Genevieve leaned forward slightly and tapped her fingers impatiently against the seat.
“I am not a patient woman by nature, Your Grace,” she said, her voice steady. “That is the first thing you should learn about me.”
Wilhelm chuckled, the sound low and predatory.
“I am aware of that, Duchess,” he replied, then paused as his expression became serious. “But I assure you, the wait will be worth the effort. This marriage… it will serve us both in ways you cannot yet fathom.”
Genevieve found it hard to breathe, her lungs suddenly feeling too small to accept the thick air of the carriage.
“I cannot simply take your word for it.” She exhaled slowly, striving to keep her composure.
Wilhelm’s inquisitive eyes pierced through her facade. “Perhaps I should be the one asking you a question.”
Genevieve tilted her head to the side. “And what would that be?”
“Tell me, Genevieve,” Wilhelm began, pointedly pronouncing her name. “Was your late husband’s fondness for laudanum a contributing factor to his untimely demise? Or should I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of your… how do they put it… curse?”
Genevieve blinked, and her breath caught in her throat. She gripped the armrest in an attempt to gather her wits and make sense of his startling words.
How did this man know about Lord Mirfield’s addiction? What else does he know?
The questions sent a cold shiver of fear down her spine.
How could he know?
Her mind was spinning. The secret that she had guarded so closely now lay, ugly and exposed, before her. She had never uttered a word to anyone about her first husband’s addiction, not even to her closest and most trusted friends.
“I am a meticulous man, Duchess,” the Duke continued, his voice cool and measured, as if he had read her thoughts. “I believe in thorough research, especially when it concerns matters of such importance.”
He had investigated her. Delved into her past and uncovered her secrets.
Genevieve’s shoulders sank imperceptibly, and she pulled away from him as she pressed her lips together into a tight line and remained silent.
Wilhelm hesitated for a long moment before softly adding, “I know that you have been through a great deal, Genevieve. The tragic and untimely loss of your entire family, the sudden death of your first husband, the whispers of the Ton… it is enough to break even the strongest of spirits.”
Genevieve’s heart ached at his words. “You seem to know a great deal about me, Your Grace,” she murmured, fixing her gaze on the carriage’s velvet curtains.
“As I said, I am a meticulous man,” he replied, leaning closer to her.
He paused, his expression once again turning solemn as he gently stroked her hair. “I know about your uncle, Genevieve,” he continued, his voice lowering. “I know that he forced you into that ill-fated marriage with Lord Mirfield. I recognize that he did it solely to exploit your vulnerability for his own selfish gain.”
Genevieve gasped in shock at his admission, and her vision blurred as the memories of her uncle’s deception and trickery flashed through her mind.
Wilhelm reached over and gently traced his fingers along the line of her jaw. “I am fully aware of the burdens you have been forced to carry, Genevieve,” he whispered, his touch sending a shiver through her. “And I intend to lighten them.”
“Why?” she snapped in unrestrained irritation. “Why do you wish to go to such lengths for a woman you barely know? What do youwantfrom me?”
She turned her head towards him and quickly saw that their faces were only inches apart. She glared at him as the steam inside of her began to gather.
“Are you afraid of menow, Genevieve?” Wilhelm asked darkly, his warm breath fanning her face.
“Not in the slightest,” she replied steadily, her blue eyes flashing with anger. “I am utterlyunafraid of you,Your Grace.”
A slow smile curved Wilhelm’s lips, and warmth kindled in his eyes.
Despite her cold demeanor, Genevieve lowered her eyes and inhaled his intoxicating scent before her eyes slowly traced the subtle arch of his full lips.
She closed the remaining inches between them, her body betraying her raw desire.
