Chapter 16
Royce quickly pulled his arms away and stood in front of Della as she scooted off the desk.
“Explain yourselves!” Lord Milton exclaimed as he stormed into the room. “I came in here to get away from all the insipid conversation and enjoy a drink, only to find the man who is supposed to marry my daughter carrying on with this…this strumpet!” He gesticulated wildly at Della.
“Remember whom you are addressing!” Royce boomed. “I will not have the good name of my future wife slandered in such a way.”
“Wife? Wife? My daughter—”
“Your daughter, Lord Milton,” Royce interrupted, “has shown herself to be selfish and unfeeling, much like yourself. If I had known her true character, I would have never offered for her. My family is the most important thing in my life, and I cannot imagine what havoc she would wreak upon them if I were to marry her.”
“Well, I never!” The fleshy, mottled complexion of Lord Milton’s face jiggled in his outrage.
“What is all of this shouting about?” the Duchess asked, appearing in the doorway
Maggie, along with Della’s father and aunt, stood behind her, attempting to peer into the room.
“I found His Grace in a compromising position with this…this…”
“I would choose your next words wisely.” Mr. Rowntree glared at the viscount.
Though Lord Milton outranked Mr. Rowntree, Royce had to commend the man for how he stared the viscount down, daring him to say anything against Della.
The Duchess looked at Royce and then at Della. And Della’s face blushed under her scrutiny.
“I see,” she said, without giving away her true thoughts on the situation. “Royce, you know what must happen now.”
“I do, and I have already informed Lord Milton as much.”
“We had an understanding!” Lord Milton barked. “You!” he said, shaking a finger at Della. “You have ruined everything!”
Royce guided Della further behind him, shielding her from Lord Milton’s wrath.
The Duchess turned to face the angry viscount. “My Lord, I am sorry for any distress this situation may cause you and your daughter, but what is done cannot be undone.” She kept her expression neutral as she straightened her spine like she was preparing to put the viscount in his place should he step out of line again.
“You will regret this, Your Grace. Mark my words!” Lord Milton roared, charging out of the study.
“Well, that was enough excitement for one night,” the Duchess said after making sure Lord Milton was gone. “Maggie told me about Lord Haddock. I will make sure that man never graces another ballroom or Ton function again.” She smiled at Della. “Welcome to the family, my dear.”
“So, what did I miss?” Everyone turned as Aden popped his head just inside the room.
“Della and Royce are to be married!” Maggie exclaimed.
“Ah—well, I now see my marriage proposal is a moot point.” Everyone’s gaze immediately fell on Della. She moaned and plopped her face into her hands. “I shall show myself out, since my presence no longer seems to be needed.” Aden bowed and left.
“Royce, take Della home. The rest of us will return to the ballroom to mitigate any rumors should they arise.” The Duchess sped out of the room with a determined air.
“Eeeee, now we will truly be sisters!” Maggie squealed.
“Maggie!” the Duchess’s voice called from the foyer.
“We will talk later!” Maggie added before she ran out.
“Della,” Mr. Rowntree said with a small smile, his arms opened wide.
Royce watched Della practically run into her father’s arms. “I am sorry.”
“Maggie informed us about everything. You are safe, and that is all that matters,” her father said, squeezing Della a little tighter.
“We will go see if Her Grace needs our help and shall see you at home.” Tilly hugged Della. “Everything will be just fine,” she said, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance before she departed.
“Is there anything you need before we leave?” Royce asked.
“No, I think I would just like to go home,” Della stated, making her way to the door.
Royce tried to think of something to tell Della that would ease her worry, to assure her that everything would work itself out, but he could not seem to find the right words. So, he fell into step beside her, hoping his presence alone would be enough to bring a sense of comfort.
They had said nothing to each other as the monotonous sounds of the carriage filled the silence. This evening had been a whirlwind and Della had been proposed to, encountered Lord Haddock again, and become engaged all before the night was over.
“When did Aden propose to you?” Royce asked, breaking the silence.
“Earlier this evening. You were dancing with Miss Putnam,” Della said, looking out the window.
“Did you accept?”
“After giving it some thought, I had decided to accept his offer, and was on my way to tell him as much before Miss Putnam spoke to me.”
“May I ask why?”
“Why did I decide to accept Aden’s offer?” Della asked, still staring out the window. “Because I realized there was not another gentleman in that ballroom who wanted me instead of my dowry. And I trust Aden.”
Slowly, she glanced in Royce’s direction, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.
