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He sighed, hanging his head slightly. Now that he said the truth aloud, he realized how selfish he sounded, and he could only hope Belle would be able to see past it.
“I fell so easily for you, Lady Belle. Though I believed you to be a commoner, though I was being pressured to find a wife, I only wanted you. And the longer I lied, the harder it was to tell you the truth. When I...when I first heard about your true identity, I was terribly upset. But then I realized how selfish it was for me to be angry with you for the very same thing that I did. It was not fair.”
Finally, unable to keep himself still, he drew her close to his chest, not caring about who was watching. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she stared up at him.
“I labored on this question for so long. I felt betrayed. I felt angry. I felt conflicted because of everything my family is going through and I felt you did not deserve to be brought into any of it. But when I was informed of your wedding, I did not stop to think. I rushed over to your London manor, and when your butler informed me of your whereabouts, I instantly came here. I was almost afraid that I was too late to...”
“Too late for what, Your Grace?” she asked softly.
Stephen swallowed. They were all listening, all wondering what he would dare to say next. Belle was the only person he cared to hear his next words. “To ask you to marry me instead.”
“Outrageous!” the Marquess of Winchfield shouted, but Belle didn’t look away. She didn’t even flinch. Stephen didn’t look away from her.
“Please, allow him to finish,” came a quiet voice. Surprised, Stephen looked to his left to see a small older lady standing next to the Duke of Auldwood. The resemblance between her and Belle was markedly close.
If the Marquess was going to ignore her order, he did not get the chance. Belle spoke.
“It’s too late, Stephen,” she said, her voice cracking. The sound of it broke something within him but he refused to give up. “The wedding is already underway. I think it is best if you simply leave.”
“I know you do not wish to marry this man,” Stephen said desperately. “I know you love me. I know I am the one you want to marry.”
“But...”
“This is preposterous!” came the Marquess again. He stepped away from them, raking his gaze down Belle with disgust. Then he looked at the Duke of Auldwood. “It seems as if your daughter is not as pure as you have led me to believe. It is clear this gentleman has taken her virtue.”
The words barely had a chance to settle within Stephen before he acted. He latched onto the sudden anger he felt, letting it rush through his body down to his tight fists. He grabbed the Marquess roughly by his shirt, bringing his face close to his.
Everyone in the church screamed and gasped at his quick movement. Even Belle, but she only stood there, staring at the Marquess who was currently clutching his jaw with wide, outraged eyes.
Stephen towered over him. He glowered down at him as he said, “If you dare to disrespect Lady Belle like that again, I will not be so peaceful.”
The Marquess was trembling. After a moment, he managed to regain his senses and he batted Stephen’s hand away, scrambling to his feet. His jaw was clenched tightly, his fists opening and closing at his sides. The Marquess’ eyes darted from Stephen to Belle, to even the Duke of Auldwood who remained silent.
Stephen waited to hear his enraged words. He braced himself for it, flexing his fingers for the second punch he would give to the Marquess, resigning himself to doing whatever he needed to ensure the Marquess understood that his threats should not be taken lightly.
But as if Lord Winchfield saw the determination in Stephen’s eyes, the quiet rage that simmered below the surface, waiting to break loose, he swallowed harshly and began swiftly making his way to the entrance of the church. Everyone watched him go, the guests whispering to each other as he charged past.
“Your Grace...”
Stephen turned back to Belle, taking her hands once more. Seeing her in a wedding dress, even if she had been about to be given to someone else, stirred something all too familiar within him. He wanted to scoop her up and carry her away where they could be alone, but for now, he shoved the longing to the side, overly aware of the fact that many were still watching,
“If you so wish, My Lady, we can still be married.” The desperation in his voice was stark. He couldn’t leave here without her by his side. He couldn’t let his indecisiveness and reluctance be the reason they could no longer be together.
If only I had acted sooner, I might have been able to stop this before it went this far.
Stephen tossed the thought aside. There was no use thinking about that right now, not when he had a chance to turn the tides, to let her see that they were truly meant to be together and it was not too late.
“If you wish for us to be together, Lady Belle,” he said pleadingly. “If you truly do love me, then all you need to say is yes. We can go far away from here, to the Far East. I am willing to follow you to the ends of the Earth if you will only be my wife.”
Her tears spilled over. She bit her lip. Her body shook slightly with the weight of her sobs.
Stephen couldn’t discern the reason for them. It broke his heart to see her cry, not knowing if it was because of him or out of happiness. He watched as she looked up at her father then rested her dewy eyes on him, shining like an amber gem.
“Oh, Your Grace, nothing would make me happier,” she gasped, throwing her arms around him.
The force of her hug nearly knocked him off his feet. Or perhaps it was only the weight of his relief, the happiness that instantly made his head light. He let out a relieved laugh, picking her up off the ground in his elation, not caring about those who watched them. In that moment, they were the only two people in existence—she was the only person who mattered in this world.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke through their haze of happiness. Belle let go of him, sobering up the same time he did as they faced the Duke of Auldwood.
