Page 68 of His Grace, the Duke
“I will not lie to her,” James threw at him. “You know honesty means everything to me. And you are not honest,” he spat at Rosalie. “You hide yourself away. Your thoughts, your intentions. You act alone—”
“That is not fair—”
“You may think you know me,” he went on. “You think I am a fortress, and none may enter, but it is onlyyouwho cannot enter. You stand outside my walls, unable to look in, and assume I must be alone. But Burke walks freely through my gates. Renley too. Do you know why? Because they haveearnedmy trust through years of fidelity and honesty. You are on the outside, and I shall keep you there until you prove worthy of being let in.”
Eyes filled with tears, she held James’ gaze. “What you say is true,” she said softly, setting her glass aside. “I am guarded. I walk alone because I’ve never had anyone willing to walk beside me. My family was small, scattered to the four winds. An ailing grandmother in Richmond, an uncle in India, Aunt Thorpe here in Town. My father was only at home when he needed food or pocket money or someone to kick around. My mother tried to be there for me, but she had her own demons.”
She lifted her chin. “So yes, James, I fight my own battles—” She stifled a cry with her gloved hand, batting Burke away when he reached for her. “Tonight, members of your social set, former lovers... they mocked me and jeered, they called me a wilted rose, a distraction, a gossip column skivvy.”
“Fucking hell,” Tom groaned.
Burke wanted to find Marianne Young and string her up by her ears.
“You are the great lords here,” Rosalie went on, gesturing to each of them, her gaze landing on James. “I am nothing to you, I know that. I’m not worthy of you, you’ve made that clear. Can’t you see it, James?Youwill be the ones to tire of me, not the other way around.”
Burke felt like his heart had just dropped through the floor. Forcing his chest to rise, he took a sucking breath. He glanced at Tom and knew he was experiencing the same emotions. Rosalie thought she was nothing? She thought they intended to use her up and set her aside? What was it going to take to convince this goddess that she was the orb by which they meant to set all the functions of their lives? She was everything.Everything.
He took a step closer. “Rosalie... please, love—”
James’ voice stilled him. “What did my mother say to you?”
Rosalie blinked back her tears. “What?”
Burke turned from one to the other. “James—”
“She knows something about my mother,” he snapped. “Some secret.” He turned back to Rosalie. “If you want on the inside, there’s a place to start. Tell me what you know.”
“Please, don’t ask it of me,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around her middle. “Ask me anything else—”
“Why are you protecting her?” James challenged, closing the distance between them.
“It is not my truth to tell. It was spoken in confidence, and that is not a lie—”
“It is withholding,” James countered. “Which is the same as a lie to me.”
She tipped her head back, holding his gaze. They were standing so close, their noses almost touching. Suddenly, James dropped his forehead down to hers, his arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close and breathed her in, his nose buried in the curls at her temple. Her hands raised to fist the lapels of his evening coat.
“James . . .” she whimpered, clinging to him.
The sound pierced Burke’s soul. He wanted to go to them,hold them in his arms and keep them like this forever. Oh God, he could taste it.
Please, James . . . say the right thing.
“I may want you, Rosalie,” James whispered into her hair. “I mayachewith the pain of this wanting.” He lifted his head away to meet her eye. “But until you give me this...” He tapped her forehead with a gentle finger. “And this...” He splayed his hand over her heart, right over the exposed swell of her breast. “All the rest is meaningless to me.” He lifted both hands to cup her face. “Can you give me what I want?”
They stood there, suspended in time before the fireplace, gazing into each other’s eyes. Her lips trembled. “I... you can’t just ask this of me all at once—”
James dropped his hands away so fast she was left swaying on the carpet. He took two steps back. “I bid you all a good night,” he muttered. Turning on his heel, he stalked away.
“James, stop,” Burke called, desperate that they all stay in this room.
“Let him go,” Tom said, putting a firm hand on his shoulder.
Burke watched as the drawing room door shut. Then he spun around to face Rosalie. Tears fell silently down her cheeks as she stood alone by the fireplace in her beautiful ball gown, James’ mother’s pearls at her throat. Burke didn’t miss the way James’ fingers unconsciously found them, stroking the strands as he held her close, his hand splayed over her heart.
“Oh, my love,” he murmured. Going to her at once, he wrapped her in his arms and she fell apart, crying against his chest.
Tom was there in an instant, framing her from behind, shoring her up. He wove his arms in with theirs, holding ontoBurke as much as Rosalie as he dropped his face to the curve of her neck. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, Rose. You don’t have to be so strong all the time. Let us help you. Let us hold you. Let usin.”
