“Nonetheless,” she said with a resigned sigh and a shake of the head. “What happened is not what matters. What people believe happened is what will be spoken of. And that, I assume, is why you are here.”
His lips curled into a snarl and she saw a flash of anger pass behind his eyes. Not at her, but the situation itself. No doubt he did not want to be here. He had been forced to come because, despite what people said of the man, he was still a duke of the ton. He was honor bound, for better or for worse.
“I have thought long and hard about our circumstance,” he began, forcing back the snarl, but not the growl in his voice. “And it is clear to me that should these rumors go unaddressed, they will only get worse. People will assume that you and I…” He clenched his jaw in frustration. “Our names will be dragged through the mud.”
“I had considered such things.”
“I do not care what people say of me,” he said next. “That ship sailed a long time ago and one more rumor will not make a difference. But your name, Miss. Carstone, that is what matters. And I will not have your reputation ruined because of something that I did.”
“Oh…” She blinked as if surprised. “What are you suggesting?”
He shut his eyes and took a deep breath as if what he was about to say brought him pain. “I propose that you and I marry. And quickly—the sooner the better—as that is the only way to shut down what is being said about us before it is too late. It will not solve everything, of course. People will still talk. But let them, as all they will be doing is gossiping about a husband and wife who were once caught together mere weeks before being wed.”
Thalia had to stop herself from smiling.
Just as she had to force herself to look surprised, as if this wasn’t exactly what she had hoped for and needed. Nonetheless, a wave of relief washed over her, and even in the face of the duke’s indomitable and dark presence, she could not help but exhale as if a great weight was falling from her shoulders.
“A marriage?” she squawked, playing her role as she needed. “You… you cannot be serious?”
“I would not joke about such things,” he said.
“Something tells me that you are not one to joke about much of anything,” she said before she could help herself. His brow furrowed and her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I did not mean…”
“I understand this is an unfortunate circumstance,” he growled. “And I would not blame you if you needed to think about it. No doubt when you pictured married life, it was to someone a little more…” He grimaced. “Not me.”
She saw it then. It was subtle. And she might have missed it were she not looking into his eyes. But there was a hint of sadness to his words; a trepidation and even worry that she would deny him. He looked terrified, even, that the thought of marrying one like him would be beneath her.
And, after all this time, I thought I was the one who should have been afraid…
“Not at all,” she said, softening her voice and the look in her eyes. “I…” She felt a touch of a smile reaching her lips. “That is not it. I am simply surprised, is all. I did not think you would be so quick to offer something like this.”
“I have no choice.”
“You do,” she said, not knowing why she was making the point. “You can do nothing. Go back to your manor. Leave me to my fate.”
“Do you want such a thing?”
“No, I don’t.”
That hint of a smile was quickly suffocated and replaced with a scowl. “That settles it then. It is to be a marriage.”
Although she still wished to look a little reserved to convey that she did not want to jump into it too quickly through desperation, Thalia very nearly agreed. However, before she got the chance, a thought came to mind—one that was so obvious she could not believe she hadn’t considered it sooner.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she dare not tell him. She waited until the very last moment so that he had no choice but to accept her regardless. But she had already lied to him once, and she could not do it again.
As strange as it sounds, he deserves better than that…
“There is one thing you must know,” Thalia said, her voice cracking.
“I am sure there are many things.”
“No…” She winced and looked away. “If you are to marry me, it is only right that I tell you. You see, the thing is, I…” She found her legs trembling. “I am not alone.”
The duke’s frown deepened. “What does that mean?”
She forced herself to look at him, wishing she had not because those green eyes of his were both startingly beautiful and terrifying all at once.
“I have a daughter—but it is not what you think,” she added quickly. “She is not mine… well, she is. At least, I think of her as my own. But she is not… technically. She is not of my blood, but I am raising her as if she is my daughter. She is my daughter, now,” she said firmly. “And where I go, she goes.” She firmed herself, staring the duke down as if daring him to reject her.
