Page 72 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
There was a brief pause before John, clearly reluctant, said, “Your wife, Your Grace.”
Philip blinked, confused. “My wife?” He repeated, as if the words made no sense.
John nodded solemnly. “Yes, Your Grace. Her Grace is meeting with her father as we speak.”
The world around Philip suddenly stood still. The noise of the bustling street, the distant chatter, the clatter of carriages; it all faded into a muffled blur. He felt the sharp stab of betrayal striking him in his chest. His heart pounded against his ribs.
“Where are they?” His voice, though calm, was laced with barely restrained fury.
John, sensing his ire, quickly gave him the location.
Philip didn’t waste a second. Without so much as a word of explanation to those in the meeting room, he mounted John’s horse and rode at breakneck speed towards the inn.
His jaw was clenched and his mind raced with thoughts of Aurelia’s betrayal. How could she after everything they hadendured? He had finally begun to trust her and let her into his heart and she’d gone behind his back after all.
Arriving at the inn, Philip marched inside, his presence commanding immediate attention. He approached the innkeeper, his gaze sharp. “The lady who arrived a short while ago, what room is she in?”
The innkeeper hesitated, clearly intimidated by the Duke’s imposing figure. “I…I do not…”
Philip’s patience was running thin. “Tell me.Now.”
The innkeeper, visibly shaken, stammered out the room number.
Philip stormed up the narrow staircase, his footsteps heavy and urgent. Each step he took felt like he was walking towards his doom, yet he couldn’t stop himself.
He paused when he reached the door, his hand hovering over the handle. He closed his eyes briefly, willing the situation to be a misunderstanding. Perhaps John had made a mistake. Perhaps Aurelia wasn’t there.
But when he opened the door, his worst fears were confirmed.
There she was, sitting in the room with her father, the Earl of Keldbrooke. The sight of them together sent a fresh wave of anger through him.
Aurelia’s eyes widened when she saw him. “Philip! I can explain…”
Philip cut her off, his voice low and dangerous. “Was this your plan all along?” His gaze jumped between her and Lord Keldbrooke. “To get me to trust you, only to betray me?”
“No, Philip, you misunderstand,” Aurelia protested, stepping toward him. “I only wanted to speak to my father to get answers about what happened between him and Gabriel. I needed closure.”
“Closure?” Philip’s voice rose, incredulous. “So, you thought it was appropriate to go behind my back? After everything I told you? After I let my guard down for you?” His fists clenched at his sides, his rage barely contained. “You have betrayed me, Aurelia.”
Aurelia’s heart sank. “It was not my intention to betray you. I just…I needed to know the truth.”
“The truth?” Philip’s voice was filled with bitterness. “The truth is that you have been lying to me. What assurance do I have that you are not conspiring with him?” He pointed at Lord Keldbrooke who had been standing in the corner, silently watching the exchange. “How can I be sure this was not your plan from the beginning?”
Aurelia’s eyes welled up with tears. “Philip, I swear, I would never do that.”
“Then why?” Philip’s voice was filled with anguish. “Why do this on the very day I finally told you I trusted you? I believed in you, Aurelia. I let down my walls for you, and this…this is how you repay me?”
The hurt in his words stung Aurelia deeply. She tried to speak but the weight of his accusations crushed her. She had only wanted to hear her father’s side of the story to find some peace, but she now saw that she had destroyed the fragile trust she and Philip had built.
Philip turned away from her, his jaw tight. “I cannot trust you anymore.”
Aurelia’s chest tightened. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Philip said in a cold voice, “I can no longer be sure of where your loyalties lie. I thought you were different, but I was wrong.”
Her breath hitched. “Philip, please, do not do this.”
Philip didn’t respond. His silence was deafening and Aurelia realized with a sinking feeling that there was nothing more she could say to convince him.
