Page 97 of It's All About the Duke
The breath left Marlena’s lungs but she managed to whisper, “What!”
“I know it was rather presumptuous of me. And I didn’t do it for Mr. Bramwell, but for Miss Everard. I felt it the right thing to do under the circumstances.”
“What circumstances? There are no circumstances that would warrant that. He is a tradesman. He’s—”
“In love with Miss Everard. I have no reason to like the fellow, but she does. I did it for her.”
She grabbed hold of her the ends of her shawl. “I’m not one given to the vapors but I think I have to sit down,” she whispered.
Rath took hold of her arm and walked with her over to the bench.
“Are you all right? You’re not going to faint, are you? Do I need to get the smelling salts?”
“Oh, heavens no,” she whispered as she looked into his eyes. “My cousins would disown me if I ever fainted. It’s just that you don’t know Veronica. She will take to her sickbed over this and she may never get out.”
“Mr. Portington knows. He helped me plan it.”
“What?” She gasped. “He did that to his wife?”
“He thought it was the right thing to do, too. He will tell her wife tonight and will take care of her while she adjusts to this news.”
Rath was smiling gently at her. She felt limp, like a ball of yarn that had been rolled out. Wait—something wasn’t right.
The day brightened as the sun came from behind a cloud. Marlena looked deeper into Rath’s dark eyes. “How did you know about the two of them? Eugenia faints every time she sees you.”
“No more secrets, no more distrust or worries between us, Marlena. They paid me a visit and told me everything.”
Marlena rose from the bench. “Everything? You—that he—”
“Everything,” he said, taking hold of her shoulders. “Bramwell admitted he started the rumor at White’s.”
Marlena gasped but Rath kept talking. “Eugenia helped me see that, even when a young man thinks he’s just having fun with a young lady, there can be consequences for bad behavior that can last a lifetime and sometimes affect others. Men should always be careful what they say and how they treat a lady.”
She looked down at his hands on her arms, and he slowly removed them. “So you didn’t try to strangle him when he told you he was the one who started the rumor?”
He smiled. “I did. But only for a few seconds and my hand was only around his neckcloth and not his throat. He wasn’t harmed.”
“I’m glad.”
“But there something else I have to tell you.”
Every time he said that her heart jumped and her stomach squeezed.
“I really don’t know if I can take any more news from you. And Justine will probably return shortly.”
“No. I asked Esmeralda to ask her over and keep her all afternoon.”
Her breath leaped. “You planned that?”
He nodded. “I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time alone with you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a copy of her book.
“I wanted to return this.”
She just looked at it and that feeling of pride made her stand a little taller. She had written a book and had it published. And it had sold very well. Maybe she’d done one thing right.
Marlena managed a little smile. “I told you it wasn’t necessary to return it, but since you never read it it’s just as well. I can give it to someone else.”
“But Ididread it.”
