Page 29 of The Duke's Tempting Bride

“And yet I can’t understand why you would try to bribe Diana to break our engagement? What do you have to gain from my continued loneliness?”

“You don’t have to feel so lonely, Fitz, when you have an experienced woman before you who is willing to provide for all your needs,” Natale replied as she came to him, the chair not seeming to bother her at all as she leaned over it and placed her hands on his chest.

“Natale, you are a married woman. You shouldn’t be acting like this,” Fitz said as he moved out of her reach once more.

“And yet my husband is free to do as he pleases with whomever?” Natale said as she began to laugh wildly. Fitz was starting to think the woman was drunk as her stench rose up in his nose.

“I’m so sorry to hear that you have a loveless marriage and that your husband seeks the pleasures of others when you seem to be willing enough,” Fitz said as he began to make his way towards the open door. “I only came to tell you to control yourself and not to approach Diana again.”

“Or you’ll do what, Fitz? Tattle to my husband? You act as though Gunther gives a damn about me or what I do anymore,” Natale spat as she continued her pursuit towards him. “He’s not a real man like you are, Fitz.”

Fitz stilled as he stared down at her and said, “Marian would surely be ashamed of the woman you’ve become.” His words finally caused her to halt as tears welded up in her eyes.

“How dare you say something like that to me,” she said as her lip began to tremble.

“And how dare you try to convince my bride that Marian would be disrespected if I married again,” Fitz snapped back. “You’ve let your grief over the passing of your sister turn you absolutely mad.”

“Oh Fitz, you have no idea why I am the way I am,” she said as she closed the distance between them and pressed herself onto her tiptoes so quickly that Fitz hadn’t realized what she was doing till he felt her lips on his. Startled, he staggered backwards, almost falling as he tried to get away from Natale and her unwanted affection.

“Woman, this is nonsense. I don’t know what you are thinking, but you will never treat me like that again. I am the Duke of Chatham, and you shall address me as such from this day forward. You either show your respect, Lady Gunther, or I’ll do more than just tell your husband of your treacherous actions.”

“Please, Fitz. Don’t treat me like this. You don’t know what it’s been like for me these past years,” Natale said as she began to weep, falling to her knees.

“You’re right. I have no idea. But I still will not tolerate this behaviour at all. In the end, Lady Gunther, you are responsible for yourself and your actions despite what the world has tossed you.” Fitz thought of Diana and how her siblings had treated her and her parents. Diana had been strong when life became almost too hard to bear, but it seemed that Natale hadn’t handled the pressure very well.

Fitz turned on his heels then and quickly left the manor with the sound of Natale weeping and yelling for him as he left. It hurt his heart to think that Marian’s sister was in so much pain, but he also couldn’t be the person she wanted him to be. He wouldn’t try to show her any affection since she was a married woman. He had more morals than that. Furthermore, he wouldn’t allow Natale’s sorrow to affect Diana, either.

Fitz opened his carriage door before his footman had a chance to hop down from the driver’s bench to assist him. As soon as he stepped up into the carriage, he pulled the door closed and knocked on the side of the carriage before even settling back. The driver snapped the reins and soon the carriage was being drawn away from the Gunther manor.

Fitz ran his fingers through his hair as he took several deep breaths. When he had planned his visit that morning to speak to Natale, he thought they would have had a civilized conversation. He hadn’t expected Lord Gunther to still not be accompanying his wife or the fact that Natale had been entertaining other company.

Fitz wished there was something he could do for the woman simply because she was Natale’s sister, but he wouldn’t give into her wants. It was clear to Fitz now that Natale desired him, and there was no way he’d ever give in to those desires. No amount of bribery or threats would ever make him do something as foolish as that.

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