Page 6 of The Duke of Lies
Beau.
Verity’s heart sped until she feared it would catapult from her chest. What was she going to say to him? What was Rufus going to say? Did he even know? She should tell him, but couldn’t bring herself to form the words. She wasn’t sure she could expose her boy to this monster.
“I realize this is…awkward or strange or both. And probably many other things,” he said, again with that half smile that made him look as attractive as the day she’d met him at the house party she’d attended here with her father when she was just nineteen. As attractive as she’d believed him to be until their wedding night six months later.
She closed her eyes briefly and directed her attention to the window and the lawn stretching away from the house. “It is many things, yes,” she said softly. “I don’t know what to say or how to react. I am…shocked.”
“I can well imagine. It’s a bit of a shock for me to be here. And a relief.”
She heard it in his voice. He sounded almost vulnerable. She turned her head back toward him. “What happened to you?”
“I told you—”
“Yes, and I understand you don’t wish to speak of the specifics, but you are vastly different.”
He cocked his head to the side and took his time answering. “In what way?”
“In every way.” She stopped herself before she categorized his improvements.
Improvement?She couldn’t think like that. He was still Rufus Beaumont, the Duke of Blackguard, as she liked to call him in her mind. “This is more than awkward or strange. I’ve spent the last six and a half years mourning you.” The lie came easily. “And moving on with my life.”
“You can’t have taken a husband?” he asked.
“No, but neither am I ready to welcome you as such. I can’t…” She was afraid to say what she wanted, but it had to be said. “Things can’t go back to the way they were.” She meant that in every sense and braced herself for his anger. Only it didn’t come.
He nodded easily. “I understand. Completely. I don’t wish to force you into anything. I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the estate. Is there a new steward? I should like to meet with him.”
“No, it’s still Cuddy.”God, he is here.She still couldn’t believe it and suspected it would be some time until she could. “Of course you can meet with him.” Except she’d been about to dismiss him. Her plans were going up in flames! Why did he have to come back?
She abruptly stood, needing to move so the nervous energy flowing through her could have an outlet. As she paced toward the hearth, she ignored the prickle of apprehension that danced along her nape. Would she never be able to turn her back on him without feeling a sense of dread?
At the fireplace, she turned and realized she’d had good reason to be concerned. He’d gotten up from the chair and prowled toward her on silent feet. This was different too. She’d always heard him coming, his heavily booted feet clomping over the floorboards with an impending doom.
He stopped a few feet from her, his brow creased with concern. Concern! “I’m sorry for this—for what you must be feeling. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be.”
She absolutely didn’t know what to do with his care. It was as if he was a completely different person. She kept coming back to that. Because what else would explain his utter change? She blinked at him. “Were you injured?”
“Many times.” He said this without inflection, and she wondered how he’d been hurt and to what extent.
She shrugged her curiosity away. She didn’t want to care about what happened to him. She didn’t even want toknowhim.
And yet she must. He was her husband, by law, and he was here. He could claim his marital rights, and she’d have no quarrel. She could try to sue him for divorce…a near-hysterical laugh bubbled in her throat, and she worked to swallow it down.
He took another step toward her, and she shrank back. He held up his hands. “I don’t mean to upset you. You need time to adjust. I understand. I do too.”
The tension between them was palpable—her anxiety and his…surprise? Surely he would know how she would react to him? He’d delighted in frightening her, in keeping her in a state of wariness if not outright fear. He’d liked watching her cower.
But this Rufus—for he wasnotthe same—seemed to be in a state of wariness too, as if he wasn’t sure what to expect fromher. Maybe he’d forgotten, and maybe whatever had happened to him had changed him enough to… To what? Make him tolerable? She couldn’t believe that was possible.
They were thankfully interrupted by the arrival of the butler, Kirwin. His pale blue eyes widened as he saw Rufus. “Your Grace.” The words came out in half surprise and half question. He was so startled that he apparently forgot to bow.
“Kirwin, it’s good to see you.”
Verity blinked at her husband—that was going to take some getting used to. Had he really just said it wasgoodto see someone?
“And you, Your Grace. Your bags arrived from the stable, and they said they belonged to His Grace, but I didn’t believe them.”
“And why would you?” Rufus said with that almost charming smile. “I’ve reappeared out of nowhere. Well, not nowhere, but it may as well have been. Suffice it to say I was taken away against my will, and it has taken me this long to return home.”
