He hated the pain he saw flicker in her eyes. She tried to hide it by quickly looking away, but he’d seen the way her mouth trembled, and her entire body seemed to start in shock at his words. He should have said it differently.
“Genevieve—”
“I should go inside,” she said. “Frances will want something to eat.” She gathered her skirts as though to rise.
“Mrs. Mann will fetch it. I didn’t mean it the way you think.” He grasped her wrist. “Do you know where I went a few days ago?”
She shook her head, still keeping her eyes downcast. Could she not bear to look at him? Harriet hadn’t liked looking at him either. She’d always looked at a spot just above his head, never directly at him.
“I went into the village and bought the tea set for Frances. But I also walked about, taking the time to think.”
Genevieve’s gaze locked with his. “About what? The counter-spell? I know you were upset about the letter from your friend.”
“I can’t get it out of my mind—the counter-spell or the curse. I came to a conclusion I hadn’t considered before.”
Genevieve sank to her knees. “And whatever that was, it changed everything.”
“I realized there’s no reason to believe the curse ended. I’m most likely still cursed. Why should having my wife and sontaken away be the end of it? Maybe by marrying you, I’ve put you in danger.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“You wanted to know why I’ve been avoiding you the past few days.”
Her expression changed then from one of disbelief to concern.
“I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want Frances to lose you. It’s possible, if I come to care for you, I’ll bring the curse down on you. I shouldn’t have married you. You’re too easy to fall in love with. And I can’t let that happen.”
*
Genevieve stared athim. Had she heard him correctly? He was falling in love with her?
“One night with you,” he said, “and all I can think about is you. I can’t let that happen again.”
Genevieve sat down hard on her bottom. Her head was spinning, and she felt a mixture of relief—she hadn’t done anything wrong—and fear—Rory might allow this curse to come between them. She straightened her shoulders. She was stronger than any curse. Even if she’d believed in witchcraft, she would not have felt helpless against it. Good always overcame evil, and this curse was simply evil. Love was good and pure and true. Just let this witch try to harm her or Frances.
“And what if I don’t agree?” Genevieve said.
“I don’t understand.”
“What if I don’t agree to stay out of your bed? What if Iwantyou to fall in love with me? What if I am falling in love with you right back?”
“You can’t—”
She didn’t wait for him to finish. “I don’t want to be separated from you. I didn’t marry you just to care for Frances. I married you because I like you, and because you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever met, and, well, I couldn’t really say no to that face.”
He raised his brows.
“And I am not about to allow some words an angry woman screamed at you seventeen years ago ruin my life. The curse doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does.”
She glared at him. “Take tooth of giant; seize nail of dragon.What does that mean? There aren’t giants or dragons. Don’t tell me you believe in those now too?”
“I didn’t take that phrase literally.”
“Then why take the rest literally? She was trying to scare you. Perhaps she’d readMacbethand devised her own ‘boil and trouble’ speech. But I refuse to believe that even the most powerful witch can cause a carriage accident. She can’t do that any more than she can cause your friend to gamble away his property or a duke to commit treason and be attainted by the House of Lords. It’s coincidence. Awful coincidence.” She took Rory’s too-handsome face in her hands. She had forgotten her gloves, and her cold fingers brushed over his warm cheeks. “Don’t let her ruin what we have, Rory. Let me love you.”
His gaze was unreadable, but she couldn’t resist leaning forward to kiss him. Perhaps he’d push her away and reject all she’d said. But she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t at least try one last time.
