He caressed her cheek. “Is there not any room in your heart to forgive me?”
“Why should I? After all, I believed every word you said. Every word!”
Closing his eyes, Julian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She could see she was upsetting him, but right now she didn’t care. Part of her wanted him to feel as much pain as she was experiencing.
“Lexie, why are you doing this?” he muttered.
“Doing what?”
He looked at her and sadness laced his expression. “Making things so difficult?”
“Difficult for whom? You are not any different from the way you used to be, so I’ve heard. However, I’m the one who has the problem, not you. You were someone I had created in my mind—a larger-than-life hero. You were a man who could do no wrong, who I thought was being truthful to me. You were the first man to kiss me and make me feel the desires of a woman. It’s no wonder I pictured you as a knight in shining armor. But the other night in the music room, I saw my dreams fade. Your deceit completely shattered the illusions I held of you. I’m no longer living in the fictitious world I created. I’m living in a reality, that is very painful.”
By his changing expression and the sadness encasing his face, she knew her words had injured him. Strange, but she didn’t feel victorious at all in the discovery. In fact, her heart ached even more.
She waited for him to say something, but when he remained silent for several awkward minutes, she walked past him, intent on reaching the house and its sheltering shadows. This time, he didn’t stop her. He followed, but didn’t say a word.
The silence was deafening.
JULIAN STRUMMED HIS fingers on the desktop as he stared out the window. His servants had cleaned out many of the rooms in the last three days, and he was grateful for their speedy assistance. He didn’t want to have anything of Martin’s in his house. Yet two things still remained... Joanna and Alexandria.
Sighing, he leaned his head into his hand and rubbed his forehead. Joanna was still on the mend, according to her maid. Some days the lady was strong and walking around her chambers, and other days she was as weak as a newborn lamb. He wished he knew how to get her healthy and keep her that way. Then again, if her husband had been secretly poisoning her, perhaps it was best for Joanna to remain under Julian’s protection.
Until he and Dominic found evidence against Martin, they were all in danger. Hawthorne assured Julian that he would continue to watch Martin, and the earl even hired a couple of detectives to spy on Martin constantly. Yet it had been three days...three very long and agonizing days and still nothing was discovered.
What made matters worse was seeing Alexandria and knowing that he’d damaged her spirits so severely that she wouldn’t even look at him. When she did peer his way, she quickly glanced in the opposite direction. He wanted to see her smile, hear her laugh, and especially gaze at him with her lovely sapphire eyes. Every time he saw that color, he immediately thought of her.
Another thing that weighed heavily on his heart was the fact that he sullied her name and hadn’t done anything to repair it. Of course, he’d been busy getting the legalities completed so that he could officially become the Duke of Linden, but he realized he couldn’t keep putting this off. He needed to do something soon. Really, there was only one choice to make.
Marry her.
Although the idea of marriage had always made him run the other way before, for some reason when he thought about it now, he wasn’t frightened. In fact, deep inside of him, he wanted to go through the process of making Lexie fall in love with him again. He actually looked forward to the drawn-out process.
Decision in mind, he pushed away from the desk and left the study. The first servant he saw, he stopped them. “Pardon me, but have you seen Miss Templeton?”
“Yes, Your Grace. She’s in the library.”
He headed for Alexandria’s favorite room, and with each step, excitement built inside of him. He should simmer his enthusiasm a little because he was certain she would be hesitant about the marriage. She wasn’t going to suddenly change her attitude and love him again.
Although she never said those three little words to him, he could tell she held strong emotions for him. Her lovely eyes gazed at him with such admiration, and the way she responded to his kisses...
He grinned. Tingles crept over his body, recalling the way he’d felt during those times. He couldn’t wait to feel that way again.
He took great care to ease the library door open and peek within. Alexandria sat on a sofa with her feet tucked under her as she read a book. She twirled a loose curl about her finger as she lost herself in the story. The emotions that played across her face as she read failed to hide how deeply engrossed in the story she had become. She didn’t hear him enter. Julian didn’t want to scare her, but he couldn’t keep staring at her for very long without wanting to take her in his arms.
He softly cleared his throat, starling her. She nearly dropped her book as her wide-eyed gaze jumped up to meet his. A small gasp escaped her before she managed to close her mouth.
“Forgive me for disturbing you, but I needed to talk to you about an important matter.”
