Chapter Seventeen #2
He had the grace to look embarrassed, at least. “It is only that you are not well known in our circles. You have only recently arrived. Your parents, from the little I know, are from Wales. Your father, Sir Rawley, is a baronet and somewhat of an amateur anthropologist who enjoys traveling in search of interesting artifacts for his rather impressive collection. Your mother, Lady Griffiths, is from a good family of minor nobility who mostly kept to their country estates and away from court. And you most recently hail from Scotland where you were married to a Mr. Charles MacLaren. A man with whom few were acquainted. His sister’s championship of you has bought you a great deal of good will—”
She raised a brow at that. It was true they weren’t throwing rotten fruit at her face when she appeared at society functions, but that is a far cry from actually being accepted.
“Aside from knowing you were married at least once more before that, that is all that I know about you. Which is a great deal more than anyone else knows.”
Selena plucked at a nonexistent thread on her dress, her anger fading under the weight of her guilt. “Yes. Well. I prefer to keep private details about my life private.”
Though she knew that to him at least she owed some explanations. But the thought of being investigated…
“I know,” he said, taking her hands, “and if it were just me, I’d say to hell with the rest of the world and let you keep your secrets.”
Selena blinked, shocked at his words. “Edward—”
“They do not matter to me. Truly,” he said, giving her hands a squeeze.
“Well, I admit I am curious,” he said with a mischievous grin.
“And were I in a different position, I could be patient and trust that if there were anything important I needed to know, you would tell me. Perhaps my family would trust that as well. However, I am my father’s heir.
My wife will be the next Duchess of Haltham.
And with all the rumors—I do not believe a word of them,” he hurried to assure her. “But my family wish to be certain.”
Her stomach dropped, roiling against the truth spilling from his lips.
His family didn’t trust her. And she couldn’t even blame them.
She was a stranger with nothing but salacious rumors to her name.
Truthfully, she was a bit surprised it had taken them this long to start investigating her.
Unfortunately, she had no doubt they would not like what they found.
“Edward,” she said, swallowing past the ache of emotion in her throat. “Perhaps we were too hasty, too foolish to think—”
“No,” he said, reaching up to cup her cheek. “That I will not accept.”
He pressed another kiss to her lips, her heart fracturing a bit more with every lingering brush of his mouth.
“No, wait. I cannot think when you touch me so. There are things I must tell you, that I have been trying to tell you. Things I would rather you hear from me,” she insisted, standing up to put some distance between them.
“You can tell me anything, dearest,” he said, though his eyes remained troubled, as though he feared what she might reveal.
As well he should.
“I told you that I have been widowed before. That Charles was not the first husband I lost.”
His brow furrowed. “Yes. But that does not mean it will happen again. I know you fear that—”
“No, it’s not that,” she said, needing to get this out before she lost her courage. “Well, not only that. I do fear for you, but I also fear what you might think when you know the full truth.”
He stood and wrapped his hands gently around her upper arms. “You needn’t fear, love. I swear to you, nothing you can tell me will change anything between us.”
She shook her head. “Do not make promises you mightn’t keep,” she murmured.
“I will stand by your side. Always. Nothing you can tell me will change that,” he insisted again.
There was never going to be a better time for this.
“You know about Charles, and how he died after…well, after our wedding night. Or…during, rather,” she closed her eyes, her lips pinching together for a moment.
“Yes, love,” Edward said with a gentle smile.
“And I think I have proven I am more than capable of performing that particular task unscathed. Though I would be happy to prove so again.” His husky voice sent a delightful shiver up her spine, and she pressed her palms to his chest, melting into him when he drew her closer.
“Edward,” she said faintly, dragging in a tremulous breath when he bent to trail his lips up the column of her neck.
“Wait,” she said, pushing away just enough to break his kiss, though she stayed within the circle of his arms. “I must tell you the rest.”
“My apologies, love. I seem to have a distinct lack of control when it comes to you.”
She gave him a faint smile as it was an affliction she shared. But she must finish.
“Before Charles, I wed a man named Marius Albescu, in Bucharest. My father wanted to bring my mother there to partake in the healing baths and brought me with them.”
Edward frowned a little but didn’t seem overly upset. Yet.
“Our courtship was brief,” she continued. “He was a composer. His music was so beautiful. I think perhaps it was that with which I fell in love.”
“It was his song you played at the soiree?” Edward asked.
“Yes, it was.”
His eyes widened slightly with appreciation. “Then he was indeed a talented composer.”
Selena could do naught but nod. “We hadn’t known each other long when we wed. A few weeks only. But…I was infatuated. He was so charming and talented. And about to depart on a tour of the courts of Europe.”
“Ah. You wished to go with him.”
She nodded again. “My parents had no objection, and so we were wed within the week.”
Edward made a noncommittal rumbling noise, though his brow remained furrowed.
She let out a delicate snort. “I’m sure I can guess what you are thinking. I admit the circumstances, at least those surrounding the planning and execution of our wedding, are rather similar to my wedding to Marius.”
Edward gave her arms a gentle squeeze, but he didn’t respond to that. “What happened to Marius?” he asked instead.
Selena frowned, both at his question and at the answer she must give. “He died on our wedding night. They all did.”