in them. “Honour must be restored, one way or another.”
There was a beat of silence. Some selfish part of him desperately wanted to say yes, but then he saw his mother’s grieving facebeside the body of his father. The pain that had wracked her for months, years even.I cannot do that to Olivia.
“I cannot. I will not do that to her. I will not let my affection for your sister force her into a life of disappointment.” Nigel shook his head. “It would not be right. It would not be fair.”I do not want to hurt her.
“I though I knew who you were, Maxton. That I had the measure of you.” Alexander shook his head, and for the first time, Nigel could see the pain beneath his friend’s anger. “You claim to not want to force her into a life of disappointment, yet I do not understand why you think a life with you will only end in disappointment.”
Nigel swallowed.How do I tell him the truth? Would he even believe me?His chest squeezed, and he settled for a half truth. “I could never be worthy of your sister. Could never hope to be even half the man she deserves.”
“And you are determined to die rather than try and be that man?” There was an odd note in Alexander’s voice.
“Perhaps death is all I deserve.” Nigel felt the weight of the curse settle over him.
“And I thought women were supposed to be the dramatic, hysterical sex.” Olivia sounded annoyed and hurt. “How can you both say such utterly foolish things?”
Nigel caught a glimpse of embarrassment in Alexander’s cheeks and felt his own cheeks redden.She does not know the truth. I should tell her, but what good would it do?
If he told Olivia about the curse, it would change nothing. The curse would still take him from her, would leave her to live out the rest of her days alone.She deserves a long and happy life.
“I do not know why you are so determined to believe you are not worthy of me, but your mind seems made up.” Olivia shook her head and turned from Nigel to face Alexander, hiding the expression on her face from him. “Brother, this has gone too far. No one knows what has happened; can we not simply forget this and go about our business?”.”
Alexander met Nigel’s gaze; the steel in his eyes faded to something else. In that moment, Nigel saw the boy he had first met, all those years ago at Eton. He could see the lanky teenage form of his friend. The boy who had not yet grown into his limbs.
He remembered how Alexander had defended him from the bullies who had teased him for not having a father. He remembered defending Alexander when those same vile creatures had accused Alexander of murdering his own father.
In his memory, he saw his boyhood friend hold a hand out to him. “It will always be us against the world, won’t it Maxton?”
“Always.” That had been Nigel’s youthful reply.
“I ask you one more time, will you marry my sister?” Alexander’s voice brought Nigel back to the present.
He saw the unspoken plea etched on his friend’s face.Do not rob me of a brother for the honour of a sister. Do not rob me of my friend.Some part of Nigel ached to agree. He opened his mouth, the words half formed, and then he saw Olivia.
In the moonlight, she looked even younger. Her face wholly innocent and pure. He remembered how his father’s death had robbed his mother of her own youth. Of decades of happiness. Something slid into place in his heart, even as he felt it shatter into pieces.
“I cannot,” he spoke the words as though they were a death sentence. Alexander’s face was a mask of pain for a moment before a cold emptiness slid across it. “Then we shall see this put right. You will meet me at dawn. Are you willing to forego a second?”
