Page 58 of The Earl's Secret
“Cassandra, enough of this,” he said, his annoyance obvious. “I am tired of the back and forth, of determining who is at fault and of both of us living in our past. What matters is the future, and I would like our future to be together. It is clear that neither of us will be happy with anyone but each other. No more secrets, no more uncertainty. I wish to marry you.” He sank down on the floor in front of her. “Cassandra, will you be my wife?”
She said nothing for a moment as she stared down at him. Chills raced up and down her spine, her chest warming, and she hated that there was such a large part of her that wanted to say yes, that she could see a life with him, that she could picture days filled with laughter and friendship and everything she had ever wanted in a husband. Yet it would all be a lie. Because he didn’t actually love her. Yes, he obviously desired her and perhaps they could forge something together, but she would know that it had all been based on misplaced loyalty to her brother and a desire to win a wager with his ridiculous thrill-seeking friends.
“No.”
“I— Pardon me?”
“I said no,” she said, her eyelids batting furiously up and down, as she struggled to keep her tears from falling once more. His face fell in apparent disappointment, but it was likely more irritation at her rejection than the heartbreak she would feel were he the one to deny her.
“Cassandra—”
“This was all a mistake,” she said, annoyed by the crack in her voice as she stood and hurried to the door. She paused in front of it. “We were better off having never come back together again.”
And with that, she rushed out of the room, leaving her heart behind.
CHAPTER23
Devon wasn’t sure how long he remained kneeling on the ground in front of the chair, but it was where Gideon found him when he entered following Cassandra’s dramatic exit.
“It went as I thought it would, then, did it?”
“I don’t understand,” Devon said, turning his face up to his friend. “I thought that even if she didn’t love me, that she at leastwantedme. After five years, she never found another. Why?”
Gideon shrugged. “Her reputation was rather ruined.”
“But still—”
Gideon placed a heavy hand on his shoulder for a moment. “I know. Come, have a drink,” he said. “I’ll try to talk to Cassandra.”
“It won’t help.”
“Likely not. But perhaps we can come up with something to convince her.”
“I don’t want to coerce her,” Devon said. “I want her to marry me because she loves me, because she cannot imagine a life without me.”
“That cannot be forced,” Gideon said quietly. “But I will do what I can to make her see reason.”
Devon nodded, staring at the floor. “You will want to speak with her anyway. I believe she was close to solving the riddle last night. Wewerediscussing it before… before.”
“Very well,” Gideon said and then sighed. “Well, we are to go fishing today. That should help take your mind off things.”
Devon shook his head. “I shall remain behind.”
“But—”
“I would be more of a liability than anything else at the moment,” Devon said. “Go. Have a good time. I shall be here waiting afterward. Tomorrow, however, I should return to my own estate. I have remained here far too long as it is.”
“You will leave now? Before we have solved the riddle?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Devon said. “You will solve it without me. I hope I have helped you, but the truth is, my own interest came from spending time with Cassandra.”
Gideon paused for a moment, seeming stalled in his own uncertainty. “Very well. But if you change your mind—”
“I know where you’ll be.”
Devon heaved a sigh as he rose to his feet in search of his chamber – he had some packing to do.
* * *
