Page 87 of A Virgin for the Duke of Scars
“And when will you tell me the reason for this midnight visit?”
“It is my wife, Morgan,” Aaron said. “She is the most stubborn woman I have ever come across in my lifetime. More than Juliette and Grandmama combined.”
“More stubborn than you?” He quirked his eyebrow at Aaron, as if he already knew the answer to that question. “It seems you have finally met your match in the nun you wed.”
“I cannot manage to keep her at Blackwell Manor. She is determined to leave to visit her family, and she does not have the intention to return to me.”
“And what have you done to make her consider leaving? I have seen her with you, and it is clear that you two care for one another.” Morgan sat down at the table beside him and poured himself a glass of whiskey, settling in for a long night ahead.
“She is determined that I do not care for her because I harbor feelings for Lady Isabella,” Aaron said.
Morgan laughed. “Does she not know what transpired between the two of you? It seems that a simple explanation would set the record straight. After all, Lady Isabella is not your wife.”
“It is because I will not remove my mask off in her presence.” Aaron shook his head. “She thinks that I will not do so because of the feelings I still have for Isabella. That I do not trust her.”
“Anddoyou trust her? Because it seems to me that you care for her a great deal.” Morgan took a deep sip of his drink and set it on the table in front of him. “Why is tonight so different from all the others?”
“Because I finally made love to my wife,” Aaron said. His cheeks went pink with color at the mention of the moment he shared with Theresa. He was grateful that the mask covered the majority of his features.
“What an appropriate sentiment,” Morgan said with a dry chuckle.
“What is that to mean?”
“Only that you are clearly in love with your wife, despite your best attempt to remain as lonely as you have always been.”
Morgan cocked his head to the side as Aaron opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He shut his mouth again and stared into the glass on the table, wishing that a drink could clearthese thoughts from his mind. He wished that it was as simple as Morgan made it out to be.
“You might as well show her all of you. She has already stolen your heart, so it seems,” Morgan said while Aaron was rendered speechless.
“You recall what happened when I shared myself with Lady Isabella. If I show myself to my wife, I will lose her for good,” he argued. “She will certainly never return from visiting her family.”
“And by not showing yourself to her, you have already lost her.”
Aaron let that sink in for a moment. He swirled the whiskey around in his glass and let the words wash over him. Morgan had a point—if he did not do something drastic, he would lose his wife for lack of trying. If he took the risk to show her who he really was, she may still leave, but she may not.
“Aaron, I have known you a long time,” Morgan said gently. “But you have never seemed as happy as you do when you are with your wife. She was the right match for you. You need only let her in.”
“I do not know how to do that,” Aaron countered.
“I think you know what you have to do.” Morgan drained the rest of his drink. “And now, you must leave and let me get my rest.I’m sure you can see yourself out of the estate just the same as you let yourself in.”
Aaron finished his drink quickly and stood from the table. “Thank you. For your friendship and your honesty.”
Morgan had given him a lot to think about, and he would need the ride home and the cover of darkness to consider what he could do to salvage the remains of his marriage.
CHAPTER 27
Theresa woke up the following morning with swollen eyes and a sore throat from screaming into her pillow. The night had passed slowly and painfully, each minute bringing her closer to the moment she would leave Blackwell Manor.
Each minute brought her closer to the moment she would see her husband for the last time. She knew that if she left the manor now, she might never return. Her new life would be over just as soon as it had begun.
Certainly, she would gain a mother and father. A sister. But she would also lose a husband.
She had already lost her old life at the convent. There was no chance she could go back there and take her vows now that they had consummated their marriage.
Her heart felt like it was breaking in half at the very thought of leaving all of this behind. She felt hollow inside.
How could she be so heartbroken if Aaron did not even reciprocate her feelings? How could he keep shutting her out despite everything they had done?
