Chapter 13
Cora stared down the stairway landing, watching as Damion headed toward Jeremy’s study. What was he doing here so late? Her mother joined her, peering over the railing.
She bit her bottom lip, worried Damion had decided to do the noble thing. Cora didn’t want that. She took a deep breath. Maybe it had nothing to do with her.
“Do you fancy the Duke of Blythe?”
Her gaze swung to her mother as her cheeks went hot. “Why would you ask that?”
“Why are you avoiding answering my question? Did something happen between the two of you at the country estate party?”
She opened her mouth to deny her suspicions but was prevented by a loud crash coming from the study. Cora and her mother rushed down the stairs and into the study. Damion and Jeremy were swinging punches at each other.
“Enough!” her mother snapped.
Both men froze. Cora stared at them in disbelief. Her mother, much more collected, asked, “What has caused this?”
Jeremy reluctantly stepped back. “My close friend, the man who was supposed to help me find a wife, has somehow placed Cora in a scandalous position, and it will be posted in all the papers tomorrow.”
“I’m here to do the right thing,” Damion bit out.
No! She didn’t want that. Jeremy spat, “And you will.”
Cora shook her head. “I won’t marry the Duke of Blythe.”
Everyone turned to Cora, shocked. Jeremy frowned at her. “You are ruined.”
How could this have happened? Sensing her confusion, Damion explained, “I saw Bellamy at a club becoming friendly with a server, and I became angry because I assumed he was betrothed to you.”
“I refused his proposal.”
Their eyes connected, and a zing of emotion swirled between them.
How she wanted to run into his arms and tell him she was happy he’d come.
Yet, she didn’t. Cora couldn’t marry him or anyone because it was the honorable thing to do.
She deserved more. No, she wouldn’t be an obligation foisted upon someone.
“Be my wife, Cora.”
“She will,” Jeremy bit out.
Cora closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Someone told me once that I deserved love. I won’t marry you because we have a scandal hanging over our heads.”
Damion took a step closer to her, and Jeremy let out a low growl. Her mother sighed, “Come along, Jeremy. We should let these two talk.”
Cora’s brother stared at her incredulously.
“Leave them alone. Scandal will be here whether they are alone for a few minutes or not.”
He scowled but walked toward the door with her mother. Jeremy shot Damion a menacing glare. “Touch her, and you will die.”
Damion nodded. The room fell into silence as they both stood there staring at one another. “Cora, I want you to marry me.”
“I don’t want you to do this because you think I’m ruined. I will be fine.”
He stepped closer to her. “That isn’t why. “
“How will I ever not wonder if that is the truth? You said the same thing after our moment in the library. You asked because you thought you compromised me.”
“I was a damn fool, and I am now. I’m sorry I have bungled this.”
She smiled sadly. “I can’t be the second marriage you regret. My answer is no.”
He looked disappointed. “Would you at least give me the chance to prove to you it is more than that?”
She nodded, because deep down she wanted Damion and always would, but it couldn’t be this way.
“I will make you understand that I choose you tonight, tomorrow, and forever.”
Her eyes watered, and she was tempted to throw her arms around him, but stopped herself. They both needed to know this marriage wasn’t about necessity but love. She walked to the door and said, “I look forward to seeing you again, Your Grace.”
Their eyes connected, and Damion said, “I love you, Cora.”
She smiled at him. “I want that to be true.”
Cora left the room and found Jeremy and her mother standing in the foyer. “I have agreed to allow Blythe to woo me.”
“He will marry you.”
She frowned at her angry brother. “I know you are upset, but I will not marry any man because he feels obligated to do so. “
Cora rushed back up to her room. Jeremy called after her, but her mother said, “Let her be. It was you, the most, who encouraged her to find love.”
A curse word rang out from her brother. She reached her bedchamber and entered. She knew he was upset, but she needed to know that Damion was marrying her for the right reasons. Well, the only one that mattered, love. Hope filled her that all would be fine.
***
Damion stood in Stanton’s study, wishing he could call Cora back, but he understood her point. She didn’t want to marry because of an impending scandal. She wanted more, and he would give her just that.
Stanton stalked back in with his mother. Damion rubbed at his jaw, which he’d taken a blow to twice this evening; still, he felt optimistic. His friend fixed him with a withering glare. “I trusted you.”
“I love her.”
The dowager duchess sighed at the romantic declaration, but his friend was having none of it. “You ruined her. As you said yourself, it will be in the papers tomorrow morning.”
It would be. Harrington would make sure of it. The man spread gossip uncontrollably. “I have a plan. I want to host a party at my country estate. I will propose to her there. The grand event will quell the gossip, but more than anything, it will make Cora understand how much I adore and love her.”
“What if she still refuses?” the dowager duchess asked.
“I won’t give up until she understands that I love her. Cora cares for me but fears that I’m trying to be honorable. I’m not. I want her. It is that simple.”
“I thought your heart was permanently dedicated to your first wife.”
He grimaced, regretting letting society come to their own conclusions about his previous marriage.
“My wife was a good person, but she and I didn’t love each other in the way we should have.
I know what society gossips about, but it isn’t correct.
When she became sick, she was leaving me for someone else. ”
Sadness flicked across the dowager duchess’s face. “I always wonder how true the gossip was. Still, I’m sorry.”
“I swore I would never love again because I didn’t want to be hurt. Cora changed that.”
“When did you even get to know each other?” Stanton asked.
The back of Damion’s neck went hot. “It is complicated.”
“None of it matters. Blythe needs to depart. I imagine he will be busy setting up this ball for your sister. I shall convince her to attend.”
Jeremy looked at her mother with a mixture of outrage and confusion. “You are fine with all of this.”
She patted her son on the cheek. “Love is messy. It kind of reminds me of how your father and I met.”
“You met in a scandalous situation.”
The dowager duchess snorted. “Don’t be such a prude. Blythe loves her, and I suspect your sister loves him too.”
Damion smiled at her, grateful. “Thank you, Your Grace. I do, and I am more than happy to declare it as loudly as I can.”
Stanton sighed. “When will this grand event be?”
“In a week. It will be a weekend party, starting with a ball. My estate is only an hour from London, so everyone can come dressed for the evening event and then stay for another few days. If there are no other questions, I will take my leave.”
Both Stanton and his mother shook their heads. He made it to the door before Stanton called out his name. Damion turned back, and Jeremy said, “I love my sister. Make her happy.”
“I swear that I will spend the rest of my life attempting to do so.”