Page 80 of A Rescue by the Rakish Duke
“We root them out,” he replied, breathing heavily. “We make sure that we deal with them.Iwill deal with them. And you, Gwen, must rest. I promised that I would protect you. So far, I’ve failed.”
Gwendoline couldn’t take it anymore. Tears pricked her eyes. She didn’t mean to cry, and she hated doing so in front ofanyone, but the stress of the situation made her emotional. It was a betrayal of sorts.
Even though Timothy had always been a terrible person, he was her flesh and blood. It didn’t feel right that a relative would do that to her.
He had betrayed her. He had tried to sell her to the highest bidder.
But to kill her? It was too much to bear.
She was grateful for Damian’s strong presence. He exuded determination and strength.
As he left the parlor, she thought of how Timothy’s reach was wider than she had expected. She had to admit that she only thought he’d be a nuisance at best and a gossip at worst.
When she perused the evidence of his criminal activities with Damian and Evan, she still couldn’t believe that he was capable of anything quite as nefarious.
It was time to heal, but it was also time to be more vigilant.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“We will be fine,” Damian assured his wife as the carriage neared the Westgrave estate.
He wasn’t certain if he was reassuring himself more than anything. His muscles were all rigid with anticipation. He was ready for a fight.
They were on their way to another ball, and it felt more like they were going to war because, in a way, they were. Damian had finally brought Gwendoline not only as a wife but also as an ally. No matter what they did, Montrose would be threatening their peace anyway.
Only a fortnight before the pinnacle of Society’s gatherings—as some called it—Gwendoline fell off her horse.
Damian was certain that Montrose had something to do with it.
He didn’t know if mingling with the ton at this point would keep his wife safer or not, but here they were. They needed to see what Montrose’s next steps would be, and he wouldn’t let it happen without him being close to his wife. He had to be able to protect her this time. He had been lax enough that he was angry at himself.
Gwendoline still seemed fascinated by it all. She seemed younger under the glittering chandeliers, their soft glow casting an ethereal shimmer on everyone in attendance. However, Damian knew that his wife was more of a vision than anything in the ballroom, with her beautiful face flushed red and her gown a deep emerald silk.
Despite their happy glow, they knew that tonight would test their ability to face off against Montrose.
While there were still murmurs about them, most were no longer spiteful rumors that alluded to scandals. Damian could swear that some were compliments about his wife.
His back straightened. He couldn’t help but smile at the crowd. The smile was received with some shocked looks, and he even felt Gwendoline’s body quaking with quiet laughter.
“Ah, you found something amusing, wife?” he asked, with a grin.
“You look truly happy,” she commented, smiling at him.
“I am,” he admitted, resting his hand lightly on her lower back.
He pulled her closer to him, even though it crossed the boundaries of propriety.
He wasn’t surprised that she pulled away a little. His wife had been brought up as a lady and knew that they were too close, and somehow that made him feel satisfied. Whatever they had in private should, indeed, remain in private.
The couple moved toward a group of more prominent members of the ton. Damian’s focus sharpened. He knew that mingling no longer just meant making friends in high places, but about finding people who could provide the necessary support.
With Gwendoline’s hand on his arm, they proceeded to converse with a viscount and his wife.
While the people surrounding them seemed skeptical at first, their eyes intent and unfriendly, they eventually softened toward them. Even Gwendoline’s rigid body had relaxed. He rubbed the hand she had placed on his arm.
They were in this together.
However, his wife also needed to mingle with others on her own, spread her wings, and be independent. She casually slipped away from him to talk to women her age. Damian felt proud of her willingness to get out of her shell.
