Page 50 of Three Nights with the Beastly Duke

Arthur looked down at his wife in awe, ever impressed by the lengths she was willing to go to ensure his happiness.

“You will be rewarded for this later,” he whispered lustfully, bringing her hand to his lips. He kissed and nibbled at each knuckle seductively as he gave her a heated look.

“I know I will,” she whispered back, giving him one of her minx-like smiles. “Go, find your friend, and be merry. Do not worry for me, I am well attended to.”

Despite the crowd, Arthur kissed Lavinia fully on the lips. His cock stirred the moment their mouths touched, and he once more whispered his promise of pleasure before taking off toward the cigar room.

As he passed through the crowds, he noticed there were no sneers, no whispers. Instead, glasses were raised, and heads were bowed to him respectfully. Smiles instead of frowns graced faces, and several greetings and thank yous for the party were directed at him.

He was astounded by how much had changed. And it was all because of Lavinia.

“Your Grace,” a voice called, stopping Arthur’s footsteps and thoughts. He knew that voice, would recognize it anywhere.

Slowly, he turned around and came face to face with his former fiancée. “Lady Grace,” he greeted calmly, giving her a polite bow.

Grace smiled at him as she gave him a polite curtsey, then put her gloved hands on the shoulder of the man beside her. “It is Lady Blackney, now, Your Grace,” she replied, smiling at him hopefully. She then turned to the man at her side and looked up at him lovingly.

The viscount by Grace’s side greeted Arthur warmly, shaking his hand and looking him directly in the eye. “A pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” he stated cordially. “My wife has told me stories of your bravery.”

Arthur looked from him to Grace, surprised. “Is that so?” he asked.

Grace pressed her lips together tightly, then looked back up at her husband. “Darling, would you give us a moment?” she asked.

The Viscount gave her a nod. “Surely. I shall go find you some wine,” he replied. He turned toward Arthur and gave him a polite nod. “Excellent party, Your Grace.”

Arthur nodded back at him, and he and Grace both watched as the man made his way through the crowd.

“You are surprised,” Grace stated, turning back to Arthur when the Viscount was gone.

“Yes, I am,” Arthur agreed, looking at her. “I never dreamed that you would deign to speak to me again, let alone allow yourself in my presence.”

Grace’s cheeks turned a bright pink as regret filled her eyes, and she nodded. “I would never dream of coming here without your knowledge, but your wife has written to me. We have spoken at length about you, Arthur.” She gave him a small smile. “You are very lucky. Your wife absolutely adores you.”

At this point, Arthur was no longer surprised at the lengths Lavinia would go to be there for him, and he let out a dry chuckle.

“I assure you, I feel the same about her,” he replied.

“I am so happy to hear it,” Grace said quickly. “You deserve so much happiness.”

“Just not from you,” he couldn’t help but quip.

Grace flinched, but she nodded her head in agreement. “Arthur, I must tell you something,” she said, lowering her voice. “The way I left you that day—I should have never done that. It was incredibly cold and heartless, and I am eternally regretful for the way I handled things.”

“How could you have not?” Arthur asked.

At one point, such a discussion would have fouled his mood completely. But now, he looked at the past with a strange indifference.

“When I left, I was a handsome boy with hopes and passion. When I returned, I was a beast of a man, riddled with scares, carrying around a numbness that I could not conquer.”

“No,” Grace replied quickly, taking another step closer as her eyes welled with tears. “It was not your appearance I ran away from. I know, I allowed you to think that, but that was only because I was a coward. It was an easy way out. One no one would blame me for. But it was not the truth.”

Arthur looked at her, stunned. He wanted to believe her, but after so many years of being left to believe his scars were the reason for the end of their engagement, he was having trouble accepting it.

As if Grace could sense this, she shook her head ruefully. “When you were away, I spent more time with your mother and Susan, and I realized how much pressure there was being married into your family,” she explained. “I began questioning myself as to whether I truly loved you, and in your absence, I realized that I did not. I have and had love for you, that is true. But as a friend loves a friend. I began picturing my future with you once you returned and realized it was not what I wanted.”

“I was planning on waiting,” she went on when Arthur didn’t reply, “until after your affairs with your late father were sorted. But when I saw you that day, the way you looked at me so hopefully, so assuredly, I realized I could not wait. Your scars were difficult to look at, yes, but they were not the reason I left. And I am so very sorry for allowing you to believe that they were.”

Arthur felt a rush of emotions hit him like a giant wave. Disappointment, regret, anger. But also understanding, compassion, and rationality. He’d been so focused on how he’d needed and missed Grace while he had been gone that he’d never thought to question her happiness in any of his letters to her. How it could have all gone so differently… how different the last eight years could have been. But then, he realized, he wouldn’t have been led to Lavinia.

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