Page 68 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
Her friends nodded in understanding, but Aurelia’s thoughts had already wandered.
Even as she spoke the words, she realized how much her perspective had changed. She no longer saw Philip as the cold, vengeful Duke who had taken her away from her father. He wasn’t the monster she had initially made him out to be, hellbent on taking revenge on her father. He was a man wounded by the tragic loss of his brother, struggling to protect the life he had built.
Aurelia had initially been determined to protect her father from Philip’s wrath, but now, seeing Philip’s pain so clearly, she felt a pang of guilt. He had lost the only family he had left and she had been too blinded by her loyalty to her father to recognize that.
“I was so foolish,” she murmured, almost to herself.
Catching her words, Catherine raised an eyebrow. “Foolish? Whatever do you mean?”
Aurelia shook her head, feeling the weight of her earlier actions settle heavily on her chest.
“I was so focused on protecting my father, on trying to gain information from Philip, that I never stopped to consider his side of the story. Gabriel was his brother, his only family, and I…” She paused, swallowing down the guilt that threatened to overwhelm her. “I feel awful about it now.”
Especially when she thought of how eager she had been to seduce Philip to pull herself out of the dark.
Beatrice’s eyes softened as she reached over to place a hand on Aurelia’s arm. “You are not to blame for wanting to protect your family. Any of us would have done the same.”
Aurelia gave a weak smile in appreciation of the sentiment, knowing it didn’t lessen the weight of her guilt.
“What matters right now is that your opinion about him has changed,” Catherine said.
Aurelia nodded. “I see Philip in a different light now,” she continued, her voice quieter. “He is not the man I thought he was. He has been deeply hurt. I feel as though I have let him down.”
Catherine leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. “Do you love him?”
The question hung in the air and Aurelia felt her heart flutter at the thought.
Love.
It was a word she hadn’t dared to entertain, not in the early days of her marriage to Philip when they had been so distant, so cold toward one another. But now…now things were different.
“I think I do,” Aurelia admitted softly. “It is strange, isn’t it? To have been so focused on protecting my father, and now I find myself…” She hesitated, her gaze falling to the floor as though the words were too fragile to speak aloud.
“You have fallen for him,” Beatrice concluded with a knowing smile.
Aurelia nodded, a blush coloring her cheeks. “Yes, I have indeed fallen for him, and it terrifies me.”
Catherine exchanged a glance with Beatrice before smiling warmly at Aurelia. “Well, I think you have done quite well. It takes a strong heart to move past the pain and see the good in others.”
Aurelia took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of their support.
And at that moment she knew that her heart belonged to Philip, no matter what uncertainties lay ahead.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Philip sat in his study, the morning sun filtering through the window as he immersed himself in estate business, when Mr. Wimbledon appeared in the doorway.
“Your Grace, Mr. John Smith has arrived to see you,” the butler announced.
“Let him in,” Philip replied, straightening up in his chair.
A moment later John entered, tall and slim with a fresh face that often led others to assume he hailed from noble stock.
“Your Grace,” John said, bowing slightly, his gaze steady.
Philip closed the document in front of him and rose to his feet, moving to the window behind his wingback chair. He gazed out the window, gathering his thoughts.
“Is there anything you need me to do, Your Grace?” John asked, maintaining a professional tone.
