Page 59 of A Deal with her Forbidden Duke
“Yes.”
Lady Rowthern smiled sardonically, humming. “Interesting. You have a lot of boldness about you, in fact. You must understand theton’scuriosity. After all, I can only imagine howdifficultit must be, stepping into a marriage, coming from your… complicated history.”
“Do be careful how you speak.”
“I only speak innocently,” the woman insisted. “You have married so soon after Donald died.”
Madeleine moved back, noting how the lady used her former husband’s name so freely. Her heart sped up, pulsing in her wrists.
“I am certain the speculation regarding my marriage will soon pass into obscurity.”
“Perhaps,” Lady Rowthern purred. “But your husband is frequently seen at gaming hells, Duchess. The Raven’s Den surely rings a bell.”
It did—vaguely—but Madeleine swallowed her surprise.
Is this why my husband is so private? Have I landed myself with another man who gambles?
No.
No, do not distrust your husband based on this woman’s baseless comments. She is only trying to rile you.
But Madeleine was riddled with distrust. There was so much about Alexander she had not discovered yet. His family, his business, where he disappeared to sometimes, why he had come back bleeding last week. Why his lip had curled so much at the notion of fighting, at being reduced to a thug, as he had claimed.
“You consider my words, do you not?” Lady Rowthern asked, entirely too sweet.
She gave a small laugh, and Madeleine clung onto her cool composure with all she had. Her eyes flicked to the ballroom, hoping to see a flash of Alexander.
Tessa was right—she did not need a man to bolster her. She could stand alone.
“I do not understand how you live with yourself, Your Grace.” Lady Rowthern’s words became more and more barbed. “Donald was a very generous man. Do you honor him? Have you even met with the new Lord Kinsfeld to pass on your condolences? I have spoken with him. He misses Donaldgreatly…”
As Lady Rowthern spoke, Madeleine’s chest grew tighter and tighter with shame, and her eyes prickled with tears. Her grip on her composure slipped with each word, with each time the other woman used Donald’s name like it was nothing.
Because itwasnothing to her.
Because Lady Rowthern loved Donald, Madeleine realized, the final puzzle piece she had been missing during her investigation of her husband’s previous disappearance slotting into place.
She loved him, and she feels as though she has truly lost the man she loved.
Exhaustion swept through her. She was tired of all these ladies with their false niceties, and hidden meanings, their remarks and sly questions.
“Lady Rowthern,” she said, “Were you in love with the late Lord Kinsfeld?”
Lady Rowthern blinked, and for a second, she looked caught. Her eyes flicked to the ballroom, as Madeleine’s had before, as if searching for the Marquess of Rowthern.
And then the answer came without an attempt at denial.
“Yes.” She exhaled, smiling, as if it gave her a great relief to say so. “Yes, I did love him. I have loved Donald for the last five years, ever since we met at a summer picnic.”
Her eyes glimmered in the moonlight, with love or sadness, Madeleine didn’t know.
“We were secretive, of course, given your presence in his life, and my own husband, but he loved me. I know he did. He… Oh, he lavished me in dresses and jewels. He promised me getaways, a trip to the countryside… He always promised. He told me that he would take me to France one day.” Her brow puckered. “I… I, of course, did not get to experience such a thing, but he wanted to do it. That is all that matters to me.”
Her hands were clasped to her chest, and Madeleine felt a stab of pity for this woman, blended uncomfortably with anger. She wanted to both comfort her and shake sense into her.
Just how many women did you fool, Donald?Did you ever have any shame?
Madeleine’s voice was hard when she finally spoke. “There is a woman named Nellie Trent, who has a room at Parling’s Boardinghouse. When I met her, she was swanning around in one of my old dresses.” Madeleine let her words sink in, and Lady Rowthern slowly realized what she meant.
