Page 34 of The Duke's Tempting Widow
Lydia flung her arms around her sister, hugging her tightly with a bright smile. “I am overjoyed for your happiness, sister.”
“Thank you, knowing that I have your support means absolutely everything to me.”
“But you cannot start your relationship based off of deceit, we will have to tell him everything that is happening. Do not fear, I shall be with you to hold your hand if you desire it. It is the moral thing to do, andifCassian does make good on his threat, he might not ever forgive you for it.”
Lydia rubbed her hands supportively up and down Kitty’s upper arms.
“You have grown into such an exceptional woman. Do you know how proud I am of you? This last thing shall hopefully be the only bump in the road between here and your future.”
Kitty nodded somberly. “Everything must happen the way that it is intended.”
“That is right. If your feelings for one another run true, you will have to trust that William will marry you regardless of the past.”
“I’ll go now.” Kitty declared. “I will not be able to sit here and toil over his reactions for however long he is going to be in London. I have to do this now before I lose my nerve.”
With that, Kitty went off to seek William.
Chapter 21
It would have been difficult to leave Lydia before, but now that he knew how she tasted? It was downright impossible. Even putting things back into his trunks to ready himself to leave for even a short time felt excessive. It was as if there was a magnetic force pulling him toward Lydia and he did not even know where she was at the present moment.
Weston did not realize that he was so consumed in his daydream of that office until his shirt fell onto the floor beside the trunk and William burst through the bedroom door.
“Might we delay our trip by a few hours?” William asked with a bright smile.
“What? Why?” Weston was disinclined to agree because he feared that any delay caused by the pair of them would result in him not wishing to leave whatsoever.
“Or, perhaps if the delay is inconvenient, you would be willing to go on ahead without me? I shall catch up with you.” William offered.
That was even more strange. Weston could not remember the last time that William was willingly offering to doanythingon his own, let alone travel. Weston’s brow quirked. “What has happened? Why are you keeping secrets?”
William’s face split into a wide grin before he allowed himself to flop backward onto Weston’s bed. He sank into the lush bedding, looking every bit the starfish as he lay there smiling dopily. “I have just had a wonderfully enlightening conversation with Kitty.”
“A first name basis as well?”
“She is a wonderful lady.” William gushed happily. “It has been such a delight in getting to know her better. I think asking me to accompany you on this trip might just be the very best thing that you have ever done.”
Weston snorted. “Well, can I presume that I no longer have to be forced to attend balls with you?”
“Do not be silly, of course you will. However, they will be attended with an entirely different motivation, I think. Who knew that I could be so fortunate?”
Seeing his dearest friend in this way was everything that Weston had ever wanted for him. He knew that William tended to have difficulty connecting with others on anything more than a superficial level. The pair of them had been friends since boyhood, so it was inevitable.
“And of the troubling news that we are going to investigate?” Weston asked carefully, wanting to know if that was a part of their conversation.
William’s expression darkened as he rolled over on the bed so that he could better see Weston. The look on his face was unlike anything that he had seen the man make before.
“Yes, we discussed that as well. Kitty was kind enough to fill me in on the information that Cassian seems to be holding over her head. She was very emotional. I know that she feared that I would take the news poorly but what sort of hypocrite would I be if I held her past against her?”
Weston was glad to hear it. “But she claims that the rumors are valid?”
“I care not for their validity. She does not know what alleged ‘proof’ that Cassian might or might not have against her. It could be something purely fabricated. If that is the case, then our trip to London will serve two purposes as I intend to find everything that I can to discredit him. Then, no matter what he says, it will not matter.” William insists firmly.
It would appear that they were wholly on the same page. Weston never doubted his friend for a moment.
“And if we cannot find said proof? What shall you do now?”
“Well, then I shall swiftly marry her so that she will be above reproach.” William said with a shrug, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. “It is the only thingtodo. If the truth ever comes out about her, no one will believe it and it shall not matter. She will be blissfully married to a baronet.”
