Lucien nodded. “So, do you want to tell her? She is upstairs now.”
Dorian hesitated. He knew that the right thing would be to go see Lady Leah and tell her what was going on and why he was insisting that she marry him. But somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He knew that when he saw the disappointment in her eyes, he wouldn’t be able to handle it.
She deserves so much better than you. You cannot give her the life she wants, the life she deserves.
Dorian swallowed and looked away. “You tell her,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “I fear that I have too many things to do today to prepare for the wedding.”
“But--”
“I will have the contract sent to you,” Dorian said, standing up. “And I will let you know the moment I have the special license. The Archbishop is a friend, and he assured me I should have it by tomorrow. Which means Lady Leah and I can wed in two days.”
“Dorian--you really ought to--”
“I will see you in two days,” Dorian said. He was already at the door. It didn’t matter what Lucien thought he ought to do. If he were to speak to Lady Leah, to see that spark in her eyes fade and see her face change to polite acceptance, he might not be able to keep his resolve and go through with this.
He wouldn’t let her down like that. Not when he was all that stood between her and Lord Dubois.
Chapter Nine
“Leah, can I have a word?”
Serving herself toast and eggs, Leah looked up to see her brother standing in the doorway of the breakfast room. Her heart sank. From the serious look on his face, she knew what was going on: he had found out about the Duke’s midnight visit. He was here to reprimand her, or worse, tell her she was now being forced to marry the Duke.
Slowly, she set down her breakfast plate.
“Of c-course,” she stammered, looking sideways at where her sisters were sitting at the breakfast table, watching everything.
Lucien nodded and left, and Leah was forced to follow him out of the breakfast room and into the hall.
“In my study,” he said curtly. He wasn’t quite looking at her, which only increased her dread.He thinks that the Duke ruined me! He’s too ashamed of me to even look me in the eye!
Dread pooling in her stomach, Leah followed her brother down the hall and into his study. He held the door for her, then closed it with a snap and went to sit behind his desk.
“Take a seat,” he commanded, and, full of trepidation, she lowered herself into the chair across from him. She folded her hands in her lap and took a deep breath.
“There is something I need to tell you,” her brother said. “And you’re not going to like it.”
Leah licked her lips. “Lucien,” she began, “I want to apolog--”
“The Duke of Nottington has made an offer for you .”
For a second, Leah felt as if all the air had been knocked from her lungs. No, it was longer than a second. It was a full ten seconds that Leah couldn’t breathe. When at last she was able to again, she felt dizzy, and everything was out of focus.
“Leah?” She heard Lucien say. “Are you alright?”
“Wh-what are you talking about?” she gasped. She had grasped the desk in front of her, she realized, and she was staring up at her brother as if he had lost his mind entirely. “The Duke ofNottington…” She couldn’t even finish the sentence. He couldn’t have! And without even talking to her?
“He came to see me this morning,” her brother said, and his face was tight and unsmiling.He doesn’t want this either,she thought.He knows this can’t be right.“He feels that there is no other option and that he must marry you before Lord Dubois does. And frankly, I am inclined to agree with him. After speaking to my solicitor, there is a fair chance that the contract will hold up in court. There is no way to prove that Father’s signature was faked. And it looks… real .”
“But the Duke…” Leah still felt lightheaded, and she couldn’t seem to get words out straight. “Why wouldn’t he have told me this himself? He was here--last night!”
Lucien frowned at her. “He wasn’t here last night, Leah.”
“Oh, of course ,” she said quickly. “I mean that he could have visited last night and told me this himself.”
“Yes, I agree he should have told you himself,” Lucien said, “but that’s not what matters right now. What matters is getting you married as quickly as possible. Dorian has already begun to procure the special license. He thinks he will have it tomorrow. Which means you can marry him in two days’ time.”
“Two days’ time…” Even though Leah had been prepared to marry quickly, now that it was real—now that it was to the Duke— she couldn’t quite wrap her mind around it.
