Page 44 of The Duke Who Loved Me (The Duke's Estates 1)

“You must be quite uncomfortable here,” Cecelia said.

He looked away, annoyed or ashamed. She couldn’t tell.

“You cannot stay on. You should go home, James.”

His jaw tightened. “I suppose everyone is talking about the fencing match.”

She could not deny it.

“That never would have happened if you’d simply accepted my offer.”

“What?” She couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly.

“Or if I hadn’t ever thought of marrying you,” he added as if conceding a point. “But I have.”

Cecelia simply stared.

James’s petulant expression slowly shifted, as if an idea was unfolding in his brain. He gazed at her. “You know, if we were to announce our engagement now, everyone would see that Prince Karl hadn’t really won anything.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You may have it and welcome if you do as I ask. Finally.”

The kettle boiled, sending a plume of steam into the chilly air. There was a fireplace poker standing right next to it. Very tempting. Resisting its silent blandishment, Cecelia rose to go. She considered taking the basket of food away with her, but she couldn’t quite leave him to starve.

“Where are you going?” he asked as she walked toward the back door.

“Home.”

“You’re not going to make the tea?”

She turned to glare at him. “You expect me to make tea for you after what you’ve said?”

“What?” He gazed at her blankly.

“Did you nothearyourself try to blame me for your foolishness?”

“But you—”

“Idid not behave like a childish rudesby or throw a punch at Prince Karl after losing a fencing match!”

He winced.

Cecelia turned back toward the exit.

“Wait. You aren’t going to leave me here?”

She felt like the kettle, steaming with exasperation. “No, James, you are ‘leaving’ yourself here. It has nothing to do with me.”

“I thought you came to help.”

“Did you?” Why had she come? Curiosity chiefly, she supposed. Though she had brought food. She had been worried.

“But you have always helped me.”

His tone stopped her. He sounded so much younger suddenly.

“I’ve gotten myself into a tangle that I have no idea how to escape,” he added.

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