Page 37 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
“You did not tell me the Runners visited you.” Warner’s voice shook with his barely contained rage as he turned to face her.
“Why would I?” She canted her head towards him.
“How am I supposed to keep you safe if you keep things from me?” He ran a hand through his hair.
“I am perfectly capable of protecting myself.”
“Clearly you are not.”Encourage a confession.Mr. Harris’ words played in Warner’s head, and he swallowed, forcing away images of just what that would look like. “These men are dangerous. And they have put you firmly in their sights.”
“Which is why I need to talk to your uncle. If I can find some information, something to clear my name —” she began, but he cut her off.
“That will take too long.”
Green dress.His eyes fell on the grass beneath their feet; his mind filled with images of their grimy hands on Adele’s soft skin. “I will not let them hurt you. I will not let them so much as look at you.”
“And how are you going to stop them? You can hardly gauge their eyes out,” she teased him, rolling her eyes.
“This is serious,” Warner growled.
“I know that; it ismethey are threatening after all.” She threw her hands into the air.
He had to keep her safe. To protect her from those men. He could hear her talking, but he let the words wash over him. Proof of her innocence seemed impossible to find, and it would take far too long.
Panic rose in him fuelled by rage. He took several deep, ragged breaths. How had he let things get this bad? Why had he allowed himself to be so foolish?
“… utterly despicable cretins. Men like that think they are untouchable.” Lady Adele had started pacing as well.
Untouchable.The idea struck him like lightning. “Marry me.”
Lady Adele frowned at him. “What?”
“You will marry me. That is the only way.” Warner’s body felt feverish as he began to pace back and forth. “I will have to arrange a special license of course; we cannot risk anything stopping it. A small ceremony would be best. And perhaps we will skip the wedding breakfast —”
She interrupted him. “Stop. I have not even said yes.”
Warner turned to her. He took in the hard set of her jaw. Her brown eyes flashed with anger, but there was something else there as well. Fear.
He felt an urge to draw her close to him, to push her hair back from her face and growl at the world until it left her alone. He forced himself not to take a step towards her. “It was not a question.”
“Well, it should be. It is my life, not yours.” Her voice shook as she looked at him. “I do not want to trade my freedom for a cage.”
“Damn it! I am trying to help you, not control you!” Warner closed the distance between them, his eyes wild. “If you would stop being so stubborn for just a minute, you will see that!!”
“But this will just prove that what they are saying about me is true! It will make it worse.” She was shaking her head.
“They will not dare say that when you aremyduchess.” Warner rubbed his jaw with his hands to stop himself pulling her to him. “I will do everything in my power to see this put right.”
“Because you owe your cousin a debt?” Her eyes searched his.
No.“Yes.” He saw a flicker of emotion cross her face, but it was gone too quickly for him to understand. “Let me keep you safe.”Please.
There was a beat of silence, and Lady Adele turned to face him. “Ask me.”
“I already have.” He frowned at her.
“No, you told me.”
“Is this really necessary?”
