“I’m sorry if I took that from you,” James murmured quietly.
While moments ago he had felt his heart hammer with hope, now he felt a wave of guilt wash over him.
“No, you didn’t,” Violet said emphatically. “I was actually going to say that I couldn’t have hoped for a husband who would defend me the way you did today.”
James was rendered speechless for a moment. Violet was smiling at him shyly, and he suddenly realized that he would do anything to make her continue looking at him like that.
At last, he found his voice. “You deserve a husband who will do everything for you,” he said, then looked away.
Not someone like me,were the unspoken words.
Around them, the townspeople rushed towards the exit, and as they did, several men doffed their caps and bowed, while the ladies curtsied.
“See the look in their eyes?” Violet said as she looked around at them. “They respect you. And not just because you’re a duke. But because of what you did today.” She looked back at him. “I respect you too, and I think you just might be the husband I deserve.”
They smiled at each other, and for the first time since his father had died, James felt something akin to happiness.
Maybe we could be happy. Maybe I am not as evil as my father.
“Let’s go home,” he said, taking her hand.
Violet nodded. “Yes. Let’s go home.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Imissed the Dukeboxing with a gangster?!” Rosalie exclaimed, staring at Violet with envy. “Boxing?!”
“Don’t look so shocked,” Violet said, laughing at her sister’s expression.
They were sitting on the bed in Rosalie’s room at the inn, catching up on everything that had happened since she had been kidnapped the night before.
“I’m not shocked that he would fight for you,” Rosalie continued. “It’s just so… romantic.”
“Here you go again with your romantic notions,” Violet scoffed, shaking her head. “What have I told you about that, Rose?”
“I know you think I’m foolish, but you must admit… fighting a gang boss for you is rathergrand.”
Violet couldn’t help but smile. Ithadbeen rather grand, but she was loath to tell her sister that. Not when Rosalie already had a far too fanciful notion of marriage—especially hers.
“He didn’t fight just for me,” Violet reminded her sister. “He fought Farrell to win the favor of the townspeople and to show his power. And it worked! They lost all respect for Farrell, and he’s being driven out of the duchy as we speak!”
Rosalie sighed and threw herself back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a moony look in her eyes. “I’d love to have a husband who is so strong that he can fight a gang boss for me.”
“You’re not listening to what I just said,” Violet said crossly.
“Oh, I am.” Rosalie smiled wickedly. “I just think you don’t understand your husband as well as you think you do.”
“And you do?!”
“I understand romance,” Rosalie said. “And I can read the looks the Duke gives you.”
Violet shook her head. “Life isn’t a romance novel, love.”
“The last twenty-four hours would beg to differ!” Rosalie laughed heartily. “You were kidnapped by a villain and rescued by a handsome romantic hero. If that isn’t something out of a romantic novel, I don’t know what is!”
Violet frowned. Her sister had a point…
And if she were being honest with herself—even if she wasn’t being honest with Rosalie—she had feltsomethingwhen James had removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and leaped into the ring to fight her kidnapper. In truth, it had been one of the most breathtakingly romantic moments of her life.
