Page 48 of Pursuing a Duke
She sat there for a long time—she lost track of how long. When footsteps approached again, she knew who they belonged to. Her heart tripled its beat, and her breath paused inside her lungs.
“I believe it is all straightened out. Lady Hartford is to blame for everything, right down to supplying the gossip rag with the scandal.” He sat down beside her and took one of her hands in his. “To say I’m shocked at her behavior doesn’t do it justice. She is willing to ruin Lady Beatrice in the hope of getting me to marry her. Who does that to their own child, someone they are supposed to protect and love?” He paused and shuddered. “The earl was livid, and poor Lady Beatrice loves Baron Godfrey, as it turns out. But no lowly baron is good enough for her daughter, according to the countess. I give the earl credit for keeping his temper, although he is banishing his wife to the country. Too bad he didn’t do it sooner. I highly doubt she only recently turned into a conniving shrew.”
“What happens now?” Emmeline asked in a soft voice. Her mental fatigue was causing physical exhaustion, making speaking tiresome. “I’m afraid to hope it will all go away.”
“I believe the earl is contacting the baron. Hopefully, they will marry posthaste and squash the rumors. Nothing ends a scandal quicker than a happy marriage. Hartford must convince the paper that there was an error in identifying the gentleman caught in the garden with his daughter. It shouldn’t be hard—it was dark.”
“What if it fails?” she asked, her voice trembling.
He turned toward her and cupped her face, his compassionate green eyes meeting hers. “We must have faith. We have done nothing to cause this, and I trust Lord Hartford to solve it.” He kissed her, soft and gentle. His tongue crept inside her mouth, tasting her. He went slowly, as though he had all the time in the world. She gripped the front of his coat as her body quivered. His kisses and his touch never failed to make her burn for him.
Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead on hers. “I’m sorry, but I must go. I must return to Hartford Manor and confirm thatall is fixed.” He pressed his lips to hers. “I will pick you up for the Tremont ball.”
