Chapter 21
Ambrose stared down at Holly Middleton with hard eyes. He was sure his face was expressionless, and he kept his mask in place even though inside he was rock steady. His sister-in-law had caused him quite some trouble, not to mention had almost cost him his entire inheritance. She was also the woman whose actions had given him his wife.
Needless to say, his feelings on Holly Middleton were not as conflicted as before. They were quite simple. He would not lose his wife now that he’d found her. Anything else qualified as insignificance.
And Ambrose was painfully aware that, if he wasn’t careful in the way he handled this devil of a situation with her sister, Willow might leave.
Just thinking about how his wife might react if he wasn’t careful had him fighting the urge to tug at his cravat.
Miss Middleton’s eyes fluttered open.
“Good, you are awake.” He saw her wince. She looked so damn much like her sister, it almost hurt to look at her. He’d throttle an imbecile who dared kidnap Willow. It chafed knowing that at the moment, he was that imbecile.
“You found me; you must be in raptures,” she said, her voice still thick from sleep.
Ambrose recalled that the men had said they’d given her a dose of laudanum after she had attempted to escape them. She had also been hurt in her attempt to escape. He had released his fury upon the men over that. He hadn’t wanted Miss Middleton hurt. He’d merely wanted her present to account for her actions and now he didn’t even want that. He just wanted this matter to be done with. He already felt too much like a bastard.
“Did you truly think I would not? Did you truly believe jilting me would not carry any consequence?” Ambrose could at least make a point about consequences and all that. Perhapssomeof it would sink in before he released her in the morning.
Shehadbetrayed him, after all. Though, not before he’d done the same, admittedly, given that he might have allowed her to believe he found her attractive and possessed affection for her—neither of which had been true.
But that was no longer important.
The scene had been set. He’d wake his wife with his lips and every other part of his body. They’d make love. After they’d worked up an appetite, they’d go down for breakfast. At the table, Willow would find a feast spread out. And her sister. At which point he declared all animosity in the past. And apologize for his part in her running off.
It seemed today was a day for all sorts of revelations and self-reflection, including that he’d been an assfirst.
And he’d be remiss if he denied that, for a moment, he missed the cold control that had allowed him to feel nothing for the last decade.
“Yes, yes, you are a mighty duke and shall deliver my comeuppance. Spare me the woeful tale of how my betrayal forever broke your heart. You married my sister. That is a far cry from being jilted. In fact, if I am to believe theLondon Times, you always meant to marry Willow, not me.”
Ambrose clenched his jaw. Christ Almighty, save him from women. Clearly, she did not regret her behavior. In fact, she’d already justified it.
He let out a deep breath. “A necessary tale to spare both our houses the humiliation of your actions.”
“It seems like everything worked out for you, Your Grace, so why must you still do this?”
Ambrose paused. Should he tell her now?
No, he had a plan, one with a sequence of events. Well thought out events. And with some luck, after a night to ponder the consequences of what she’d done, Holly might pause and reflect before her next harebrained adventure.
God willing.
“You embarrassed my family,” Ambrose pointed out. “You gave your word and then you broke it.”
“And what of you?” she challenged. “You hid your true feelings, masked your true intentions. What is that if not breaking one’s word? And now I must be the one punished? You have no right to me, Your Grace. I am not yours.”
Thank God for that.
“You made sure of that, did you not, Miss Middleton? But there are other ways to mete out lessons.”
Like stewing on the idea that she was being held prisoner, awaiting a doomed fate.
Twelve hours wouldn’t make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. It also gave him time to polish the finer details of his plan. Andthatwas important. Because he needed Willow to understand he had harmonized his view of their marriage, his ways, and his past—that he wanted nothing but her happiness.
“A lesson is one thing, marriage to your brother is lifelong,” she pointed out.
“So that is why you ran away instead of facing the aftermath of your actions, the threat of another looming marriage.”
