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"Just before coming here," he replied. "I do not think she will play tricks anymore while she is here."
Edwina grew pensive for a moment before saying, "Why did you do it? It cannot be because you care."
"Edwina," he took her hand in his, "part of being engaged to me means that you are under my protection. I cannot see your good name muddied, and do nothing about it. And I do care."
"You did not have to do it," she said, seemingly not convinced by what he had said. He thought he saw disappointment in her eyes but it was quickly replaced with something that resembled anger. He could be mistaken, though. "I have always been able to handle Prudence just fine. You should not have interfered."
He frowned, unable to understand why she suddenly grew angry over something he had done with her best interest in mind. "I did not do this for you to thank me, but a little gratitude would be better than your ire, Edwina," he said calmly.
"Why are you being so patient and calm about everything?" she asked. "I know you are dying for an answer about your proposal. I have already told you that I cannot marry you. I do not want to be a Duchess.”
"That cannot be the only reason you are rejecting my offer. There is something else, I know it. I wish you would tell me.”
Her blue eyes blazed. “Please, do not—” She bit her lip, not completing her sentence.
"I don't understand. What is the matter, Edwina?”
"Don’t be kind to me because you would only be making things more difficult for me." her voice grew thick and she looked away.
"How am I complicating things for you? Do you think yourself undeserving of kindness?" He tilted her chin up so she would meet his gaze. "You have to explain so I can understand."
"It’s so difficult to push you away, Rowan," she whispered. "I cannot marry you, and if you carry on being kind to me, it would make parting with you even worse."
"But we do not have to part. Why do you not want to marry me?"
Instead of answering his question, she countered with, "Why do you want to marry me?"
"I—" he started to say but paused. The words to describe whatever it was that he felt would not come. The fear that had driven him to refrain from forming attachments was still within him, and it had grown roots. He wanted her, yet he wished to keep her out of his heart.
Drawing her into his arms, he took her lips, slow and gentle. He hoped that she could read his feelings in this one gesture.
"I want you, Edwina," he whispered against her lips before deepening their kiss. She responded by tugging at his coat lapels, drawing him closer to her. He leaned her back toward the arm of the chaise, wedging his knee between her legs to part them. Her hand came to his chest and she began to push him away. He lifted himself away from her.
"Lust," she said, looking pained. "That is all we have, Rowan. I cannot marry you on that sort of foundation."
"Edwina—”
"I am marrying William," she interjected.
"What? You cannot mean that. Did he ask you to marry him?" He was on the verge of snapping; every muscle in his body was tightly wound, both from frustration and desire.
"No," she replied. "How could he? To everyone, I am betrothed to you, remember? I think he is a good man, and I shall be happy with him. He has shown enough interest in me, and I know that when our engagement is broken, he would offer for me. I might even tell him that I am considering crying off because you are not the right man for me."
"You cannot marry William!"
Her eyes widened at his vehemence. "Whyever not?"
Albert paused, contemplating the rumor he had once heard about the gentleman's family.He was not one to believe in, or spread baseless gossip, but right now, if that was the only way to get her to say yes to him, then he had to take that chance.
"There is talk of a sickness in his family," Albert said. "Some sort of hereditary madness."
"A groundless rumor will not stop me from marrying him," she said, rising from her seat and facing him.
"Even if you would be putting yourself in danger? Even if you would be risking bearing a child with the same sickness?"
"As I said, nothing is certain."
"Why are you so bent on marrying him, Edwina? Why not another gentleman?"
