Page 46 of The Rogue's Runaway Bride
When Gideon had uttered the words, his eyes had been as cold and hard as his voice. There had been no trace of love. Nor passion. To the contrary, every word he’d clipped between his teeth betrayed icy rage at her defiance.
Belle braced herself against the chilling memory. Oh, she’d been a fool. So very naïve. How had she allowed herself to be swept into his elaborate charade?
“I know that is not the case.” She swallowed hard against a fresh rush of regret. “He sees me as the key to my father’s money vault. Nothing more.”
Ellie nodded her understanding. “Belle, might I ask...?” She hesitated for a long moment, seeming to think better of voicing her thought.
Belle read the unspoken question in her eyes. “If you wish to know if I love the man, the answer is that I do not.” She drew in a calming breath. “The truth of the matter is, I never did. Not truly.” My, it eased the pain within her to speak the truth.
Ellie’s eyes lit with comprehension. “This was not a love match?”
“We’d enjoyed what I’d thought was a true friendship. We had seemed quite compatible. Gideon and I shared many interests, and we got along famously. I’d hoped it might develop into more.”
“But it did not,” Ellie offered a nod of understanding.
“There was no spark. Not even a flicker.” Belle felt as if a weight was being lifted off her shoulders. It seemed such a relief to speak to confide in Ellie. “To be quite honest, I was utterly surprised when he proposed—and in such dramatic fashion inthe midst of one of the most elegant restaurants in the city. My first instinct was to turn him down gently.”
“But you accepted his proposal?”
“I did.” Belle knew her words sounded like a confession. But she had done nothing wrong. In her heart, she knew that. “When I looked at him that night, he seemed so very earnest. I simply could not bring myself to cause a scene that might have devastated him. And I did not wish to sever the ties between us. So, I tried to convince myself that I would be content with him. After all, many successful marriages have started without a thought to love, true or otherwise.”
“You deserve better than that, Belle.”
She drew in a slow, calming breath. “At the moment he proposed, I wanted to believe we might make a go of it. But in my heart, I knew I’d made a colossal mistake. I couldn’t go through with it. But I wanted to find the right time... to gently call off the engagement. I did not wish to hurt him.” She dropped her gaze to her hands, but forced herself to meet Ellie’s questioning eyes. “But then, everything changed.”
“Do you feel comfortable telling me what happened?” Ellie’s gaze softened with compassion. “What changed your mind?”
“Gideon showed his true colors.” Belle could hear the ugly strains of his voice in her thoughts.You will give me what you’ve promised. You will not make a fool of me.
Ellie’s brow furrowed as she appeared to ponder Belle’s words. When she spoke, her tone was hushed. “I believe I understand.”
“He is a powerful man—Lord Gideon Kentsworth.”
Ellie’s mouth thinned. “The name rings a bell, but I cannot quite place it.”
“I suspect you may have seen the chatter in the gossip rags. The papers had a fine time plastering our names on their society pages. Ever so much innuendo.”
“I’m afraid I must’ve missed the excitement,” Ellie said. “You see, I’ve only recently returned from visiting the continent.”
“It was much ado about nothing.”
The furrows in Ellie’s brow deepened. “I don’t recall ever making the man’s acquaintance. How very odd. I’d think we would have at least a passing familiarity, given the sheer number of balls and soirees Macie and I attended.”
“He possesses no fondness for London society. His primary residence is away from the city, in Cornwall.”
Ellie pursed her lips, deep in thought. “I shall ask my aunt what, if anything, she knows about the man. Aunt Cora is well connected with London’s elite and possesses a keen ear for gossip. She gained a snobby title when she married and now fancies herself an expert on the who’s who of the noble class. Especially the skeletons in their closets. She also keeps tabs on everything of note that goes on in the city. The juiciest scandals are of particular interest.” Her lips curved into a sly smile. “It goes without saying that I shall be discreet. But it will be to your benefit to know if Lord Kentsworth is hiding any ugly and potentially dangerous secrets.”
Chapter Thirteen
Belle had alwaysenjoyed the twilight. As a girl, when her family spent summers on the shores of Lake Erie, she’d relished the sight of the setting sun over the magnificent lake and the quiet time in the hazy light. If she closed her eyes, she could remember the cheerful sounds of the frogs and crickets welcoming the night. But tonight, in the garden of a posh London home as evening shade fell over the city, the sound of her own pulse drowned out the pleasant tones in her memory.
Sitting on the garden bench beside a black cat who appeared to be rather bored, Belle watched as Carrie played in the flower garden. The girl danced about with a pretty, frilly doll with coal-black hair and a painted-on red mouth, while Heathy scampered about in canine bliss. Belle smiled at their innocent glee. If only she could find a way to silence her own racing thoughts.
Scandals. Skeletons. Secrets. The words played like a steady drumbeat in her thoughts. When Ellie had spoken the words, a sense of intrigue had colored her tones. Oh, Belle understood all too well. Gossip was stirring, even among friends. Especially when one was only an observer. But Belle was a participant in this bit of real-life drama.
She’d nearly been caught in a web of Gideon’s making. Thank heaven she’d discovered his deception before it was too late.
Perhaps she should’ve advised Ellie there was no need to seek out her aunt’s expertise on the subject of London’s scoundrels and cheats. But she hadn’t found the will to tell herthe truth. Not the full truth, at least. Not one word she’d spoken to her new confidant had been a lie. But even though she trusted Ellie, she hadn’t been able to reveal why she’d fled the man she had planned to marry. The reality was too painful.
