Page 25 of The Penitent Duke
“I think,” the Duke began, just as Lord Westlake finished speaking, “that I shall take my leave of this game. Lady Rosalind, might you wish to take a short turn about the room?”
Rosalind had no desire to walk arm in arm with the Duke of Strathmore, had no interest in being at all close to him but given the situation, she felt as though she had no choice. She caught the astonished expression on Lord Westlake’s face, perhaps surprised that she was so willing to walk with the Duke of Strathmore, but Rosalind nodded and went with him, nonetheless, excusing herself as she did so.
The Duke did not offer her his arm. Instead, he made his way through the door of the card room and out into the hallway and Rosalind, though she was not afraid of being called improper given that there were so many guests around her, did worry that the Duke had quite forgotten her.
Eventually, he turned his head and, upon seeing her, came to a stop. Rosalind came to stand beside him, her heart pounding though not with exertion. What was he to say to her? It was clear to her that he was angry with what Lord Butterworth had said. Would that anger be pushed onto her?
“Lady Rosalind,” the Duke began, his voice low and his eyebrows sitting heavily over his eyes. “It seems as though Lord Butterworth has spoken of a circumstance which, though I am unsure as to whether or not you have heard of it, I must now speak of myself.”
“I – I know a little.” Hearing her voice trembling, Rosalind took in a breath to steady herself, relieved that they had found a quiet place to speak – albeit in the middle of a long corridor. “Lady Eleanor shared with me the sad circumstances of Lady Pearl’s passing, though she did not say so in order to gossip. She knows that there may well be a connection between us and therefore, she wanted me to be aware of all that I might be stepping into.” Rosalind said obviously not being able to lie as she had mentioned to Eleanor she would.
The Duke scowled. “Stepping into?”
“The grief and the pain you still carry,” Rosalind said, bluntly. “It is obvious to me that you have kept yourself away from society because you have no desire for any sort of happiness or the like. Mayhap that is because of the grief you have for Lady Pearl?”
“It is not grief but guilt,” he grated, leaning a little closer to her as Rosalind caught her breath at his sudden nearness. “Grief was there, indeed, but the guilt I feel will linger with me every day of my life, I am sure of it. Do not misunderstand me, Lady Rosalind. I tell you this not because I want your understanding nor your compassion. I tell you because Lady Eleanor is right to say that you must understand what it is you are stepping into.”
Rosalind trembled, her heart filled with two warring desires. One was to turn on her heel and flee, to tell the Duke that she could not marry him and would take her chances on becoming a spinster. The other was to lean into him, to press one hand lightly against his cheek and to promise him that she would do whatever she could to bring a little light into his otherwise black world.
Something shifted in the Duke’s expression. His eyes, which had been fixed to hers, began to shift from one side of her face to the other, only for them to round just a little. He swallowed, ran one hand over his jaw and then shook his head, taking a small step back.
“What is it?” Rosalind could not help but ask him, wondering at the sudden altering of his expression. “Your Grace, I –”
“It is nothing.” He waved one hand at her, no longer looking at her. “Lady Rosalind, might I ask you if you have made your decision?”
Completely taken aback, Rosalind stared at him for a long moment, only to shake her head. “Your Grace, we spoke of a fortnight. It has onlybeen two days since that discussion. Is there a reason that you expect me to be able to answer you so soon?”
The Duke opened his mouth again but then immediately closed it, snapping it shut as if he had clearly thought better of what he had been about to say.
“You are still contented to wait?”
“What if I am not?” the Duke demanded, his hand reaching out and catching hers, pulling her back towards him just a little – and suddenly, Rosalind felt herself very alone. A glance around her told her that she was standing with the Duke without anyone else in sight and, as his fingers held hers, Rosalind trembled inwardly. The Duke’s gaze was unrelenting, his eyes fixed to hers, the silence between them now demanding an answer – an answer she was struggling to give.
“Goodness, Your Grace! If you are not careful, you will cause Lady Rosalind a good deal of upset and I believe that she has endured enough of that already.”
Rosalind’s breath hitched as she turned her head to see Lord Westlake meandering towards them both, his head slightly tilted to one side as he observed them. “Lord Westlake,” she croaked, relieved when the Duke released her hand. “Forgive us, you find us in the midst of a deep discussion and –”
“Oh, it is not you that ought to be asking for forgiveness,” the gentleman interrupted, a slightly sharpened gaze now fastening to the Duke. “Your Grace, I am aware of your present reputation but surely you have more sense than this! You ought not to be speaking so intimately with Lady Rosalind when there are no other guests about!”
“I do not need your advice, Westlake.” The Duke’s voice was low, almost threatening as he narrowed his gaze at Lord Westlake. “What Lady Rosalind and I are discussing is of a private nature and –”
“A private nature, is it?” Lord Westlake drew closer and, much to Rosalind’s horror, she saw two ladies coming out of one of the other rooms and, their eyebrows lifting high, began to hurry after Lord Westlake, clearly aware that there was something occurring here, something that they might gossip about.
Rosalind’s heart turned over.
“Yes, a very private nature,” the Duke continued, his voice seeming to reverberate about the room, making Rosalind wince in shame, her eyes closing for just a moment as she heard one of the two ladies gasp. Did not the Duke realize what he was saying? What he was doing by speaking in such a way? Or was it that he simply did not care?
Or,she considered, her heart now beginning to pound with fright,could it be that he is doing this so that I have no other choice but to accept him because he no longer wants to wait? Is he taking this choice away from me before I have even had a chance to truly consider?
“This is not your business, Westlake,” the Duke continued, coming to stand a little in front of Rosalind as though he was protecting her, shielding her in some way which, to Rosalind’s mind, made the situation appear all the more dreadful. “Be gone and permit me to finish speaking alone with Lady Rosalind.”
“Your Grace!” one of the ladies gasped, putting her hand to her heart, eyelashes fluttering. “You surely cannot think to have aprivateconversation with the lady here in public? That is quite improper!”
“Though he is known for such things,” the other lady answered, speaking quite boldly and without even flinching when the Duke shot a look to her. “All the same, Lady Rosalind, I would have thought thatyouwould have refused to linger in such an improper situation but it seems you have not!”
The first lady sighed and put one hand to her waist, tipping her head just a little. “What a great pity, though mayhap since her brother has been more than a little improper, it ought to be expected.”
Rosalind’s face flamed, her heart quailing as she realized how little choice she had. The Duke had, whether purposefully or not, made certain that she could no longer take her time and consider, could not think about what was best to do. If she did not accept him, did not tell these two ladiesandLord Westlake that she was now betrothed to the Duke, then rumors would soon abound about her given these present circumstances – and then what would she do? She would have no other choice but to accept him regardless, for her chances of a match with a different gentleman were now entirely gone. Surely, she could refuse the Duke outright, could let the rumors begin and whisper about her and accept that she was now nothing but a spinster… but what then of Emilia?
