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Avery grins again. "See? Just likeMission: Impossible."
We thank our mates, the men determined to save me, and then we climb into a limo for the drive back to the Inverness airport. By the time we walk into my flat in London, it's late afternoon. We ate lunch on the plane—yes, Evan's jet has a chef—so we aren't hungry. But I have something to say once we've settled onto the sofa together.
I clasp her hands. "Avery, will you marry me?"
She yawns and gives me a lopsided smile that's no less sexy for its lack of finesse. "Yes, Hugh, I would love to marry you."
"Even if my company goes bankrupt and I remain fodder for the tabloids?"
"Yes, even if."
Mum will not be Lady Sommerleigh for much longer, but I know she won't mind if it means having a daughter-in-law and the prospect of babies.
I raise a brow. "You yawned when I proposed. Maybe you should have a lie-down."
"Sorry about that. I got sleepy on the jet. Guess I finally relaxed after all the craziness lately."
Avery takes a nap while I make an early dinner for us. Then we stay up late just talking, but when we get up in the morning, we both feel refreshed. I suppose love will do that to a person. Can't swear to that since I've never been in love before. Avery offers to make breakfast, and I discover she is a brilliant chef. We've just finished cleaning up after our meal when the doorbell rings.
Avery rushes over to see who's out there. We both assume it's Derek. He stayed in Avery's hotel suite last night.
"Uh, Hugh?" Avery calls out to me. "Might want to come over here."
The tone of her voice spurs me to hurry over to her. And I freeze.
The woman standing just past the threshold bites her bottom lip and hunches her shoulders. "Hello, Hugh."
"Duchess," I say, and just manage not to stutter.
"We don't need to be formal. You called me Annabelle when we…knew each other before."
Yes, in the biblical sense. I don't really know her as a person. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to apologize, and to let you know I will do everything I can to foil my husband's attempts to make you a pariah."
"Well, I think it's a bit late for that."
"No, it isn't." She lifts her chin and rolls her shoulders back, seeming every bit the Duchess. "Benedict will do as I say if he means to keep me as his wife. You see, I hold all the money in our relationship. He might have been born a duke, but his wastrel family lost their fortune thanks to their habits of gambling, drinking, and whoring. All the money Benedict and I have came from my family—from me."
"Are you staying with him?" Not that it matters, but I can't deny I'm curious.
"Yes, I will stay with Benedict. I'm an aristocrat through and through, and I wish to remain the Duchess of Wackenbourne. You may not understand that, but this is how I was brought up. Duty before happiness."
My family raised me to value honor and kindness. But I understand what she's saying. Staying a duchess matters more to her than anything else. I can't relate to that mentality.
"I promise you that my husband will trouble you no further. And the threats of lawsuits and other things levied by your friends sealed Benedict's fate." She smiles with a touch of smugness. "He will be issuing a public apology in the House of Lords. The press will cover the event."
"Thank you, Annabelle," I say. "It means a lot that you came here to tell me in person."
"I am truly sorry for the trouble I've caused you. I'd hoped spending the night with you would make me feel better, especially since I'd heard about your…prowess from other women. But I felt horribly guilty afterward." She lowers her head, wringing her hands, but then meets my gaze again. "Telling Benedict about you was indefensible. I hoped he would realize he needs to try harder with me, but instead, he went after you. I don't expect or ask for your forgiveness."
"You don't need to ask. I forgive you, Annabelle."
She nods and gazes at me briefly, then walks away.
Avery shuts the door. "That was something."
"Yes."
