Page 57 of Truly, Madly, Daring

“Some, yes,” she agreed, intrigued by his dismay. “I made some discreet enquiries after the first time I met you.”

“And you didn’t run a mile?” he asked, incredulous.

She laughed and kissed his chest. “I told you, the damage was done. I was infatuated.”

“But I was appallingly rude to you,” he said, looking so bewildered she could only snigger with amusement.

“Yes, you were, but you were also devastatingly handsome, and you made me laugh. I suppose I saw you as a challenge.”

He let out a bark of laughter at that. “A challenge, by God. Well, that’s true enough, I suppose.”

Emmeline smiled and rested her head on his chest once more. She wondered what the future held for them. They would deal with the duke and the loathsome half-brother. She could not consider a world where her husband must live out his days in fear for his life. Yet, in all the drama and romance of the past days, there was one thing she had neglected to consider. Wrexham’s past proved he was a passionate man who enjoyed the company of women. A lot of women. For the moment, he was content with her and this much reduced world because his confidence had been damaged, but she felt certain that would change. Soon enough, he would discover he was still the man he had always been in all the ways that mattered. And what would that mean for her? Would he go back to his old ways?

“Emmeline?”

The idea of Wrexham with another woman made her breath catch and her eyes sting. How could she bear it? And what if he never got over the idea of not having children? She had married him on the principle of it being a marriage in name only. No physical relationship, no children. She had hoped to change that and had partway succeeded, but what if he never gave her a child, what if he was unfaithful and she was left alone, and….

“Emmeline, what is it, love?”

Too late, she realised she had given herself away somehow.

“N-Nothing,” she tried, doing her best to sound happy although her voice quavered.

He moved then, turning her onto her back, cupping her face with one hand. “What did I say? What is it? Emmeline?” He snatched his hand away, holding it out, his expression one of horror. “You’re crying.”

“I’m not!” she protested, swiping at her eyes. “Truly, I’m just being silly.”

“Damn it, tell me what’s wrong!”

“There’s nothing wrong, it’s just I wondered about the f-future.”

His body grew tense immediately, and she hurried on, aware of what he would assume.

“I just wondered if you would g-grow tired of me and go back to your old ways, because I don’t think I could bear it,” she admitted.

There was a tense silence. Emmeline could hear nothing past her heart beating in her ears.

“You think I’d be unfaithful to you?”

She shrugged, unwilling to answer out loud.

He let out a harsh breath. “Silly goose,” he said, shaking his head. “Come here.”

Wrexham turned onto his back, holding out his arms to her and Emmeline lost no time in snuggling up, reassured by the way he held her close.

“You’ve no need to worry on that score, pet. I know how lucky I am, believe me. I always intended to give up my bad behaviour. I have never wished to emulate my father and add another generation of bastards to the family name. I wanted to settle down with someone one day, but after I lost my sight, I thought that was over. Ida—she’s Lady Waring now—made it very clear I was no longer a fine catch. Title and fortune could not make up for the way society would pity her. She did not want to become a laughingstock by marrying a blind man, especially one who would eventually be dubbed ‘the mad marquess.’”

“Oh!” Emmeline fumed, wondering how on earth the woman could look at Wrexham and see anything but a virile, handsome man with everything to live for. “I could shake her, the vile creature. Though I ought to thank her, for if she hadn’t broken her engagement, I would never have married you and that…. Well, I can’t even think of it,” she said, holding him tighter still.

Wrexham bent and kissed the top of her head. “Me either, pet. I never dared to believe I could have anything resembling this, even before I lost my sight, but certainly not after. You’re something of a miracle, Milly, love. I’ll try your patience a dozen times a day, I don’t doubt, but not in the way you feared. You can trust me. I swear it. Do you believe me?”

Emmeline nodded, her throat too tight to speak, but she forced the words out. “Yes, Rex.”

He kissed her then, and though it seemed scandalous when he had only just made love to her, she wanted him again. Tugging at him, she urged him on top of her, wrapping her legs about his waist.

His chuckle was dark and sent shivers running down her spine. “And you said I was the wicked one,” he murmured, nipping at her earlobe.

“You are, dreadfully wicked,” she said.