Page 32 of The One With the Rogue Duke

Yours Truly,

Lady Wyndam

Founding Widow of the Widows’ League

“It’s all fake. It was all just a game to him,” Verity sobbed unapologetically into her pillow while Tempy and Pru sat on either side of her.

“It’s going to be all right,” Tempy soothed while she rubbed a hand on Verity’s back.

“I can’t trust him. All he’s done is lie to me. I can’t believe he would do such a thing. I almost—almost—thought that what we had was real. In the library,” she gulped, “we…how could that be fake? I hate…how I feel.” Even in her misery, she couldn’t say aloud that she hated him. She didn’t. She loved him. She loved everything about him, but at the same time she hated how he could make her feel. That he could have so much power over her. He was not what she wanted in a husband. She didn’t want to submit to this control.

“Anyone would feel this way, Verity. You’re not wrong,” Pru said calmly. “But…you don’t hate him, do you?”

With blurry vision, Verity looked up at her sister and scrubbed at her eyes. “That’s the worst part, Pru. I can’t hate him.”

“Of course not.” Pru wrapped her arms around her and held on tight. “Of course you can’t hate him anymore.”

“But why can’t I? I want to hate him. He lied to me. He betrayed my trust. How can I ever trust what he says?”

“You can’t hate him, Verity…because you love him.”

“I can’t love him.”

“Yes, you do,” Pru said more firmly. “And you need to get a hold of yourself before you lose him.”

Verity sniffled a few times. “What are you talking about? You never wanted us together.”

“That’s not true—”

Tempy interrupted, “It sure sounded like you didn’t want them together, Pru.”

“I just didn’t want either of them getting hurt.” Pru shook her head and pushed herself off of the bed. “Why do you love him?”

“Erm…I think you mean, why is she upset with him?” Tempy corrected.

“No. Tell me why you love him, Verity.”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Don’t be obtuse.” Pru’s hands were on her hips, and her once concerned eyes were now demanding an answer.

“He’s kind. Determined. I suppose he’s loyal. And…protective. But he’s domineering and uncommunicative."

Pru waved her hand. “Every man needs to better their communication. If that were a dealbreaker, no woman would ever marry. So tell me what else you love about him.”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you not just see what he did for you in the parlor?”

Verity held her sister’s focused gaze for as long as she could. “I saw.”

“So you saw a man in love too, then, did you?” Pru insisted.

“He’s not in love—”

“Don’t argue with me and my own eyes, Verity. The man is besotted. You own him.”

“I told him to act that way.”