Page 96 of It's All About the Duke
Her heartbeat increased even though she didn’t want it to. “Very well. Would you like to sit down?”
“No. I’d like to walk in the garden with you, if youdon’t mind. Do you have a shawl nearby? It’s not very cold out today.”
“Yes, right over here.”
Marlena picked up her gray woolen shawl and was going to put it on her shoulders but the duke grabbed hold of it and insisted on helping her with it. She smelled his shaving soap, and her stomach jumped. She prayed he wouldn’t touch her. She didn’t need or want any more of his touches to think about and dream about. She had too many memories right now.
Tut followed them down the steps and into the back garden. The grass and shrubs were showing their spring green colors and the sky had patches of blue among the stormy looking gray clouds.
“I see some buds but no flowers are open yet,” Rath said.
“Soon,” she said, walking beside him, holding on to the ends of her shawl as if they were some kind of lifeline for her. “But surely you didn’t come here to see my small garden.”
“No.” He stopped as they neared the bench along the yew hedge, and so did she.
“I wanted to tell you that everything is now in motion for Mr. Portington to open a museum. Members of The Royal Society have inspected some of his extraordinary relics and are eager to get started helping him prepare a building.”
Her heartbeat increased again. “And you and the other two rakes are still going to finance it?”
“Yes, and we have others who want to join us as well.”
“I’m pleased.” She looked away again, finding it difficult to continue to look into his dark eyes. She didn’t want him to see how much she loved him, wanted him, and wished things could be different between them.
“There is one other thing I wanted to tell you about Mr. Portington.”
“All right,” she said, wishing she could stop the jittery feeling in her stomach.
“I mentioned to him that this museum would be a great legacy to leave to his son.”
“He doesn’t have one,” she said.
“I know. He told me. He considers his wife very delicate, and he hasn’t pursued children fearing for her frail health and taking to her bed at times.”
“Yes,” Marlena said confidently, “but she takes to her bed because he spends his monthly allowance on odd things and she’s afraid he will never come to her bed and give her children,” Marlena declared and then immediately clamped her mouth shut. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
He smiled and her heart and her hands warmed. What was he doing smiling at her when she was so distraught at losing him she was telling him about Veronica’s private life?
“It’s all right, Marlena. You are not telling me anything I don’t already know.”
“You know?”
He nodded. “And I wanted you to know that Mr. Portington is now very much interested in having a son or daughter to leave his museum to.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Really? You know this.”
“Straight from his mouth.”
Marlena was so happy for Veronica she wanted to hug Rath and kiss him, and tell him how much she loved him. But she remained as stiff and stoic as she could under the circumstances.
“That is welcome news.” Her throat felt tight. It wasn’t easy to hold in the emotions she was feeling. “I thank you for letting me know.”
“Now I have some news that I don’t think you or Mrs. Portington will approve of, but it’s not the first time I’ve done something that others disapprove of.”
Her heart started pounding in her ears. This was it. What was he going to do to her for writing the scandal sheet, the book, and for not telling him about Mr. Bramwell? She could handle it. Whatever it was.
“That can be said of most people, Your Grace. Just tell me what it is.”And put me out of my misery.
“I offered Mr. Bramwell and Miss Everard my carriage-and-four to elope to Gretna Green. They left about five hours ago. At this point, it would be impossible for anyone to catch them and stop their marriage.”
