Page 43 of The Duke's Indecent Match
Regardless, she and her father were getting exactly what they both wanted.What he knew she’d aimed for.
So am I.
Just not in the way he’d wanted it.
Dropping his gaze from Mr.Little’s, Nathanial looked back down at the marriage contract lying on the desk between them.He was an honorable man, even if he’d been dishonorably trapped.He was honest enough to be grateful for the benefits marrying Miss Little would bring him, even if he was appalled by the situation.While he’d had his reasons for wanting a different bride, good reasons that affected his social standing and his sisters’ futures, that was no longer a consideration.
He was going to have to make the best of it.
Clearing his throat, Nathanial pushed the papers together, aware that he was not acknowledging Mr.Little’s claim but unable to find it in himself to lie and say he held Miss Little blameless.
“We should call Miss Little here so I can formally propose,” he said, trying not to sound as grim as he felt.
Making the best of the situation would include a public face of acceptance, even happiness.It was the best way forward for both of their families.What happened behind closed doors was something else altogether.
“Very well.”Mr.Little got to his feet.He seemed to understand that pressing Nathanial on the matter of Miss Little’s guilt was not the wisest course of action at the moment.“Ah… thank you, Your Grace.”
Heat flushed through Nathanial as his anger momentarily roared inside him, his rage at the man in front of him trying to surge out.He wanted to yell.To throw something.To declare that he would never marry Miss Little and that he did not care if her reputation was ruined.
Instead, he stood stock still, breathing in deeply until he had a hold of himself again.Mr.Little had already turned away, as if he realized he had trod upon the last of Nathanial’s self-control, and rang for a footman.
Kalina
Walking into the Blackstone library with her mother at her side, any hope that Mei had been able to engender for her at breakfast died a swift death when she looked upon the Duke of Hereford.Handsome as ever, despite the paleness of his face and the way his eyes appeared almost pink around the edges.He was wearing a dark grey jacket over a cerise and gold waistcoat with dark grey trousers.His light brown hair appeared rather more rumpled than usual, as if he had not taken as much time to style it.
Understandably.
When she walked in, his gaze lifted but only momentarily before he looked away, as though he could not bear to look upon her.
As painful as it had been to have her friends react to her in a similar manner this morning, this felt doubly so.If she could have stopped and bent over to hold her mostly empty stomach, to breathe through the pain, she would have.But she did not want to show him such weakness.She did not want her father to realize how badly he had hurt her.
From the hopeful way her father was looking at her right now, she could tell he thought he had done something she would be happy about.
How he could think she would want him to trap the Duke of Hereford into marriage with her, she did not know.But, unlike Hereford, his eyes were flitting back and forth between her and her mother, looking for their reactions.It reminded her very much of Ashwin when he was younger, and he had done something which he hoped would meet their parents’ approval.
“Miss Little.”The duke’s voice drew her attention.He was looking at her again, but not meeting her eyes.In fact, his attention seemed to be riveted to her right shoulder.Perhaps because her mother stood just behind her left, and he did not want to be forced to look at her, either.“Your father and I have spoken, and he has granted his permission for me to offer for your hand.Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Despite the words, which sounded correct, his tone was monotone.Lifeless.Nothing like the man she’d gotten to know.
It was a horrible farce of a moment that should have been wonderful, and she dug her nails into the palm of her hand to keep from reacting the way she wanted to.Bursting into tears while yelling the word ‘no’ and running from the room would not help anything.
This was her only chance to marry a duke and give her father his family back.None of the others would have her after this, that was certain.
Whether or not her father deserved her sacrifice…
She looked at him.
His earnest expression.His hope.His uncertainty.The love that was shining in his eyes.
Her father had good intentions, of that she was sure.He would never choose to make her unhappy.So, why he had chosenthisroute, she did not know.Would not know until she questioned him.
She had never once doubted his love for her, and she would not start now.She would not reject him, the way his family had, the way her mother’s family had.No matter how angry she was at him, she still loved him, and she always would.
Kalina managed to summon a smile for him.A very small one.Little more than a slight curve of her lips.She tried to put her love for him in her eyes.While she might take a while to forgive him for what he had done, she could never turn away from him.From either of her parents.
Taking a deep breath, she met the Duke of Hereford’s eyes.If he’d been cold before, he looked carved from ice now, but that did not change her answer.It was the only way forward.
For her.
