“He does!” Marianne pleaded. “I know he does.”
“You must be certain,” Rose pressed. “And not just that you love him and he loves you in return, for that is common. What I wantto know is, do you think he is worth it? Is a life spent with him one worth fighting for?”
Marianne looked right at her, and in that hardened gaze, Rose saw the truth. “We are meant to be together, Rose. Julian and I, we are soulmates.”
Rose had known what she needed to do, but it wasn’t until Marianne’s words right now that she knew what she had to do. Such was the love she held for her younger sister.
“Marianne, listen to me.” She shuffled around and made sure that her sister was looking at her. “I am not trying to get your hopes up, but I want you to know that I will do whatever I must to stop this marriage.”
“What can you do?” Marianne sniffed.
“That does not concern you,” she said. “All that does is if this works, then you must promise me something. Can you do that?”
“Promise what?”
“That when you marry this Julian Ford, that you and he live a life of happiness and love. That you make it count. Can you do that for me?”
“What are you going to do?” Marianne looked quizzically at Rose, hope filtering behind her eyes because she knew that ifthere was one person who could save her, it was Rose, as it had always been.
“Leave that to me.”
CHAPTER THREE
“And as I have told you, it is imperative that I see him.” Rose did her best to bite back the anger while making sure to keep her voice as deep as she could. “If you will send for him now, I am certain –”
“Just as I am certain that he will tell me exactly what I am telling you right now.” The butler stood on the other side of the open door, blocking it as if he were made of stone. “His Grace does not wish to be disturbed.”
“He will be,” Rose pressed. “All I ask is that you –”
“Were the hour not so late,” the butler spoke over her. “And was the visitor not so…” His eyes flicked over her dismissively. “Disheveled, perhaps. I suggest that you send a request ahead of time, to save yourself moments like this one.”
“And as I have been trying to tell you, there was no time,” Rose continued hotly. “I must speak with His Grace at once. I know he is home. Just as I know he will wish to see me.”
The butler’s lip curled into a sneer. “I highly doubt it.”
This is getting me nowhere! Should I attempt force? Perhaps charge right by, and hope to catch him by surprise? And then what? Sprint through the manor, screaming the Duke’s name until he comes out?
Somehow, Rose doubted that would help. Likely, it would make what she had come here for that much harder to do.
Although how much harder could it possibly be?
The hour was late, chosen specifically so that her father would be fast asleep, allowing Rose to sneak from the house without being noticed. And for safety purposes, because a lady never could be too careful, she had also chosen to don some of her father’s old clothes and pass herself off as a male.
Yes, she was dressed as a man; the cloak, the pants, the hat, which she had pulled down to cover her face. Her dark hair was tucked under its lip, and her bust was purposefully bound to complete the look. Personally, she thought she did a pretty good job of it.
Unfortunately, the butler who answered the door didn’t seem to agree.
“Will you please just send for him?” She did her best to sound pleading. “He will thank you for it.”
“As he will thank me for removing you from the premises. Now, be gone, and be thankful that His Grace did not –”
“Jeffery?” a deep voice spoke suddenly from within the manor. “Who is at the front door?”
“Nobody, Your Grace.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “Your Grace, please, I must speak with you at once!” She kept her voice deep as she shouted past the butler. “I know the hour is late, and was it not of utmost importance, I would have never –”
“Quiet!” the butler hissed at her. “It is nothing, Your Grace. I am dealing with it.”
