Page 34 of A Deal with her Forbidden Duke
“Watch your tongue,” Alexander snarled. “You will not speak to her in such ways. Have you no respect? Your brother is barely two days dead, and you are so eager to take over his life? You must have some shame. You disgust me already, Kinsfeld. Perhaps you might take after your brother rather well, after all.”
Something flickered across Benjamin’s face—shame, anger, intimidation, as if being compared to his brother was the last thing he wanted to hear.
“I—” He paused, and then began again, instead turning to Madeleine this time. “Three days, Madeleine.”
He turned on his heels before he stormed out of the house.
Only when the front door slammed shut did Madeleine finally exhale.
“Madeleine.” Alexander rushed to her side as she let herself slump into an armchair.
Her vision blurred in panic, her body feeling frighteningly light, as if she might faint.
“What is going on?”
She lifted her gaze to his. “Donald is dead,” she whispered, needing to say it aloud. “Although I believe you already knew.”
Alexander nodded. “I was on my way here to tell you.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was faint. “His brother is indeed the new Lord Kinsfeld, as he told you, and he has ordered me to be out of the house in three days.” Her gaze dropped to the rug beneath her feet.
“This is how it all ends.” Her voice was bitter.
What will I do? My brother is already away, and his widowed sister cannot burden him further.
And Heavens—when word traveled about Donald’s death, and the reason why, if everybody believed what Benjamin did…
Their finances were not good to start with, yet he had lavished her with gifts at the start, attempting to secure her loyalty. She had given it, even now. Even in his death.
“What am I to do?” she murmured to herself, tears stinging her eyes.
She felt too numb to properly cry but she felt the shiver of emotion.
Alexander gazed down at her, kneeling before her. She did not know when her hands had been clasped in his. “You are to marry me, Madeleine.”
Her heart stopped for a moment. Blinking up at him, she could not quite believe what he had said.
“You are to marry me,” he told her. “Not out of pity for your situation. I told you I would not dishonor you by feeling such a thing. I offer it out of security for your future. You are my friend’s sister. I cannot leave you alone, nor do I wish for youto ever be. Allow me to provide you with financial security, and protection. Allow me to marry you, Madeleine.”
The proposal was so prosperous that she could only laugh hollowly. “You… you only offer to settle a debt. I am no fool, as I once told you.”
“You are no fool,” he confirmed. She noticed that he did not deny settling the debt. “I will not abandon my friend’s sister and watch her life crumble to ruins. I am not that sort of man.”
“You mention my brother, but he will not be happy about this,” she muttered.
“I can manage John,” Alexander told her, attempting to smirk. “I always have, ever since our days at Eton.” He paused, clearly wanting to distract her. “Did he really say I tried to flaunt my superiority?”
She shook her head, not feeling the distraction or lightness make her feel better. “No, he did not. I only said that to frustrate you.”
“It worked.”
“I know.”
Silence settled over them for a moment as Madeleine slowly analyzed her situation, piecing together that she did not have much of a choice.
She nodded, wiping away the tears that had welled but not fallen. “I accept. I accept your proposal.”
The words came out, making her feel a little faint again.
