Page 30 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
“It was not my intention.”
“If you broke a man’s leg by accident, you would still apologise. The fact that the break was unintentional is fairly immaterial.”Lady Cora made a dismissive motion with her hands, as though she were explaining something to a particularly petulant child.
“Fine, I will write her a letter.” Warner reached for a pen and paper, his mind seizing on the idea while his heart seemed to hammer out a protest.
Lady Verity rolled her eyes. “And you think she would not throw it straight on the fire?”
“If she does that, that is her business. Besides, if she is that angry, no doubt my turning up on her doorstep would make it worse.” Warner shrugged.
“Perhaps. Though, a letter would be far easier to discard. Of course, if you are afraid her ire might be too much for you to handle…” Lady Rowen trailed off meaningfully.
“I am not afraid of her.” Warner scoffed, but the prickle of fear that he felt at the thought of seeing Lady Adele again unnerved him.I am not afraid of her.
It was a part of the truth. His mind turned to her, to the feel of her in his arms. He could smell roses, hear the sound of her laughter. He stood up and realised what he was doing.
He swallowed and turned to the women. “You have delivered your message, and I will consider what you have said. As our business is concluded, I think it is high time you left.”
“I could not agree more.” Lady Cora pushed herself up using her cane and motioned to her two companions. “I am sure you will do the right thing.”
Lady Rowen rolled her eyes, and Lady Verity’s lips thinned so much they were impossible to see.Clearly your companions disagree.Warner ignored them and strode towards the door, holding it open as the women moved towards him.
“I will do what I have to do.” Warner gestured to the hallway.
Lady Cora gave him a small smile that caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Her eyes took him in as though measuring him, and her smile said that she knew something that he did not.You are being paranoid.
“Of course, you will.” She moved into the hallway. “Until we meet again your Grace, try not to upset any more of my companions. I am not sure Rowen will be as polite next time.”
In spite of himself, Warner found himself smiling as he closed the door behind them. He paced the room, running a hand across his face. He felt the barest hint of stubble, but the thought of shaving seemed as repugnant as drinking cold sick.
You will do the right thing.
He should stay away from Lady Adele. He had sworn to keep his distance. He looked down — when had he grabbed the doorknob?
“Curse her, and curse her friends.” Warner growled. “Barging in here as if they own the place. What does it matter if she is not seeing them? If she has sequestered herself in Kidlington Hall, that is hardly any business of mine.”
He flung open the door and strode through the hallway. “Do the right thing. The right thing would be to stay away. That is what I should be doing. That is what I need to do.”
He was at the front door now, striding through it and out into the cool air. “I need to leave her alone.”
But I do not want to.
He froze. He looked in front of him then behind him. The door to his estate was still open. The path he was on would lead him to the stables.
Warner looked down at one of the rose bushes his mother had planted. The soft pink petals reminded him of the colour of Lady Adele’s lips, and his fingers grazed against them.
“Damn it. And damn me.” He ran a hand through his hair and gritted his teeth. “And her friends. I suppose I might as well see the woman; it will at the very least keep Lady Rowen from battering down my door again.”
He strode towards the stable, calling out to one of the groomsmen as he approached. “Ready my horse, I have urgent business to attend.”
The stable hand nodded and retreated into the stables, appearing moments later with Storm, Warner’s black stallion. Warner stifled his mounting irritation — how long did it take to ready a horse — and climbed onto Storm’s back.
The stallion snorted as though Warner’s nervous energy was contagious. He could feel Storm’s need to run; it matched his own.
“Curse us both for fools,” Warner muttered as he set off for Kidlington House.
It was a journey he had done more times than he could count, but it seemed to take an impossibly long time and yet no time at all. When he finally found himself outside of Kidlington house, he had leapt from the horse and climbed the steps before he even realised.
His hand was raised as though to knock when the door burst open and a servant hurried past him. Her eyes were streaming with tears. She barely even acknowledged him, one hand clasped on her mouth and the other on her stomach.
