Page 34 of The Brooding Duke's Fateful Letter
He just needs to look at me and I am lost. Charlotte thought with dismay. She swallowed the words that had taken her hours to build the courage to have at the tip of her tongue.
“Well, I first need you to understand why it is I would do as I have done.” The duke said with difficulty. “After the accident, I was told that I would never walk again.” The duke said, pain making his words sound strangled. “I found out then who my true friends were.” The duke moved closer to where Charlotte stood. “My Lady, I had to protect my family’s legacy and find someone who enjoyed spending time with me. Despite my confinement and lack of attractiveness. I will never hurt you and I will take care of you, because Ifeel deeply for you,” the duke said.
The duke’s sudden declaration of his feelings caused Charlotte to feel rather lightheaded.
“Your Grace, I feel quite…” Charlotte admitted with tears welling up in her eyes.
Have you forgotten you lied to this man you say you care for? Charlotte was reminded and wept for a different reason.
“Your Grace…” Charlotte began.
“Do not feel you have to reciprocate my feelings, My Lady.”
“I do feel deeply for you as well, Your Grace,” she said tearfully.
“Then perhaps it is time to share the real me with you,” the duke said with a curious smile.
Suddenly, a loud crack could be heard above their heads. They both looked up at the cause of it. When Charlotte looked up, bits of dust fell into her eyes. She wiped at them as they stung. Hearing an even louder creaking sound from above, Charlotte looked up to see the thick wood from the ceiling crash down towards her. She put her hands up to block it, only to find her arms going around someone’s neck!
Charlotte looked up into the duke’s eyes.
The duke! He can stand! The shock of the ceiling collapsing paled in comparison to her racing thoughts.
“Your Grace, you… you can stand! Not only stand, you saved me!” Charlotte said with a flurry of emotion. A few minutes ago, he was in a chair and now she found herself in his arms. He held her easily, as though she were a small child instead of a fully grown adult. Charlotte found herself grappling with her feelings. She had so many questions, yet her mind could only focus on him.
She let her head rest on his shoulder and could hear his heartbeat. It was, for her, more intimate than the fact that their bodies were so close together. His strong arms that she had admired held her in his protective embrace.
“Are you hurt, My Lady?” The duke sounded deeply concerned.
“No, no, I am in no pain, Your Grace,” Charlotte replied softly.
“Are you certain, My Lady?” He asked again.
“I am quite certain, thank you, Your Grace,” Charlotte replied. She was genuinely touched by his concern for her.
“I really did want to tell you, My Lady. I was just about to, when that happened,” the duke said, not quite able to look her in the eyes.
“Why? Why lie about something like this, Your Grace?” Charlotte asked, bemused.
“It was not my intention at first.” He began and then led her to another room. “Never know if more of it feels like coming down.” He placed her gently on a chair and knelt in front of her.
“When the accident happened. It changed my life so much that at first I did not even want to try to recover. You see, the woman I was to marry had left and my father had just passed, leaving me with all his responsibilities.” As the duke started to explain, Charlotte reached for his hand. He spoke in a way that made it clear that this was difficult for him to talk about. She felt a need to soothe his distress.
“Please go on, Your Grace,” Charlotte said reassuringly.
“I realized that what had happened to me was now my greatest asset. It helped me see who was truly by my side and who was not. That unfortunately extended to my family members as well.”
“That must have been awful, Your Grace,” Charlotte replied. She knew what it felt like to have those who you thought were on your side abandon you.
“It was less than ideal, to say the least.” He tried to make light of it. “By the time I had learned to walk again. I did not want to anymore. The people who I would have wanted to celebrate with had left. I remained as I was and swore that I would only have people around me who accepted how I was. Only then would I know I could trust them.” He shrugged, not sure what to say next.
“And you feel you could tell me, Your Grace. What did I do to earn such trust?” She asked.
“The way you treat me and those around you, for one. Being who you are,” he replied.
Being who you are. The words echoed in her mind. Tell him! He trusted you. It is time you trust him!
“Your Grace. There is something I have too kept secret. It, too, was not created out of malice,” Charlotte began, though he had just shared his secret with her, it did not mean he would take hers lightly.
