Page 73 of His Duchess to Remember

It was not a question.

“Nay, I was waiting for the right time to tell ye,” he replied in earnest. “I didn’t ken how to.”

“You open your mouth, and you tell me,” she said curtly. “You do not pretend to be someone that you are not.”

He reached for her hand. “I’m me, lass.”

“No. No, you are not, because the Malcolm who came to Huntfield would never have kept that from me.” Her throat tightened, her eyes stinging with tears that she would not permit to fall. “I would like to go home now.”

“Octavia, please. Just let me explain.”

She shook her head. “I think you have said everything that needs to be said.”

Hugging herself so that he could not take her by the hand, she marched off across the terrace and did not much care if he followed or not.

All this time, you let me think I was mad. All this time, you were an impostor. All this time, you made me believe there was at least one gentleman in this world, aside from my brother, that I could trust.

She touched the lips that he had just kissed and wished for the first time in a while that he had stayed in Scotland for good.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Ishould have told her sooner. I should have told her the moment I returned from London.

But it was no good thinking that when the damage could not be undone. Malcolm could not reverse time, no matter how many times he fell into a river and cracked his temple on something hard.

“Is everything well?” Hugo asked in a low voice, as Malcolm bid his farewells to the hosts.

Octavia had already gone to the carriage, her anger radiating out into the driveway.

“Aye, all’s well,” Malcolm replied tightly.

Although he had no idea if it would be. He had broken her trust; he had kept a secret from her, and he did not know how to begin trying to fix it. And just when he had come to realize that he had fallen in love with her, too.

“You take care of her, Malcolm,” Hugo said, a warning in his voice. “I do not want to see my sister hurt. When I thought your absence was what she wanted, I did not question it, but… do not trifle with her. I meant what I said about you being a better man than I thought; I hope you do not make me change my mind again.”

Malcolm frowned, his heart sore. “Believe me, causing your sister pain is the last thing that I want.”

Yet, in trying to lessen her worries and stresses, he had just managed to make them all worse.

“Goodbye, Hugo,” he added with a nod of his head, uncertain if they would ever meet again.

Huntfield would always be Octavia’s residence, just as he had promised. If she asked him to leave, he would have no choice but to grant her wish. It was the least he could do.

“Goodbye,” Hugo replied, as Malcolm made his way to the waiting carriage and braced for the frosty reception he would receive.

A short while later, the carriage pulled away from the grand manor of Ravenvale and began the journey toward Huntfield.

Octavia sat in the corner of the squabs with her head turned out toward the window, her arms crossed, her body twisted away; the clear posture of a woman who did not want to be spoken to.

“I’m sorry, lass,” he said anyway.

She did not respond, did not look at him, did not acknowledge him at all, and as the carriage continued on its journey through the darkened countryside, he had a feeling it would remain that way.

Not so long ago, he had been kissing her, his heart beating for her, but now his heart lay still, and he knew that if he kissed her now, she would push him away.

And like the loss of everything he cared for, it was all his fault.

Morning came, though Malcolm had not slept much. Octavia had been silent throughout the entire journey back to Huntfield the previous night, and had gone directly to her chambers once they returned, without saying a word to him.