Page 76 of Her Bear of a Duke

She had been, very much so, until everything had soured. She had felt attraction to Morgan since the moment she met him in the gardens, and that had blossomed into what she could only describe as love, but she had been foolish to allow that.

"I am happy enough," she replied.

"Then why are you here? You could have brought your husband, or invited me to visit you, but instead you are here alone. Why is that?"

"Because he does not love me," she said quickly. "I thought that he might, but I was wrong. I should have known better, for nobody could ever love someone like me, and so it is my own fault really. I should not have dreamed so much."

She felt firm hands on her shoulders, shaking her.

"Stop that this instant," Eleanor commanded. "I will not allow it. If anything, you should have allowed yourself to dream more. I do not understand why you are so insistent that you are this awful little toad, when the truth could not be further from that."

"Because, Eleanor, the moment I allowed myself to think I was something more, a beautiful lady came to my home and my husband is besotted with her. My niece is too, for that matter. They make a beautiful family in a way that I could not. It is unfair, but it is how it is."

"Or, perhaps, you are a jealous little girl that saw what thetondeems a beautiful lady to be, and you did the damage yourself. If you thought your husband liked you, it is because he did. You should have cared about that rather than anything this lady said or did."

Dorothy knew that was true, but there had not been much that she could do when Morgan had sided with Lady Annabelle in the end. She had allowed it to continue, but it had been Lady Annabelle that had delivered the final blow, and it had been enough to make her turn and run.

"You look like a coward, you know," Eleanor continued.

"How very kind of you. Truly, I am so pleased to have made this journey."

"I am not saying it to be unkind. I am saying it because it is what you need to hear, as is my duty as your sister. Dorothy, I may not know your husband, but I know you. I also know what you need to hear, and that is this. If you want something, you have to fight for it."

"I should not have to fight for my husband."

"Not your husband, your marriage. There has been a difficulty, and you have run away, when you should have stayed and found a way to prove your innocence. Then, of course, comes the time to make your husband grovel, and do everything in his power to make it up to you."

"I want to fight it, but there is nothing that I can say. He thinks I am guilty, and so that is how it is. I do not know what else to do. Even if Lady Annabelle is wrong, I cannot help but think an annulment is the right thing to do for all of us."

"Then you have nobody to blame for your misery but yourself."

Dorothy looked at her sister and saw only sincerity. Eleanor had not spoken unkindly, but it had cut her to the core in a way only a sister could do. It was all true; Dorothy could have done more to protest her innocence, but she had done the easy thing and ran away. Even as she sat there, knowing she had not done the right thing, she could not bring herself to return.

"I can see that you are not ready," Eleanor said gently. "You are welcome to stay with us as long as you please. I can quite confidently say that you are better off here than with Father, at least."

"He would be furious with me," she agreed.

"Then stay with me. Collect yourself, and then go back to your husband and mend things."

"But what if she was telling me the truth, and that she is his mistress?"

"Think for yourself, Sister. Do you truly believe that he would do such a thing to you?"

Dorothy knew that he would not do anything to hurt her, but Lady Annabelle had said it with such conviction that it was impossible to ignore. She sighed, resting her head against the settee.

"Take all the time you need," Eleanor said gently, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Uncertain of what to do with herself, Dorothy reached for a book. She ate the cakes before her, sipped tea, and read. It had been a while since she felt like herself, and she had begun to forget just who she truly was. She was not a coward, or at least that was not how she saw herself. In truth, she was a gentle soul, one that did the most she could for those around her. She had only ever tried to be good, even if she was never satisfied with her efforts.

That night, Eleanor took her to her room. Eleanor's husband was away in London for business, and so it was the two of them and her children. With all that had happened, however, Dorothy was uncertain of spending time with them in case she did something to hurt them.

The children, however, did not allow that, and pounced on her the following morning.

"Aunt Dorothy!" the eldest yelped. "Can we go to the park?"

Dorothy smiled, knowing perfectly well that she could not refuse such a request.

CHAPTER 28

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