Page 79 of The Noble Servant

“I suppose not.” He couldn’t know how much it meant to her to hear him say, “It wasn’t your fault.”

“And were you relieved that you did not have to marry?”

“I ...” She glanced up at him. He was watching her closelywith those dark-brown eyes. Why would he bring that up? “I was willing to marry you because I thought it would help my people. I hoped you would increase their prosperity.”

“So you were sacrificing yourself for your people.”

“Most men think women are eager to marry anyone who asks them.”

“I would never assume such a thing.”

“Oh, I think you did assume that about me.”

“Well, you were crying when you saw that your servant was marrying the supposed Duke of Wolfberg.”

He had her there. Or perhaps not. “I was crying because I did not know what to do. I was a goose girl, another person had taken my position, my authority, my freedom, and even my clothes. I suppose you think I was desperate to marry any man claiming to be a duke.”

He lifted his hands in surrender. “Forgive me. You had many better reasons to cry than not marrying me. Or my look-alike cousin. In fact, I’ll be the first to say that I was a selfish, spoiled young man who was easily led by my cunning uncle.”

He ended with a sad look on his face, but she could not help jabbing him a little. “Was?”

“You are very amusing.” He lifted just one brow, and one corner of his mouth followed. “I believe I have learned a lot about sacrifice and empathy since having everything I’ve ever known stripped away from me.”

“You still had a heavy purse to buy whatever you needed.” She wasn’t sure why she was goading him. Was she bitter about his rejection?

A slight smile graced his lips and he nodded. “Perhaps I would have learned even more had I been poor as well.”

Why was he being so humble? It was making her want to scoot away from him, even as it drew her to him. Was he trying to impress her? Well, she would not fall for his charm.

“I believe”—he leaned toward her, an intense expression in his eyes—“that I have learned to value the truly valuable, and what is truly lasting and valuable is not money.”

“Oh!” she cried out as the realization struck her as if she had just run into a stone wall. “Do you know what this means?”

“What?” His gaze fastened on hers.

“Now that we have found the iron ore in the mine, I don’t have to marry in order to provide for my people! They will be able to start mining again! Oh, and they can build one of those new furnaces you were talking about. Mallin will be a prosperous place again, more prosperous than before.”

As she talked, the smile on his face faded.

“I won’t have to marry some wealthy duke or baron, some old man I barely know.” She laughed and clapped her hands. “Are you not glad for me?”

But Steffan did not look glad at all. He leaned away from her and no longer met her eyes. “Oh yes, of course.”

But his lack of enthusiasm could not dampen her joy. Mallin would be prosperous again!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Steffan leaned back against the wall of the mine and watched the joy play across Magdalen’s face.

He had not thought for a moment that once he was a duke again and in his rightful place, she might not want to marry him. Now, to see her so joyful about not having to marry at all ...

She didn’t need him, and she obviously did not want him either.

He closed his eyes. He was tired. He was slightly cold and his hair was still wet. He was stuck in a mine running from his evil uncle. And now Magdalen, the girl he had thought was so sweet and beautiful, the girl he imagined would love to marry him if he would have her, was thrilled she would not have to.

Of course she was glad. He had rejected her. He’d told her, when she finally realized he was the duke and that his cousin was an imposter, that he had never intended to marry her.

But she had not been in love with him. She’d barely known him and had not seen him in two years. He could see that she felt hurt by what he’d said, but she shouldn’t have. And now that he knew her better, had been through so much with her and had seen her compassionate nature ...