Nodding, she sat up straight and moved her feet to the floor, discreetly slipping them into the slippers beside the sofa. “That’s fine.” She placed the book by her side before smoothing the wrinkles out of the skirt of her dress.
“May I?” He pointed to the space next to her.
“But of course, Your Grace.”
Inwardly, he fumed. Would he ever hear her say his given name? Whenever she’d said it before, it was like angels singing. Within time, he knew he could soften her. He must have patience.
He sat, and turned toward her. Her body remained stiff as she looked straight ahead. “Lexie, I want to tell you how sorry I’ve been for my busy schedule of late. I’ve been meaning to have this talk with you for a few days, but other things kept getting in the way.”
She glanced at him and nodded, then looked away again. “I understand.”
“I want to talk about what happened the night in the music room.”
Her gaze snapped to him and her eyes widened again. “I thought we had already discussed this.”
“Not fully, no.”
She blew out a fast breath. “What else did you want to add? I thought we had already expressed our feelings.”
“Actually, we hadn’t. Only you had.” He reached over and took her hand. She tried to pull it away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to express mine.” She arched an eyebrow, so he quickly added, “But know this, it doesn’t matter if you do mind, I’m going to have my say.”
“Fine.”
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his jittery nerves. He wasn’t used to conveying his thoughts to women, but he felt the urge to do so with this particular woman. “When I first kidnapped you, I didn’t think I could trust you, so naturally, I wasn’t about to tell you my real name. Remember that one time when you had nearly guessed my identity? I almost confessed, but then I realized I still couldn’t tell you, because I worried that Martin would discover I was still alive and do something awful to you since you were helping me.” He waited for her to say something, but she remained silent, looking at him with unexpressive eyes. “Anyway, I want you to know how much you mean to me. You are unlike any woman I have ever met. You make me smile more, and laugh, which was something I hadn’t done for a long time.” He stroked her knuckles with the tip of his thumb. “The past few days I’ve realized I want you by my side. Always. I want to marry you, Alexandria Templeton.”
He studied her expression, but she remained blank. For a moment he thought her eyes would water over, but she blinked and the liquid was gone. Little by little, his heart broke. Quickly, his mind argued. She was still hurting. Determination surged through him. He would change her mind about him and make her fall in love with him.
Of course right now, he needed to get her to marry him.
<
br /> “I thank you for your offer, Your Grace. Because of the scandal that happened, I will accept your offer of marriage. My sister will be relieved to know you have stepped up to do the right thing.”
Inwardly, he groaned. No! He didn’t want her to think he was offering marriage because of the scandal. Yet, she wasn’t going to believe him. Not yet.
Nonetheless, he would start to soften her heart after they were married. One way or another, he’d get her to say I love you. And hopefully by then, he’d be able to say the words to her as well...and mean them.
NINETEEN
Alexandria knew the wedding wasn’t going to be large and extravagant, only because they needed a quick ceremony to help simmer down the rumors that were already in an uproar. But why couldn’t she be a little more excited about it?
She was actually going to marry a duke—and a handsome one at that. Not many ladies could say they had accomplished such a dream. She should be happy, ecstatic, and so nervous she could hardly concentrate. But she wasn’t. Less than a month ago she had no inkling of even wanting to marry much less a man who had such a grand title, and now...she would soon be the Duchess of Linden.
Her sister couldn’t assist in planning the wedding. Some days Joanna felt good, but most days she didn’t. Alexandria wondered why her sister hadn’t overcome her malady. With Martin out of the house, wouldn’t Joanna start feeling better as each day passed? She prayed her sister wasn’t worse than everyone had first thought.
The maid and the housekeeper helped Alexandria plan the wedding. Julian had told her that he wanted her to wear the most beautiful wedding gown, and he hired a seamstress to have it made quickly. A small part of Alexandria jumped with excitement knowing she was getting something so lovely, yet at the same time, she squashed any hopes of being truly happy with him because she couldn’t trust him.
Indeed, they would be married, but in name only. She didn’t plan on giving herself to him on their wedding night—or any other night, for that matter. He had to prove to her that he’d changed, and right now, she wondered if he could ever accomplish that.
After the seamstress left, Alexandria finally had some time to herself. She wandered outside to partake of the fresh air. It wasn’t fair that Julian wouldn’t allow her to ride Buttercup, but she supposed he was right to worry about Martin. Julian had mentioned the other day that Lord Hawthorne still had people looking into the case, but no evidence had been found against her brother-in-law.
