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Chapter Twenty-Four
Iam in love again.
The thought should have filled him with dread and fear. After what he’d gone through after Serena betrayed him, Stephen should be steering far from any ideas of love. He should have tucked tail and ran the moment he realized that his attraction for Hannah was steadily growing into something deeper. But, instead, he had stayed by her side, had allowed himself to fall further and further until all he could see was her.
The mere thought of her brought a smile to his face. He nearly pranced down the staircase as he made his way to the drawing room. He found the Dowager Duchess already nibbling on a crumpet and he stalled, his smile slipping from his face. She hadn’t seen him come in, so he swiveled on his heels and attempted to leave before he spotted him.
“Stephen,” she called, her voice tight.
Stephen paused at the door, letting out a low breath. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to his mother right now, considering what had happened last night. But he turned to face her, nonetheless. “Mother?”
The Dowager Duchess lifted her eyes to meet his. The rage he witnessed smoldering behind them had him releasing another sigh. “How can you walk in here so late at night after the way you embarrassed me in front of the Dowager Duchess of Fernridge? Do you know the things I had to say to excuse your terrible behavior?”
Stephen made his way over to the closest chair, sinking down into the seat with another heavy sigh. He’d known this argument would happen and had been hoping to delay it for as long as he could.
“What did you expect me to do, Mother? I’m certain you didn’t think I would sit there as if everything was all right?”
“And why couldn’t you?” she demanded, putting down her half-eaten crumpet.
“After everything that happened? Mother, you cannot be serious.”
She blew air out his nose in anger. “You made me look like a fool at dinner, Stephen.”
“I, too, looked like a fool when you had her walk in without telling me.”
“Where did you go then?” she asked. “After you stormed out like a child? Did you go off to find your mistress?”
“Mother—”
“End it. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you but now I will no longer stand for it.” She pulled her shoulders back, leveling her heated glare on him. Stephen’s defenses shot upwards. “Her Grace wishes for your hand in marriage and I’ve told her that you would accept.”
Stephen shot to his feet. “Mother!”
“Enough, Stephen!” she snapped, holding her hand up. “It has already been done.”
“Under who’s authority?” he barked, the anger within him not cowering at the sight of his mother’s shock. “I have tried to remain patient and understanding with you, but I willnotallow you to disrespect me any further. Nor will I let you make a mockery out of my feelings for the woman I love by consistently forcing my hand to another lady. I willnottell you once again that there will be no marriage between Serena and I. Do you understand?”
The Dowager Duchess gaped at him. Slowly, he watched her eyes harden into steel. “Before, Stephen, you were but the son of a duke. Now you are the duke and you have responsibilities that requires you to put your pride aside. You would be foolish not to marry someone with her substantial wealth. After the late Duke of Fernridge passed away, the Dowager Duchess became one of the wealthiest ladies in London. Imagine what you will possess if you two were to be married! This is a brilliant opportunity!”
“I care nothing for wealth, Mother. We will not marry. That is final.”
And to drive his point home, he took his leave. He knew his mother’s heavy gaze watched him all the way to the door, but he didn’t care right now. The anger burning within him was all too familiar, too consuming to focus on the things he had said.
Stephen went directly to his office and poured himself a calming drink, despite the fact that it was still so early in the morning. He remembered the last time he’d shouted at a parent in such an explosive manner, though it had been for entirely different reasons. At that time, he’d still believed in love, still believed that he and Serena would one day be married. And driven by that, he’d confronted the late duke after finding out about his infidelity to his wife, Stephen’s mother.
The memory broke his appetite and he set the untouched glass of brandy down on a side table and approached his desk. He ran his finger along the edge of the wood, remembering how he had gripped it with such fury the day he’d confronted his father. The animosity toward the late duke had been steadily growing since Stephen was three-and-ten, when his father had grown distant all of a sudden and began taking long trips to India. He’d seen how his father’s absence had taken a toll on his mother and rumors began stirring about his father having a mistress, he watched his mother’s insecurity deepen.
At one point in his life, all his mother did was go shopping. And all his father did was work and spend time away from his home. Stephen couldn’t take it any longer and when he’d turned eight-and-ten, the hate he’d developed for his father led him to question him about his apparent affair.
His father hadn’t said a word, only stared back at him with a shocked look on his face. Stephen had always seen red after that when he saw his father.
He gritted his teeth, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to block out the memory. Now that his father was gone, it was easy to regret the harsh words he’d said to him and he didn’t want to make the same mistake with his mother.
But I won’t let her force me into a marriage with someone I do not love. Not when I have Hannah.
The thought of his beautiful Hannah calmed his raging heart. Stephen took a few steadying breaths. His loins tightened at the memory of her, of how they had kissed each other just the previous night. He’d wanted to take it further, had wanted to let her know how much he yearned for her touch.
It had been torture pulling away from her, when her touch was so fiery, her kisses were so impassioned. Her soft breasts under his hand, the way her nipples peaked under his gentle fingers. He’d wanted to do so much more, to let his tongue explore every inch of her body until she was screaming his name. He wanted his hands feeling her every curve, her intimate spots. He wanted to feel how much she needed him, wanted to feel the evidence all over his fingers.