“Although I want to marry for love, the thought of spending the rest of my life alone gave me reason enough to consider his proposal. Even if he does not love me, at least I would know I was marrying someone who cares for me. It is a more desirable outcome than to remain a spinster and simply observe the world as it changed and moved on.”
“You do not believe there was any other man who desired you for who you are, rather than the amount of money you would bring with you in marriage?” Royce asked as the carriage pulled to a stop.
Della shook her head before looking down at the floor of the carriage.
Royce was silent as he exited and helped Della alight. Turning, he informed his driver he would make his way home on foot, and heard the carriage pull away as he guided Della to the front door.
“Good evening, Your Grace, Miss Rowntree.” Croxton bowed. By the look on his face, it was clear he had become accustomed to Della arriving without her father or Tilly. “Is there anything I can do for you, Miss Rowntree?”
“I believe that will be all for the evening, thank you. Father and Tilly will be back later,” Della said, giving Croxton a small smile.
“I will see His Grace out myself,” she added.
Croxton glanced at Della, seeming to understand that nothing else needed to be said on the matter. “Daisy will be up shortly to dampen the fire in the study, and I will keep an eye out for Mr. Rowntree and Mrs. Blatchford’s arrival.” He bowed, taking the stairs leading down to the kitchen.
Royce shifted his gaze to see Della standing there, her hands shaking as she tried to take off her gloves. He walked over and gently grasped Della’s hand, pulling one finger at a time until he slipped the glove off her hand.
Tenderly, he brushed his thumb over the tops of her knuckles, marveling at how perfectly her hand fit in his.
“Come with me.” Royce gently pulled Della toward her father’s study and guided her to a chair before making his way to the sideboard and pouring two drinks. “Here.” He held a crystal glass out to her. “It will help calm your nerves. After the night you have had, you deserve it.”
Della took a large swig from the glass, and suddenly started to cough and sputter, her face turning bright red as she lowered the glass.
“Small sips, that is the key. Large gulps like the one you just took, and you will be just as soused as Lord Haddock was in no time.”
Royce saw Della cringe at the mention of the man, and she quickly set her drink down on the table.
“I do not want to think of that odious man. If he ever comes near me again…”
“I will not allow it.” Royce sat next to Della, taking her hand in his.
Della nodded but remained quiet for a while before speaking. “What now?”
“We do what the Ton will expect of us once word gets out.”
“To hell with what is expected, Royce! How are you not tired of others dictating what you should and should not do? I know I am. Besides, we both know I am not a wife befitting a man of your station.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone!” Della exclaimed. “I have no title, nor does my father. It does not matter to them that I grew up with your family, it only matters that I do not aim too high. That aside, I know you do not want to marry me.”
“What I want—”
“What you want,” she interrupted, “is to marry Miss Putnam. And that is what you would have done until that request from your father, and the stupid agreement you made with mine!” Della yelled as she stood abruptly and walked away.
“You know?” Royce asked, searching his memory for how she would have found out, and then it came to him. “The shattered glass.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you not tell me?”
“And tell you what exactly, Royce? That I had been eavesdropping? That the agreement between you and my father is laughable because you have only been helping me by somehow being near every time something happens?” Della paused for a moment. “I ruined everything for you, just like Lord Milton said.” She looked at him, hurt radiating from her eyes.
“No,” Royce replied, walking over to Della, and gently grasping her by the shoulders. “The only thing you ruined was a marriage that would have made my life and my family’s life miserable. I already knew my feelings about marrying Miss Putnam had changed, and I was coming to tell you.”
“You were?” Della asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Royce leaned forward. “I was,” he whispered over her lips.
“Is that all?”
“No, I was coming to ask you—“
Click, pop, snap
The sudden thud of a log dropping in the fireplace startled them as it sent sparks flying up the chimney. The moment gone; Royce saw Della try to stifle a yawn behind her hand.
“Let me see you to your room and then I will see myself out.” Royce saw Della hesitate, but when she nodded, he followed her from the study.
He watched her hips sway from side to side, unable to look anywhere but her backside as she climbed the stairs. Once at the top, Della turned right and went to the third door on her left.
“Well…this is where I say goodnight.” Royce leaned closer to Della and gently planted a small kiss on her forehead.
Della closed her eyes and smiled to herself as Royce placed another kiss on her cheek, then her lips. She felt the strength of his arms wrap around her as the smoky flavor left from his drink danced across her tongue, warming her from the inside. Oh, but his kisses were like a melody that played on her lips and spoke to her heart.
Della reached behind her, fumbling around for the doorknob. When she finally opened the door, Royce let out a deep moan, and pulled away from the kiss, propping his hand against the doorframe.
