AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Thirty-Four
She looks so beautiful.
Stephen had always known Belle was a beauty, had her face ingrained in his mind even during his sleep, and yet the sight of her threw him. Stephen opened his mouth, knowing he had to say something. Everyone in the church had his eyes on him and he knew he had to take advantage of their shocked stillness to say what it was he needed to say.
Belle moved quicker than he did. She stepped down the steps until she was only a few spaces away from him. Her honey-colored eyes were wide with horror, an emotion he did not want to witness. “Have you gone mad?” she whispered harshly. “Why...why would you come here?”
“Belle, I—”
“You need to leave,” she said quickly. She gripped the sides of her dress, her eyes darting fearfully to the side. “He won’t forgive you if you’re here.”
“Belle.” Unable to hold himself back any longer, Stephen bridged the space between them. He grasped her hand and murmurs ran through the church. “Please. Allow me to explain myself.”
Her perfectly arched brows dipped into a slight frown. “What are you—”
“What is the meaning of this?” came an echoing bark.
The man that approached them was seething, every inch of his body trembling with the emotion. Stephen’s first instinct was to step back, to distance himself from the large man with anger curling his hands into fists. But he held his ground, knowing instantly who this man was.
Without letting go of Belle’s hand, he faced the Duke of Auldwood. “Good morning, Your Grace. Forgive me for the disturbance.”
The Duke narrowed his small eyes into slits. “I cannot fathom what reason you would have to disrupt someone’s wedding in such an abhorrent manner.”
“I’ve come to speak with Lady Belle, Your Grace. It is a matter that simply cannot wait.”
As if he was turning his back to a rabid bear, Stephen felt tingles go up his spine, warning bells going up in his mind that told him it was a very bad idea. But he did so nonetheless, facing Belle and her wide, confused eyes.
“I understand how confused you must be in this moment,” he said softly. “But I must tell you the truth about everything, and how I feel. And until you know it all, I cannot allow this wedding to continue any further.”
“What do you think you are doing?” The Marquess of Winchfield stepped up to the fore, putting a hand on Belle’s shoulder. “Do you not see how disrespectful you are being? Leave at once!”
Stephen ignored him. He stared into Belle’s eyes, imploringly.
Belle searched his face, her brows lowering into a deep frown of confusion as the seconds went by. Stephen didn’t know how much time he had left. He didn’t know how many people in this church knew who he was or cared to spare him for what he was doing. Any moment now, the Marquess or the Duke would snap, and they would certainly call the authorities.
The Marquess took one threatening step forward. Belle raised her hand. It was a short, barely noticeable movement and yet everyone seemed to pause to look at her, waiting to hear what she would say.
“Do you...” she swallowed, folding her lips back before continuing, “do you know who I am? Are you here because of that?”
“I do know who you are,” Stephen said with a nod. “You are Lady Belle Sinclair, the daughter of the Duke of Auldwood. You told me your name was Hannah Brown and you pretended you were someone you were not.”
Her face fell. “Then why...”
“You were not alone.” He squeezed her hand, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. He wanted to breathe her in, to let her scent wrap around him as he enjoyed the softness of her skin. “I was not honest about my identity.”
“What do you mean?”
“My name is not Stephen Norton. I am Stephen Townshend, the Duke of Dunleer.”
Another round of gasps went through the church. The Marquess took a step back, but Stephen didn’t look at him to know what that meant.
Belle’s eyes went wide. “You are...oh, goodness.”
“I was not honest with you. When we first met, I was but a disheveled man in the woods who helped a young lady who was hurt. In my attempt to escape the pressures that came with being duke, I came upon a beautiful lady who was determined to ride a horse through the woods during a storm even though she had an injured ankle. With such determination and drive, I was as much drawn in by who you are as I was your lovely eyes and the damp hair curling around your face.”
Stephen was lost in the memories of them together. As if there was no one else around, he grasped both her hands, holding it to his chest.
“I thought that being Stephen Norton would make it simpler for you to speak with me. You were Hannah Brown then, a woman running from her employer. You didn’t know who I was and I...I loved that. It was if I had a second life, and you were the biggest part of that.”
