Page 121 of The Scandal You Started
“No.”
She blinked in surprise. “Wait, you didn’t?” He shook his head. “Why not?”
Oh, Dominic had been curious for sure after he’d been taught the full capabilities of the internet. But by that point, he’d already been half in love with Rayna. He hadn’t seen the point of reading about a life where her name wasn’t written next to his.
Unsure if she was ready to hear those words, he shrugged his head to the side. “There are some things evenIam too uncomfortable with discovering. It did not feel right to find out.”
She leaned back into herself and eyed him for a moment, then gave him a small smile. “Well, I’m not sure you’re gonna like this now—”
“I will,” he said as quickly and as firmly as her doubt had punctured his heart.
She rolled her eyes, looking more like her confident self. “You don’t know what it is yet.”
“It matters not what it is. I will like it.”
She swallowed, a glaze drifting over her stare. Then she looked away and opened the leather-bound book titledFabrics of the Times.
“You once said your sister, Patricia, had two dreams—to design fabrics and ribbons, and to marry your manservant, Candreas Hamilton.”
“That is correct.”
Hired after Dominic caught his previous hand selling gossip about him to the columns, Candreas was more than Dominic’s manservant. He considered Candreas to be a very dear friend, despite being five years younger. And much to Candreas’s shock and disapproval, bubbly, outspoken, silk-obsessed Patricia was in love with him; a match Dominic wasn’t opposed to.
“Well, Candreas’s name is kind of unique, and it sounded a little too familiar, so I did something I shouldn’t have and decided to look him up.” A grin broke out on Rayna’s delightful face. “And I can confirm both of your sister’s dreams do come true.”
A single, surprised laugh burst from him before he bent over to look at the page she tapped. And bloody woods, there was his sister’s name along with Candreas’s.
It read,“For example, while Hamilton’s first fabric factory was opened in Touma in 645 PR by husband and wife, Candreas and Lady Patricia HannaHamilton, the Hamilton stamp of design can be found on silks that dressed the Khaasanand Jahandari monarchies several years before this. Lady Patricia’s prior success was even noted in the following article written to celebrate the opening of the factory…”
A solid lump of pride and aching happiness blocked Dominic’s throat, making the back of his nose sting.
She did it…you really did it, Patricia.
Oblivious to his overwhelmed state, Rayna added, “Hamilton fabrics are still famous all around the world. And in the recent decade, one of the Hamilton children took it a step further.”
She pulled out the white paper sticking out from the top of the book and unfolded it. It was a black and white printing of a newer article with a young, elegant man who had the sharp nose and jaw of Candreas.
“This is Lord Candy Hamilton, a well-loved women’s fashion designer. He’s your sister’s great-grandchild five or six times removed, and your great-nephew. And to top it all off, the first collection of clothes he designed was inspired by Patricia’s work.”
Dominic’s heart thudded so painfully hard as he traced shaky fingers over his nephew’s face. He looked a little haughty. Confident, stubborn, and troublesome, just like Patricia.
“Does he look like them?” Rayna asked.
He nodded, unable to get words past the thick emotion in his mouth.
He was reluctant to look away but eventually turned his attention to her. A sob nearly heaved out of him at how precious she looked with her eyes, cheeks, and smile glittering brighter than all the stars in the universe.
“Thank you,” he croaked, not that the words did any justice in explaining how grateful he was.
She gave a small shake of her head. “It was nothing.” Her husky voice cracked at the end.
Rayna fell still, clearly just as surprised by the liquid in her voice as he was.
And he broke.
Dominic burned, hot and numb as his heart split open. Shook, weak and buzzing as all the love he’d buried inside it came gushing out, drowning his person.
He couldn’t contain it. Couldn’t stop himself anymore.
