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Isabel put the basket down and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Her hair was becoming unpinned, half of it falling down her back.
“And if I don’t take these risks, this fever is going to spread, and people are going to die.”
“Don’t be melodramatic.”
“You can’t say it’s not going to happen! The doctor has tried everything, and nothing’s worked. I had to do something.”
“At the expense of yourself?” Richard sneered. “I’m sure Galliston would love to know how caring his future wife is to the extent that she’s willing to go out into a storm to get what was needed.”
Isabel groaned.
“Don’t talk to me about the duke. I don’t want to hear about him.”
“Why not? He’s your fiancé, isn’t he?”
“And I don’t want to talk about him or hear his name!”
“Why not?” Richard stared at her. “Getting bored with him already? Or will he not be willing to join you on something so mad as going out into a storm to look for plants?”
Isabel glared at him. Her eyes flashed.
“You don’t understand, Richard.”
“Understand what?”
“I …” She turned away. “You just don’t.”
What was she talking about? Richard sat forward.
“What are you talking about, Isabel? Talk to me. Make me understand.”
He watched as Isabel’s shoulders stiffened, her head bowing.
“I can’t.”
“How do you know if you don’t try?”
“I just can’t.”
She was nervous about something, Richard could tell. He should be backing off and telling her that he would respect her decision. But he couldn’t do it. Not when Isabel was showing some distress.
“This is me you’re talking to, Isabel,” he said softly. “You’ve known me a long time. You can talk to me about anything.”
#
Isabel could feel herself shaking. Whether it was from the sudden chill in the air from the rain or from the fact she had started opening up to Richard, she didn’t know. But she had to stop. If she carried on, she was going to confess to something she shouldn’t. And then her future as the Duchess of Galliston was going to be in jeopardy.
But it’s been in jeopardy since you met him. Your heart was never going to be given to him when someone else already had it. And he’s had it for a long time.
“Isabel?” Richard’s voice was almost gentle, making her shiver even more. “Just talk to me.”
Isabel couldn’t. She was moments away from telling Richard how she really felt, what she had been trying to hide for so long. And that would just make everything worse. She needed to think about Galliston.
But try as she might, Isabel couldn’t. Every time she tried to remember Galliston’s face, he melted away and became Richard. That had her panicking. How could she marry someone when all she could think about was another man?
“Isabel, you’re beginning to worry me.” There was a rustling of clothes and footsteps. Then Richard’s hands were on her shoulders. “What’s wrong? It’s not because of the fact we’re caught in the storm, is it?”
“No.” Isabel swallowed. “And it’s not because you just scolded me, either.”
