Page 30 of Her Beastly Duke
“Miss Walcot, Julius had just told me about you.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Lady Fe – .”
“Nonsense. Call me Emmeline. I insist. I would like for us to be friends.”
“Very well, Emmeline.”
“He also told me that you are the reason he decided to have a season.”
“Perhaps he is giving me too much credit.”
“You are as beautiful as you are modest. Lord Fenton and I have been trying to get him to socialize for years and he would not have it. You must have made quite an impression on him.”
“How did you two meet?”
Briar was sure Emmeline would hear the story from her husband if she did not tell her, so she did.
“So, you thought to steal the painting?”
“I have never stolen anything in my life. It was our dire circumstances that led me to take such action.”
“And you challenged Julius to a duel?”
“He had no choice. I am quite skilled and I started fighting.”
“This has been quite an adventure. You are a resourceful woman. I will give you that.”
Briar’s mouth curved into a smile. “You only know what you are capable of when you are faced with poor choices.”
“Hmm,” Emmeline murmured thoughtfully.
“His Grace has been quite generous and forgiving. He has allowed me to work to cover my family’s debt, and I will have a dowery. I may find a husband in London and have my own home.”
Emmeline cleared her throat. “You speak of him with such admiration.” There was no mockery in her voice, but she held a curious stare.
“I was the one who put myself in harm’s way, and His Grace did what he could to protect me. He could have left me alone to deal with the consequences. I will always be grateful because it could have been much worse.”
“According to what my husband told me, you have helped Julius too. His life has been a series of twists and turns. We never thought we would hear him say he would go to London for the season or consider marriage. It is quite phenomenal. I believe he will have the confidence to charm society. He needs to believe it, and he is well on the way to arriving at that conclusion.”
To hear Emmeline speak of Julius getting married filled her with a pang of regret. If only they had not shared the night of all-consuming passion. If only he thought she was good enough to be his duchess. Briar pressed her lips together because she did not want to think of Julius sharing his bed with someone else. There was so much that she wished she could have said at lunch. There was a part of her that wanted to say everything that she felt, but she held back, afraid to reveal too much of herself. Something unspoken was unfurling inside her, and she hadnever experienced it before. It was almost as if her feelings were at odds with logical thinking. Worse yet, her feelings appeared to be at odds with themselves. There was a part of her that accepted what she heard. Julius would not marry her, but another part of her hoped something would change and it would be alright in the end. She had to trust logic because she certainly could not trust her feelings.
Briar swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Before I had my season, I thought I would marry, have a family and take my place in society. Sadly, after my father died, my prospects were reduced as I would not find a suitable match with a dowery. I accepted my fate and decided I would have been happy to maintain my independence.”
“Truly?”
Briar nodded in confirmation. “Yes. It is my brother Duncan who must be concerned with securing my family line.”
“Yet, when you marry, you will provide your husband with children and possibly an heir.”
“Did you know from the start that you wanted to marry Lord Fenton?”
“When I came out, I had a few suitors, and my father was quite pleased about that. He was kind enough to allow me to make my own choice. I spent time with all the gentlemen who pursued me, but as the summer wore on, I realized that I cared for my husband. He was patient, kind and compassionate. I never regretted my choice.”
Briar had already lost her chance for a happy ending, damned because of her circumstances. Was there even the tiniest bit of hope?
Emmeline gave a satisfied sigh. “I am happy in my marriage, and I love having children. The boys are a light in my life. Warren is a handful, and he is the spitting image of his father.”
Briar chuckled. “He is. I have only just met them, but they seem like lovely children.”
