AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I just made his acquaintance. I barely know the man!" she replied, seemingly exasperated.
"You look like you already know him. You were laughing at his jokes."
“He did make good jokes. I cannot understand why you are upset. I thought we are trying to find a good gentleman for me.”
“We are,” he said, his tone calmer, “but you do not know William and should not be so informal with him.”
"What would you have me do, Your Grace?" She folded her arms across her chest. "Announce to the whole world that I am in a dour mood because of a misunderstanding with you?"
Yes,Albert thought to himself. It certainly would have sat better with him than that smile she gave William.
"Misunderstanding," he murmured, “that is a rather light word for dragging someone's trust in the dirt, don't you think?"
"Oh, come now, I thought we were past that!"
"You are not answering my question, Edwina," he pushed on impatiently.
"What do you want me to say?" she cried.
"Perhaps that you like a gentleman out there… with the exception of William. That you have found someone suitable and wish to marry as soon as possible. The sooner I wash my hands off of you the better." The words had rushed out of him and he had not given her feelings any thought.
She looked broken and he inwardly cursed himself for what a petty idiot he was being. But he could not help this storm that was raging within him.
"Are you truly this desperate to be rid of me, Your Grace?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes stricken. Her voice clawed at his conscience and that beating lump in his chest.
"I do not think I can stand you any longer, Edwina," he took her hands in his. "I cannot stand you always looking so…ravishing, so…beautiful.” He finally admitted what he had been denying all week. "Do you not see it? You betrayed me and I want nothing to do with you, yet I cannot keep away. You have bewitched me and I hate it."
She still looked wounded and he cradled her face in his hands. Slowly, his head began to descend. He wanted to kiss her and he hoped she would allow him. His lips were very close to hers when the most bizarre butverydangerous thought occurred to him.
Why don't you just marry her? You wish to possess her in spite of her betrayal. Marry her.
"No other man shall taste you, Edwina," he breathed close to her lips. "No one."
His lips touched hers, tentatively at first, but then he deepened the kiss. She leaned into him, sighing. Her hand came up to stroke his jaw, and his arms were about to draw her closer to him when she suddenly pulled away, regarding him with a pained expression that made him wonder what he had done to incite such a reaction from her.
"Edwina," he made to pull her back, but she shook off his hand as though scalded before quickly exiting the room.
Chapter Seventeen
Edwina did not stop until she reached her bedchamber. She had never been this confused in her life. She shut the door and leaned against it, her chest heaving.
Her ankle had completely healed but she felt as though she had re-strained it by running. She moved to the sofa and dropped on it.
One moment Albert had been all but too willing to throw her to the first man that came his way and the next, he had taken to stoking the starved embers of her desire, trapping her in that passionate prison with him. He hated her; he had said so himself, but he also desired her. It was not right. She could not accept that from him.
A soft knock came and the door opened with Camilla walking in. She smiled at Edwina as she came to sit down beside her. “I saw you running up here. Are you all right?”
She started to nod but shook her head instead. “I am not but I will be once I get some sleep.”
“I am guessing you and the Duke had a row?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “I cannot go back there. Please, don’t make me.”
“I am not going to make you, My Dear. I shall make excuses for you and tell everyone you are indisposed.” She brushed her hair away from her face in a motherly gesture.
“Thank you,” Edwina breathed.
“Oh, don’t thank me, Edwina. I shall let you rest now.” She squeezed her shoulder before rising. At the door, she asked. “Shall I send Danny?”
