Page 7 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
“I am not really the fainting sort.” She made a dismissive gesture, breathing hard as though she had run a race.
“I have seen what it looks like when a woman loses someone she loved. You do not look like a woman who has lost anything important.” Warner met her gaze, and for a moment, it was not Lady Adelaide sitting before him.
Instead, he saw his mother’s blue eyes, heard her anguished sobs. He pushed the memory away and forced himself back to the present, breathing in the rich smell of Lady Adelaide’s perfume.
“A man is dead, and you are treating me like I am responsible for it.” Understanding dawned on her, and she clapped a hand to her mouth. “You think I did it? Have you taken leave of all of your senses? Why on earth would I do such a thing? We — we had not even consummated the marriage!”
Colour flushed through her face at the words.
“Because you have the most to gain from his death.” He stood up, resting his hands on the back of the armchair. “As his widow, you would get Kidlington House and access to all the funds that were his own. More money than most people see in a lifetime.”
“You think I did this for money?”
“Money, power, perhaps both. Or maybe you did not trust him to give you your freedom.” He shrugged.
She shook her head as she stopped pacing. “If I had been doing this for power and money, then surely it would have made more sense for me to wait until he had inherited before I killed him? The Duchess of one of the oldest estates in the land is significantly more powerful than a marchioness.”
“Unless you had sons. Then it would all go to them, and perhaps you did not wish for the inconvenience of children.” He looked her up and down and took a step towards her. “After all, this way you do not even have to risk it. You might even find yourself another husband.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “Oh yes, I am sure suitors will be practically beating down my door. Who does not want to be married to the woman whose husband died at her wedding breakfast?”
Her voice rose on the last part.
“A woman as pretty as you? How am I to know that you do not already have a suitor lined up? How am I to know that this is not some foul concoction between you and a jealous lover?” He took a step towards her, his teeth bared at the thought of such a betrayal. “My cousin would hardly be the first man to be fooled by a sweet face and innocent affectation.”
Her hand flashed towards him, and he caught it instinctively, stopping her slap before it connected with his face. She glowered at him, her wrist shaking against his fingers. “How dare you!”
“Temper, temper, Lady Adelaide,” he hissed at her as his fingers clasped around her delicate wrist.
Warmth spread through his body, and he felt her muscles tense against his touch. Heard her sharp intake of breath.
“I do not have to listen to these baseless accusations.” She wrenched free of his grasp, moving towards the door, but he intercepted her.
“You would hardly be the first person to have a lover outside of her marriage.” His hand was on the door, stopping her from opening it.
He towered over her, but she did not shrink away from him.
“I am not the one who —” She stopped herself, biting down hard on her lip before saying, “You know nothing, Your Grace. You call me in here after one of the most harrowing experiences of my life, and you treat me like a common criminal. You assume that I killed my husband –”
“Because you have the most to gain. You have the most motive, and he died after kissing your gloves.” He cut her off.
“You think I poisoned my gloves? With enough to kill a grown man? And somehow managed not to poison myself or anyone else who touched my gloved hand?” She shook her head, a mocking smile on her face. “I would almost be flattered by your assumption of my competence if it was not so grotesque.”
“Hardly a convincing argument against your guilt.” Warner’s heart thundered in his chest. “Do you expect me to believe you some helpless little lamb?”
“I do not care what you believe. I have nothing to prove to you.” She tilted her chin towards him, one hand twisting the doorknob.
“Just your innocence.” He moved away, giving her a mocking bow.
“If you want proof, then take these.” She pulled her gloves off, and Warner’s eyes flitted to her briefly exposed skin. “There.”
She flung them at him.
He made no move to take them. “I know you are hiding something, and I mean to find out what.”
“I have nothing to hide.” Her eyes met his, and he saw the lie in them as she opened the door and then slammed it shut behind her.
“We shall see about that, Lady Adelaide.”
