Page 83 of The Duke, My Rescue


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He doesn’t leave that house that often, I think. That is, he disappears often and is out every morning. But he must have gone riding. I have seen him in the stables. He must be only going out to ride, mustn’t he? And a plot like this would be intricate and require time and…

Her mouth dried as a memory slowly came to mind. She hadn’t heard the entire conversation, but she recalled how strange it had been.

On the morning after her wedding, Georgiana had come across Owen arguing with his uncle. She squeezed her eyes shut to try and remember what it had been about.

“You knew what Benedict was planning, and you helped him get out of this. It’s your fault he’s weak. You ruined everything!”

That was it. That was what the Marquess had said.

Georgiana exhaled. The Marquess had learned Owen’s secret and had been furious because the match had not worked in his own son’s favor. Instead, it had gone just how Owen wanted.

She slowly opened her eyes again even as she felt a tear rolling down her cheeks. Piece by piece, her world was unraveling in front of her.

The letter made sense. Too much sense. It filled gaps and pointed out holes that she hadn’t even noticed until now.

All this time, Owen had been tricking her. She had believed his words and wanted everything he said to be true. He had told her he didn’t want to be in love. That was all a lie. Everything he had ever said to her had been a lie. None of it had ever been true.

Why? Why would he do this to me? He knew I didn’t care for him. Did he do all of this just to hurt me?

Georgiana’s breath hitched as she tried to think of a reason why this could not be true. But her emotions were already rising within her like a raging fire, heating her and freezing her all at once. Her heartbeat grew louder. She couldn’t think clearly. The dam burst.

The horrid letter. She snatched it up and started to rip it apart.

But then she abruptly stopped.

Sucking in a deep breath, Georgiana stared blankly at the letter before decidedly folding it up and putting it in the pocket of her dress. She might need it for later. It was best if she kept it close, even if it was painful. She gathered her thoughts to decide on her next course of action. Something had to be done.

I can’t just stand here. My father will not manage my life, and my husband won’t, either. Whoever sent this letter is right––I have to act.

“Your Grace? I brought you your tea. Fresh biscuits, too. Shall I set them on the desk for you?” Mrs. Helen asked as she strolled into the library.

Georgiana blinked. She wiped away her tears before the woman could see them. Hurrying forward, she stopped the housekeeper from coming any further into the room.

“Mrs. Helen,” she choked out while trying to keep the panic at bay, “you must know about His Grace. Where he spends his time during the day? And when he leaves the house?”

Wide-eyed and confused, Mrs. Helen shifted her grip on the tray before nodding. “Certainly. He rides his horse in the mornings. He rarely has business meetings outside the house, however, so he’s always in his study. Except for today.”

Georgiana’s stomach lurched. “What do you mean?”

“Well, His Grace is out. He said he had a morning appointment and would return before the day was out. We all know what he is like,” Mrs. Helen added cheerfully. “He will return as he said.”

No, he only likes to say nothing. Anything out of his mouth could just be a trick. A lie!

“How can you be sure of that?” Georgiana demanded. “How can none of us know where he is? Is everyone watching to make sure he is where he says he is?”

“I… Your Grace, I cannot say. We have no reason to doubt his actions. Is something wrong, Your Grace?”

She shook her head. “No, no, that’s not it. This only means you can’t know, not really. So long as you don’t have eyes on him, then you will never have a clue where he might be! He knows things he doesn’t tell us—he does things. Did you know about Benedict?”

“I… Your Grace?”

“His cousin. He was in love with someone else all this time, all before he even offered to—” Georgiana suddenly fell quiet.

The panic that had been clawing at her throat suddenly turned and twisted. What was she doing, talking to Mrs. Helen about this? The staff saw plenty, to be certain, but they didn’t see everything. They couldn’t know everything.

Georgiana took a step back. Then another one, just to be safe.

“Your Grace?” Mrs. Helen asked anxiously. “What is it? You look unwell.”