Page 101 of Trapped with the Forbidden Duke
Lucien knocked back another mouthful of brandy, not even wincing at the burn of it. His gaze was fixed on a spot on the floor as his mind spun.
Truly, he had not thought that Edwina would leave. He thought he would have to command her to, yet she would be stubborn and still be there when he returned from the Tulley ball.
Except he had returned to her empty chambers, her packed trunks, and a message left with Mrs. Galley that she would be at the London townhouse, where he himself had sent her.
His wife was so prideful, and yet he had banked on her stubbornness to remain put.
He snorted into his glass. “It is just as well that she left,” he mumbled to himself. “You could not trust her.”
“Oh, Heavens, look at the state of you.”
“If I look up and see that it is you, Jasper, I shall have a worse day,” he said drily.
Of course, his best friend was there when he looked up.
Jasper was the image of respect, his suit pressed and neat, his curls wrangled into a somewhat tidy style, and his face pinched with worry.
“Lucien, I have not seen you like this since your witch of an aunt died,” he said.“You went through quite a terrible time because of it, unable to process her death. So, what has happened?”
“Nothing,” Lucien muttered. “Leave me be.”
“I actually believe you owe me a brandy, so I shall just help myself.”
Lucien glared up at him, watching with heavy eyes as Jasper served himself and drankdeeply, looking right back at him over the rim of his glass.
“Are you going to tell me what has you looking as though you have been struck by a bout of insanity?”
“No,” Lucien bit out.
“Then I shall guess. After the ball, I heard that a certain Duke and Duchess of Stormhold fought. So, where is Edwina?”
Her name cut through Lucien, and he gritted his teeth. “Gone. She wentto the London townhouse, where she will remain for good. We have decided to live separately.”
“Oh, you bloody, great fool.”
“Get out.” Lucien shook his head, not even giving his friend a chance to ask further. “Just get out.”
“So you may push everyone away? Truly? Heavens, Lucien, pull yourself together. You cannot simply push her away. And do not tell me that you both agreed to such an arrangement. I know you, and I know you likely told her to leave in anger, and that brilliantly independent woman has decided to call your bluff.”
“Jasper,” Lucien warned. “I am not at my most reasonable right now. Do tread carefully.”
“Or what? Will you fight me?”
“No,” he ground out. “But I will have you forcibly removed.”
“All right.” Jasper made a show of getting comfortable, but his smile was tight, angry. “Have me removed, but it is only becauseyou hate that I am right. You do not want to admit your mistake, and you are both too prideful to reach out to one another. You are truly idiotic if you are going to let her remain out there, alone. How could you do that to her, Lucien?”
Lucien slammed his glass on his desk, making him flinch. “Leave. Do not make me ask you again.”
Jasper shook his head. “I have stood by you through many things, but if you cannot see your own mistake, then I fear I will not get through to you at all. You have lost the best thing that has ever happened to you, do you know th?—”
“Of course I know that!” Lucien roared, shoving back his chair and standing up.
He rounded on Jasper but raised no fist. He only stood in the center of his study, seething.
“Why did you do this?” Jasper asked. “What could she have done to make you push her away?”
“She did nothing,” Lucien choked out, sinking to his knees right there in the middle of his study. He was distantly aware that he had knocked Jasper’s glass out of his hand. “You are right, as is Edwina, and I am the fool who cannot make anything right because I am not the husband she deserves. I am protecting her and trusting myself, for I am the only person I can trust.”
