Page 46 of Snowed In with the Jilted Duke

He could not bring himself to tell her everything—he and Pippa still deserved that privacy—but he told her as much as he could, and the glint in her eyes at certain parts told him she had deduced what he left out.

Grandmama was silent for a long moment, so long that Oliver almost feared she had fallen into a doze. Then she said, “A woman wishes to be wooed and won. Philippa wants to feel you have chosen her, not merely settled for her.”

“I have told her that. I have told her that many times.” Oliver gritted his teeth. “She refuses to believe me.”

“Then you must do something to convince her. And it must be something as public as her humiliation was.”

Oliver stared at her blankly. “Such as?”

“That is for you to determine. You know Philippa far better than I. What will please her best?”

Oliver sighed and tugged at his hair. At this rate, he would be bald before spring. “She knows I want to marry her. I’ve already asked the vicar to begin calling the new banns this Sunday.”

“Ah, yes, the same way you did with her sister, whom you were reluctant to marry. Merely substituting one bride for the other.”

Oliver cringed, knowing there was truth in his grandmother’s words. It was exactly what Pippa had accused him of.

“Well, what do you expect me to do? Kidnap her to Gretna Green?”

The dowager remained silent. Expectant.

“She hates scandal. She hates being notorious.”

“Does she? Or does she hate that she cannot be certain of your true feelings because you are behaving just as you did when you intended to marry her sister?”

He shook his head in a desperate effort to order his thoughts. Had he twice been a fool already and only made Pippa feel even more as though he saw her as a poor substitute for her sister? He had wanted to avoid even more scandal than they were already embroiled in, for her sake. An elopement would only put the cherry on top of the story of a girl who had stolen her own twin sister’s betrothed away. A conventional marriage ceremony after a decorous calling of the banns would quiet that.

Keeping things quiet might be best for Pippa’s reputation… but was it best for Pippa’s wounded heart?

“You are very unfair, Grandmama.”

“Thank you.”

He bowed to her and stepped away, his mind spinning. Could it be true that the best remedy for a scandal was… an even larger scandal?

Another night passed in sleepless misery for Pippa. This would be the most hellish sort of punishment for her sins—marrying the man she loved knowing he was only marrying her because he still needed her family’s money, and one sister was as good as the other.

She ought to say no. She ought to stand up for herself and return to Birmingham with her parents when the snow cleared enough for the trip. But even now, even knowing he had never truly loved her… she still loved him. She could not bring herself to cut that final tie.

Sally forced her to get out of bed and get dressed, but Pippa held firm to her decision to only wear her own gowns, none of Penny’s. She would at least not compound her sins.

At this late hour, the breakfast room was empty except for James, the footman. His expression was impassive, as if she were a stranger of unknown gentility. She allowed him to serve her eggs and toast, picking at them without taking more than a bite or two.

The door to the breakfast room opened and her heart dropped as Oliver walked in. Strangely, he was dressed for the outdoors in his beaver hat and overcoat. Perhaps he had gone for a walk before breakfast.

“Good morning, pigeon.” He bent and kissed her cheek before she could stop him. Even that simple gesture tugged at her, and she hardened her heart.

“Good morning, Kendal.”

“Are you determined to never forgive me?”

Her head whipped to glare at him. She heard James splutter just before the footman all but ran from the room.

“I am aware I am merely a substitute bride, your grace. I see no reason why either of us should pretend otherwise.”

He shook his head. “I know I have hurt you, Pippa. I regret it more than you could know. But… I needed to be sure.”

Pippa turned her eyes back to her half-eaten breakfast to avoid the pleading in his eyes. “Be sure of what? That you would be able to play your part in this farce?”