Page 94 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke
‘Your offer was made on a whim of jealousy. Why would I wish for an arrogant, selfish man?’
‘You are wrong, Katherine. I visited Phillip last night, to tell him I was going to offer for you. I only found out about you and your reverend then. I asked you because I love you. I am sorry you do not believe it, but you have no choice now, you will marry me.’
Her chin tipped up and her blue eyes flashed. ‘Will I?’
‘Katherine, how can you wish otherwise? You cannot deny me my son or daughter, and them me? We both know what it means to be without our natural parents.’ The floorboards had become quicksand. ‘Why did you not tell me?’
Her chin tipped up higher. ‘What would you have done if I had, John?’
‘I would have supported you.’
‘How?’
‘Katherine…’
‘How?’
‘I do not know what I would have said a few weeks ago, but I would have protected you.’
‘And I would have been known as a whore and rejected by my family and hated by the people whose love I treasure. It is jealousy and selfishness that brought you back – and now I have lost that love.’
‘I came back because I love you too much to let you go. My last offer was wrong, Katherine. I am sorry. But now I wish you to be my wife. You cannot say no. Surely you understand that.’
Even though anger still burned in her eyes, tears ran down her cheeks. His fingers cupped her beautiful face and his thumbs wiped them away. His heart aching for her, he leaned to kiss her. It had been weeks since he had felt the pressure of her lips against his.
‘John, your lip is bloody.’ She pushed him back.
He had forgotten.
Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he pressed it against his lip. ‘But you will marry me?’ She said nothing. ‘Say yes, Katherine.’
‘If she does not say yes, I shall drag her to the damned altar.’ Phillip stood in the doorway.
‘Yes,’ Katherine breathed. John looked back at her. ‘Yes,’ she said again more loudly as if telling herself and not him. ‘I will marry you.’
A firecracker burst in his chest. ‘Thank you.’ What inadequate words. ‘I will make you happy.’ What an unemotional tone. Reserve came too naturally to him. He smiled and flinched from the pain in his lip. But she smiled back.
‘What now?’ Phillip said.
John met his old friend’s hard accusing gaze. ‘I have a special licence. I meant to tell you last night I wished to marry Katherine.’
‘Really?’ There was a dubious note in Phillip’s pitch.
‘Here.’ John reached into his inside pocket, withdrew the marriage licence and held it out.
Phillip looked at it dismissively.
John turned to Katherine. ‘I will take you to London and we will find a minister.’
‘And when the child arrives months early…’ Phillip said.
‘We will go somewhere out of the way and I will not publicise the marriage so the date will be unclear. I have been in mourning, a quiet wedding will not be noted, but I can do no more, Phillip, my family will know.’
Phillip nodded. ‘I will come to London with you.’
‘Let me clean your lip first,’ Katherine said to John. ‘Sit down. Have you brandy in here?’ John looked at her, surprised she cared. ‘Where, John?’
‘Over there.’
