“Itisbad enough to make me run away,” she shot back, her throat raw. “That is precisely the problem.”
“What do you mean?” he pressed, his grip tightening on her wrist.
Expelling a pained sigh, realizing she could not escape the truth any longer, but hoping beyond all hope that he might be able to remedy her situation, she knew she had no choice now. She had to tell him.
“My father arranged a match,” she said bitterly. “Demanded I marry some… stranger in three weeks’ time. Though, it is more like a week now. My father has terrible debts; I am supposed to save him with this marriage. But… I ran because I do not want to marry this man. I ran and… I do not know what to do.”
All of a sudden, Adrian turned cold, his handsome face a thing of ice and steel. “There neverwasa mysterious sister in Scotland, was there?”
“What? No… I mean, yes. There is, and I?—”
“I should have known,” he interrupted, his voice a razor blade to Valerie’s heart. “I should have trusted my instincts when you first arrived. You thought to ensnare something better than yourfather arranged for you. Or, you sought to ruin yourself so you would not have to proceed.”
She blinked up at him, a tear beading on her eyelashes. “No… no, it was nothing like that! I?—”
“You will leave my estate tomorrow morning,” he said crisply, his voice devoid of softness, his lips forgetting how to smile once more. “Enjoy the rest of your party.”
He strode past her down the steps and went directly to his horse, that grazed peaceably on the town green. She watched, speechless and heartbroken, as he pulled himself up into the saddle and, without so much as a backward glance, rode off into the night, kicking up plumes of glittering snow behind him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“She is leaving, Your Grace,” Jarvis said, standing awkwardly at the door to Adrian’s chambers. “Mrs. Leggat and Mrs. Mullens have prepared her a luncheon for the journey, and everyone is waiting to wave farewell. We didn’t want to proceed without you, Your Grace.”
Adrian had not slept a wink, terrified of the nightmares that would plague him if he closed his eyes for even a moment. Scenes of a Christmas that would never be, scenes of the past, scenes of the present, scenes of a future he had foolishly, fleetingly imagined.
Valerie had lied to him, by omission if nothing else. She had allowed him to kiss her, touch her, taste her,almostmake love to her, while knowing that she was betrothed to someone else. Not just betrothed, either, but due to wed the man in a week’s time. It was a betrayal so great that just thinking about it made him want to drive his fist through the wall.
She made me care for her, while promised to another.Indeed, more than the wall, he wanted to drive his fist through the face of the man who had procured her hand in marriage.
“Proceed,” he said gruffly, giving no further explanation.
But Jarvis lingered, his eyes creased in consternation. “It is not my place, Your Grace, but I really think you ought to bid her farewell.” He paused. “She is… rather upset. I believe it would mean a great deal to her if she could see you.”
Adrian glowered at the man. “Your first sentiment was correct; it is not your place.”
“What happened, Your Grace?” the butler urged, his reluctance to obey rankling Adrian further. “She has not said a word to anyone, not even Mrs. Mullens, and we are all… so very confused. We thought that?—”
“You thought what?” Adrian retorted, venom dripping from each word.
Jarvis blinked, his expression transforming into one of alarm for a brief moment, as if he were not seeing Adrian before him but someone else. But he shook the expression off and stood up straighter, clearly steeling himself.
“We thought there was an affection growing between you,” the butler explained. “We have never seen you more… active or content. We have never seen you so involved in life. Since shearrived, you have been outside more than you have in the past decade! You have color in your face, vitality in your eyes, and it is—not to be dramatic—but it is like witnessing a resurrection.”
Adrian looked away from the man and walked to the window. “She needs to return home.”
“But right now?” Jarvis insisted. “It is Christmas Eve, Your Grace!”
“It is the same as any other day,” Adrian replied, as he peered out of the window.
Below, Valerie’s carriage waited on the snow-covered driveway, loaded with the belongings that he doubted had ever been taken off. She had not traveled with much, by the looks of it, but then a runaway would not have time to pack everything she cherished.
Then, he saw her.
She wore a fur-trimmed cloak and bonnet and stood with hands clasped and head bowed. Waiting for him, though he had no intention of standing before her again. If he did, he did not know what he would do: whether he would sweep her into his arms and never let go or let all of his ire pour out in a vicious tirade.
You came here and slithered your way into my heart. You made me tell you things that I have not spoken aloud in years, if ever. You made me want to make you my duchess, when I thought nothing could compel me to wed.
And it had all been based on the powdery foundation of a lie.
