Page 88 of It's All About the Duke
“Hell, yes!” he answered quickly. “You may have been seventeen and naïve, but the men in White’s weren’t. They knew exactly what they were saying and what might happen because of it.” He took hold of her upper arms and looked fiercely into her eyes. “Marlena?”
“I can’t tell you.”
His hands tightened. “You mean you won’t tell me.”
“All right. I won’t.”
“Why? You gave yourself to me this afternoon. You said you love me. That should have meant something to you. Even now you could be in the family way because of what happened between us.”
“I’m not so innocent that I don’t know that, but I also know that it is unlikely after one time together.” Her gaze swept up and down his face. “No matter what else we’ve said to each other, I want you to know I gave myself to you because I’m in love with you.”
“Yes. If what you say is true and you love me, as I believe you do, you’ll tell me who started the rumor so we can put all of this behind us.”
“No,” she said, pulling away from his grasp. “If you can’t put this in the past as it stands now and forgive who started the rumor, you can’t forgive me.”
He let go of her. “That’s not true.” The words were almost a whisper and right now he wasn’t sure they were truthful.
“I’m sorry, Rath. I don’t really know where redemption comes from. Ourselves, others, or a higher place, but this I do know, I won’t betray anyone else. ThroughMiss Honora Truth’s Weekly Scandal Sheet,I’ve done all the betraying I’m going to do.”
Marlena turned and walked out of the bedroom.
Chapter 23
He could be a rake if he accepts your heart and then breaks it in front of you.
MISSHONORATRUTH’SWORDS OFWISDOMANDWARNINGABOUTRAKES, SCOUNDRELS, ROGUES, ANDLIBERTINES
“Whatever is it that you keep working on, Marlena? I’ve hardly seen you put it down since we returned from the duke’s house.”
Marlena didn’t look up from her embroidery work. When she’d sketched the garden scene she didn’t realize how much detail she’d put into it. How much time it would take to finish it. She didn’t realize how important it would be to her, and how every stitch had to be perfect. Every color had to be vibrant because the flowers were her friends.
Unlike those that were already springing up in the garden, these flowers would not die. They would always be with her. Always reminding her of the duke and what he meant to her. And maybe one day her heart wouldn’t constrict every time she thought about him.
She’d tried hard not be sad around Justine. The lastthing she needed was her cousin questioning her about her moods. But it was difficult when Justine mentioned his name. The hope she’d had that he could forgive her for not telling him everything was waning. She hadn’t seen him at any of the parties or dinners she’d been to since she’d left him at her home that afternoon. She’d even asked Lady Vera about him, but she hadn’t seen him, either.
“Are you not going to answer me?” Justine asked.
She looked up at her cousin. “I’m sorry. I suppose I have been concentrating too severely on this.” She laid it down. “See, I’ve put it aside now. Are you happy?”
Justine smiled. “Yes. Now, will you look at me?”
“I am looking at you,” Marlena said. “Your dress is lovely.”
“Dear girl, I have my cape, gloves, and bonnet in my hands, do I not?”
Marlena studied her cousin. “Yes. Where are you going?”
“We, my dear.We.I told you I’d like to take a ride in the park today. The sun is shining, and I doubt it will last long. I want to take advantage of it. I told you to get ready. It’s the Season. Everyone should see us riding about in the park. How do you ever expect to catch the eye of a gentleman if you don’t go where people, and gentlemen like Lord Henry can see you?”
Marlena smiled. “I’ve told you I have no interest in Lord Henry or anyone else right now. Could you please go by yourself today? I’ve been out of the house every day for what seems like months. Sunshine or no, I don’t want to go.”
“Did you intend to make that rhyme? Never mind. All right. I’ll take Tut. Unlike you, he enjoys looking out the window at all the people.”
“You know I’d rather walk if I were going to the park.”
“Pity. It looks so much better from the coach. And so do I.”
Marlena went back to her stitching, and Justine and Tut soon left for their ride. All too soon Marlena realized her mind was no longer on the embroidery and she laid it down. She put on her cape, gloves, and straw hat and went into the garden where the air was cool and crisp. It was more peaceful for her than the drawing room. And certainly more so than her bedchamber now that she’d been there, in her bed, with the duke. The memories were far more vivid than she’d thought they would be. She still couldn’t walk in the door without seeing him standing in front of her with just his trousers and boots on. He was a magnificent man.