“I must stop here. If I go through that door, I cannot be responsible for my actions.”
“What if I want you to come in?” she asked shyly.
“Do you know what you are asking of me?” Royce said darkly. “I am trying to be a gentleman, trying to restrain myself from taking you into that room and exploring every inch of you. To keep myself from throwing you on that bed and plunging into your depths with my tongue until you beg for release.”
Royce’s words resonated within her, stirring up a sensation she had never felt before, and she smiled warmly up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him with everything she was worth, to show how much she wanted him, how much she had always wanted him.
“Della?” a voice called out.
“Oh, no.” Della’s eyes went wide, knowing there was no way for Royce to leave without being seen. Luckily, his carriage had already left, so neither Tilly nor her father would know he was still here. And she trusted Croxton would not say anything.
Seeing no other option, Della pulled Royce into her room by his lapels and shut the door as quietly as she could. Pressing her ear against the door, she heard the stairs creaking, followed by the soft tread of footsteps coming down the hall.
“Is this what you looked like when you were eavesdropping on my conversation with your father?” Royce asked.
“Shhh.” Della waved a hand at him.
“Della, are you awake?” Tilly asked from the other side. “Della?”
Della wanted to talk to Tilly, but since Royce was in her room, she thought it better to just wait until morning. Eventually, she heard Tilly’s footsteps fade and a door close in the distance.
“That was close.” Placing a hand over her heart, she backed away from the door and turned to see Royce sitting on her bed with a small smile on his face. “What are you smiling about?”
Royce shrugged. “Can a man not smile?”
“Not like that. That kind of smile promises nothing but trouble.” Della motioned to Royce’s face.
Royce smiled at her again.
“Stop that. Now, if you would kindly leave, it has been a long night, and I would like to rest.”
Royce let out a deep chuckle as he rose from her bed. “First, you wanted me in here, and now you are kicking me out?”
“You had me out of sorts!” Della took a step back each time Royce took a step forward. “Besides, a woman may change her mind. It was a moment of weakness that will not be repeated,” she said, bumping into a chair.
“As of this night, Della, you and I are engaged to be married. Do not pretend there is no attraction between us. We have found ourselves entangled on more than one occasion: the alleyway…” He held up his hand and started ticking off the places as he continued to walk toward her. “The garden…the library…tonight.”
Della averted her gaze so Royce could not observe the effects of his words on her, or the blush that was creeping into her cheeks. Why did she have the desire to run away from Royce, yet also crave to be captured by him? Her legs mirrored the confusion, unwilling to take another step back as Royce drew nearer, so she pulled the chair she had bumped into between them. But he merely kicked it with his foot, shoving it to the side.
“Should I add all the dreams you have inhabited,” he continued, “or the times I thought of you as I did things to myself?” Royce’s hands gently cradled her face, as his thumb slid across her lower lip, leaving tiny sparks in its wake. “Tell you what I imagined when I saw you licking the chocolate from your fingers during that carriage ride from the ruins?”
He leaned in closer, placing a kiss on the sensitive place below her ear, and whispered, “Tell me to leave, Della; tell me to leave, and I will.”
Della almost moaned as he continued to press kisses to the side of her neck. Her heart ached for him to remain, but her thoughts were scattered, distracted by recent events and the warmth of his arms around her. “Royce?”
“Hmm?”
“I think you should leave.” Royce paused and looked at her. “A lot has happened tonight, and if my father or Tilly should catch you in here…”
He sighed, placing his forehead on her shoulder. “Goodnight, Della.”
Royce kissed her cheek, and after checking the hall, he left. Della took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of her bed, wondering how this night had gotten so out of hand. Despite how much she loved Royce, she had her doubts whether marrying him was a wise decision.
Della undressed and went to her wardrobe to select a nightgown. Finding the one she was looking for, she slipped into it and looked down at the threadbare fabric dotted with the occasional hole.
Abigail, her lady’s maid, had begged for the garment to be thrown out. She claimed she had patched up the holes so many times and the fabric was so worn that it refused to hold any more repairs. But Della did not care; she loved it and had never found another that had quite the same feeling.
Della lifted the blanket on the bed and climbed in, praying sleep would come quickly. But as she lay there, she could not help but think about how things were about to change. Some say, be careful what you wish for, that every silver lining has its dark cloud.
Her deepest wish was coming true, a wish that seemed too impossible to even dream of. Yet, the happiness she thought she would feel was tinged with sadness, knowing that Royce did not love her in return.