Page 32 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
She sighed.I have kept this secret long enough, and I am so tired.“How did you know?”
“I did not. Well, not for certain. You have confirmed things for me. That is the reason he kept her on, is it not? It is the reason her wages are so high above the other servants even though they are already paid more generously than most.” Warner’s eyes bored into hers. She thought she saw a flash of some deep emotion in them, but it was gone too quickly for her to name.
She nodded and felt her shoulders relax, as though a great weight had been lifted. She breathed in deeply, her heart returning to normal.
“It seems you have it all figured out. Yes, she is carrying his child. They were in love. If we lived in a different world or if your cousin had been a second son, I have no doubt he would have married her.” The memory of the way Lord Rothwell had looked at Martha played in her mind, making her heart twist. “He asked me to marry him so that he could be a father to his child. He would continue his relationship with Martha, and his child and any others would be legitimate and protected because I was to pretend it was mine.”
“Why would you agree to this?” The Duke’s lips pursed.
Adele stiffened, her eyes narrowing as she let out a bitter laugh. “If you are about to tell me that I have no self-respect, you might as well save yourself the trouble. My mother has already done that.”
The Duke’s eyes narrowed, and his next words were clipped with restrained emotion. “Your mother was wrong. I did not mean to imply that I thought less of you for your agreement with my cousin. It was a noble sacrifice. Regardless of your feelings, it cannot be easy to know your husband’s heart will never be yours.”
“I never wanted his heart.” Adele looked out of the window, tearing her gaze away from the Duke’s, letting her thoughts come more freely.
“What did you want?” the Duke asked, his voice soft.
Companionship.Adele forced the word down as she looked at the Duke. “He offered me a life that was as close to my dreams as it is possible to get. We would go to the continent, remain there a year or so, living separately. I would study with some of the finest dressmakers in the world. When we returned to England, we would continue our separate lives, meeting on occasion to keep up appearances.”
And I would never have met the widows.Her chest tightened at the thought of that. She had not seen them in days, had not been able to bring herself to share the truth of what had happened at the ball, and she missed them fiercely. Their faces swam before her, mixing.
“That sounds lonely.” The Duke canted his head towards her, his eyes tracing her face as though searching for something.
Her breath caught, and she swallowed, wishing that he did not affect her so much. “I am used to loneliness, Your Grace. After all, I was something of a surprise for my family.”
“I suppose you may well have fallen in love with someone. If he was having an affair, he could hardly fault you for doing the same.” Duke Scarfield leaned back in the armchair, rubbing his face thoughtfully.
Adele noticed the barest hint of stubble and caught her hand before it reached towards him. She clenched her fingers together and made a dismissive gesture.
“I have seen the fickleness of love. My sisters both married for love, and it did them very little good. Bianca’s husband, Lord Crowley, was like something out of a novel. Strong, sweet, and dependable. Yet as soon as she produced a son all of that changed.” The memory of her argument with Bianca rose in her mind, but she pushed it away violently.
She stood up, pacing around the room. “And of course, there is my sister and her husband, the Earl of Montrose. He was nothing but beautiful words and sweeping promises. And now… every word he says to her is poison. He chips away at her day by day, each sentence is a new way for him to break her.”
“No man should behave that way.” The cold anger in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.
“Love blinds us to all manner of sins.” Adele ran a hand along her face, leaning her forehead against the cool glass of the window. “At least with Lord Rothwell, I did not have to expect any nasty surprises.”
“Until he was killed,” Duke Scarfield muttered.
She curled her hands into fists as she turned to face him, “I suppose you still think I did it.”
“No. You are not the killer, Lady Adele.” There was something in the way he said her name that made it feel like a caress, and a shiver ran through her.
You are a risk to my family.Bianca’s words filled her, and Adele felt tears prick at her eyes as a lump formed in her throat. She tried to force the tears away, shaking with the effort.
Her lip trembled; her vision was blocked with tears. She heard footsteps, felt a hand on her shoulder, and something soft pressed against her cheek. A handkerchief.
The smell of sandalwood made her head spin as she dabbed at her face.
“I had not realised my accusations had been weighing on you so heavily.” His hand was still on her shoulder, and out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw his other hand move towards her.
There were only inches between them.
She tried to laugh, but it came out hoarse and breathless. “You would think this is your doing.”
“What else would it be?” His voice was dark and husky.
The door opened, and the pair of them sprang apart. Several servants entered, each curtseying as they laid out the plates of biscuits and tea. Adele took advantage of the distraction and moved to the sofa. She absently ran a hand across her shoulder, the warmth of his touch still lingering.
