Peter realized, in that moment of anguish, just how much he loved Lavinia. Perhaps he had always known deep down, but his fear of falling in love and giving his heart wholly to one woman had kept him from telling the truth. And now, with her engagement hanging over him like a death sentence, he knew he could not keep silent any longer.
He could not lose her.
“I need some air,” he muttered abruptly, pushing back his chair and standing.
He did not wait for a response before walking out of the dining room, his mind racing.
Once outside, the cool breeze hit him like a splash of water, but it did little to calm the storm raging within him. He strode across the courtyard, his thoughts moving faster than his feet.
Lavinia cannot marry Lord Windham. She cannot. I will not let her.
He paced, running his hands through his hair in frustration. He could no longer ignore what he had tried to suppress. He was in love with her. He needed her in his life, and he didn’t care about his own limits anymore. Duke or not, rake or not, none of it mattered if she was not with him.
He had made the biggest mistake of his life when he walked away, and now there was only one thing left to do. He had to go to her. He had to tell her everything. How he felt, how much she meant to him, and how he was willing to face any trial, any consequence, to have her by his side.
Peter turned and headed toward the stables, his heart pounding with a new sense of purpose. He would ride to Crawford Hall that very day, and he would not leave until he had spoken to Lavinia. Until he had told her the truth.
Because no matter what, she deserved to know that he loved her. And he would not let her marry someone else—anyoneelse—without fighting for her.
With renewed determination, he saddled his horse, the path ahead of him clear. He was done waiting. Done with the silence. It was time to claim the love he had tried so hard to deny.
Hours passed as he rode hard toward Crawford Hall, the urgency in his heart driving him faster than he had ever ridden before. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the fields, but he pressed onward.
Finally, as the estate came into view, his pulse quickened.
There it was, the place where everything had begun. The place where he had kissed Lavinia for the first time, where he had fallen hopelessly in love with her without even realizing it.
And now, it was the place where he would tell her the truth.
Peter slowed his horse as he approached the gates, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn’t know what would happen next, didn’t know if Lavinia would forgive him or if it was too late, but he had to try.
As he dismounted, he looked up at the grand entrance, the windows glowing with the last light of day. Somewhere inside, Lavinia was waiting—perhaps for him or for someone else.
But Peter didn’t care. He would open his heart to her. He would break his own rules, test his own limits. He would admit that he loved her and then wait to see how she reacted.
With a deep breath, he walked toward the door, ready to face whatever came next.
CHAPTER 24
The afternoon sunlight filtered gently through the large bay windows in the drawing room, casting a warm glow on the richly upholstered chairs and ornate furnishings.
Lavinia sat quietly by the hearth, her thoughts wandering in the stillness of the room. Her life had felt like an endless swirl of uncertainty since Peter had left, and her days now seemed to stretch on, filled with moments of reflection she didn’t always welcome. Her heart ached with thoughts of him—his cold distance, their parting, and the storm of emotions she hadn’t fully processed.
Her solitude was abruptly interrupted by the creak of the double doors. She straightened in her chair as the butler entered, his posture rigid and his face unreadable.
“Miss Fitzroy,” he began. “The Duke of Pemberton has arrived.”
Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Peter?
Her mind was reeling.
He has come? Why now?
Before she could react, her mother, who had been sitting across the room, shared a glance with her father, who had just risen from his chair, equally stunned.
“The Duke?” he repeated, his brow furrowing in both surprise and confusion. “What business brings him here so suddenly?”
