Page 35 of Courting the Wrong Duke

“To arrive somewhere no one knows your name.” Her voice grew quieter. “No expectations. No whispers. No history following wherever you go.”

She gave a small shake of her head as her gaze lifted toward the peach-colored sky.

“An unspeakable freedom.”

The words lingered between them, and for the first time William understood exactly why his mother loved the painting.

He turned his attention from the canvas to Rosalind. “I owe you an apology.”

She looked at him, clearly caught off guard. “For what?”

“For whatever I did that convinced you I could willingly play any part in harming your father.”

The quiet ease that had settled over her disappeared almost instantly. “I never said willingly.”

“No.” He met her gaze steadily. “But you believed I knew more than I admitted.”

“You were the last person seen with him.”

“I was.”

“And now he is gone.”

William inclined his head. “Yes.”

“I cannot simply ignore that.”

“I would never ask you to.”

She folded her hands loosely before her. “Then what are you asking?”

He was silent for so long that he almost convinced himself not to answer.

When he finally spoke, the words surprised him as much as they did her.

“I am asking you to remember me.”

Her eyes lifted to his.

“You knew me before any of this mattered,” he said quietly. “Before titles. Before society. Before either of us cared what people expected of us. Do you truly believe I would stand by while harm came to your family?”

She searched his face, and for one impossible heartbeat he thought she might say no.

Instead, she lowered her gaze. “People can change, William.”

Hearing his Christian name on her lips after so many years should not have affected him as it did.

“They can.”

“My father was seen with you.”

“He was.”

“And now he is gone.”

The distance between them quietly returned, as tangible as it had ever been.

William rested his fingertips against the edge of the frame.