Page 93 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
“So there you have it. That is the whole sorry tale.” James leaned forward. “Truly, Rothwell, I cannot thank you enough. You have gone above and beyond anything I could ever have expected.”
“I only did what was necessary.” Tobias’s voice sounded strange to his own ears as he waved away his friend’s gratitude, not looking at Rowen as he did. “You saved my life, after all.”
“And I think your marrying my sister is more than repayment of that debt.” James looked between them. “Thankfully, it should be easy enough to fix now that I am back. It might take a little time before I can get everything sorted out, but there is no reason you need to continue to be so inconvenienced. Your marriage should be easy enough to annul, assuming you have not… um…”
His face turned bright scarlet, and he made a vague gesture with his hands.
Tobias swallowed.An annulment.
“We have not.”
He sensed Rowen shifting in her seat and studiously looked anywhere but at her.
Do not think of it.
His fingers twitched, and he could almost feel the warmth of her in his mind.
No.
The relief on James’s face was obvious. “Good. That will make all of this much easier. I imagine you are both itching to get back to normal. And now that I am alive, there is no reason for you to stay married. We can put this whole mess behind us.”
“There is no reason for you to stay married.”
Those words hit Tobias with the force of a bullet. His head swam, and he shook his head. He swallowed, but could not bring himself to look at Rowen.
I want you.
He wanted her to say something, to object, but she did not. Shame washed over him, and he gritted his teeth.
Of course, she would not say anything. What was a moment of passion compared to what her brother was offering her? It was what she had always wanted, and she was not saying anything against it.
He is giving her her life back.
Tobias massaged his neck, his fingers tracing the scar that ran across it. He had let himself believe he could have it all, and now here was the proof that he deserved none of it.
“How far along are the repairs at Irving Manor?” James’s question brought him back to the present.
“There is still some work to be done.” Tobias thought he saw Rowen shift, but it must have been a trick of the light. “It will probably be another fortnight, at the very least.”
“That soon?” Rowen curled her fingers into a fist. “I had not realized it was so close to being finished.”
Was that hope in her voice or something else?
“I meant to tell you, but one thing led to another and…” he trailed off.
James pursed his lips and downed his whiskey. “Well, I suppose it cannot be helped. Rowen and the children will just have to live with me until the repairs are finished. Ewelme House is a little small, but I am sure we can manage.”
Tobias glanced towards Rowen, who was watching him, her eyes searching him for something.
He swallowed. “You would all be welcome to stay with me. There is plenty of room here.”
He kept the hope from his voice; he did not want Rowen to think he would not let her leave. Instead, his voice was flat and devoid of emotion.
James shook his head. “I could not possibly do that. Not when I have put you through so much already.”
Tobias felt his heart sink. “It is up to you, of course.”
“Ewelme House is rather small, James.” Rowen looked between both men. “Perhaps it would be better if we remained here?”