She walked to the edge of the curved drive where the rose bush and lilacs grew. Neatly trimmed bushes edged the drive, complimented by the beauty of the colorful flowers. The scent surrounding her calmed her greatly. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the heavenly aroma.
From up the road, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves startled her and she spun around. A woman approached, perched regally on her horse. Her haughty demeanor suggested everyone should bow to her. As the lady neared, Alexandria could see she was quite lovely. Dark brown escaped her bonnet and bounced about her head in rhythm with the horse’s trot. She wore a maroon riding habit with a white blouse. When she reached Alexandria, she stopped.
“Good day,” Alexandria greeted and curtsied.
“Good day to you. I’m looking for Miss Templeton. Can you get her for me?”
“I’m Miss Templeton.”
“Splendid.” She motioned for one of the groomsman to come assist her with dismounting. Once she was off the animal, she strolled closer to Alexandria with her nose lifted haughty in the air. “I was told you were engaged to Lord Julian...um, I mean the Duke of Linden.”
“You heard correctly.”
“When is the wedding, may I ask?”
Alexandria instantly disliked the lady’s attitude. “In a few days. Why do you inquire about the date?”
With a sigh, the lady presented a pitiful frown. “When I heard that Lord Julian—er, His Grace, was engaged again, I thought it was my duty to come talk to you and prepare you for heartbreak.”
Curious, Alexandria took a step closer to the other woman. “Go on.”
“Let me first introduce myself. My name is Miss Theresa Dickson. My brother is Lord Senwick, which I was told you have already met.”
Immediately, Alexandria stiffened, and her heart broke all over again. She’d heard a few rumors, but to actually confront the woman was something she thought would never happen. “I have heard of you.”
“Splendid.” Miss Theresa smiled. “Then I assume you heard he was once engaged to me but broke off the engagement?”
Alexandria nodded. “I heard he was engaged to you and that he didn’t go through with the wedding.”
Miss Theresa smirked and arched an eyebrow. “Allow me, if you will, to clear up the rumors going around.” She folded her arms. “A week before we were to marry, he realized he didn’t want the responsibility of becoming a husband, so he broke off the engagement and joined the military. He begged me to call off the wedding plans first so that my reputation wouldn’t be ruined, but I refused. I was in love with him and I wanted him to be my husband. Because I wouldn’t call it off, he did, which I’m sure you know, indeed ruined me for other marriage offers.” She breathed deeply and frowned. “Men see me as someone who wasn’t good enough to marry a duke’s son. Because of Lord Julian, I will forever be a spinster.”
Alexandria swallowed hard. “I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Miss Theresa.”
The pitiful expression returned to the woman’s face and she touched Alexandria’s arm. “I came to see you because I wanted to prepare you for what might happen. Lord Julian has no feelings because he has no heart. Believe me when I tell you, I’m not the first woman who has had her reputation destroyed.”
“Yes, I have heard that tittle-tattle as well.” Alexandria nodded. “Again, I thank you for informing me of his true character. However, I cannot back out of the marriage, either. As I’m sure you have heard by now, he and I were caught in an improper embrace, and my family insists I marry him.”
“I understand, but just know he may find some excuse to back down. Whatever you do, keep your heart from getting involved. It will only cause a lifetime of heartache.”
Too late for that. Alexandria wanted to cry again, but she held on to her courage. “I shall heed your words, Miss Theresa.”
“That’s all I ask.” She turned to the stable hand and he assisted her back on top of her horse.
“Have a pleasant day,” Alexandria called to the other woman as she rode off.
Anger burned inside of her as she watched the woman’s departure. Would Julian do the same thing to her? For some odd reason, she didn’t think so. After all, he was now a duke. He had an obligation to fulfill because of his title, and marriage and having heirs came with that.
However, the doubt still hung inside her for the days that followed. Would he marry her or turn and run away?
THE MORNING OF THE wedding Alexandria was a bucket of nerves. She couldn’t get Miss Theresa out of her mind.
As her sister sat in the cushioned chair issuing instructions, several maids rushed around her room, trying to ready her for the ceremony. Her lady’s maid, Dawn Johnson, styled Alexandria’s hair differently this time. Instead of ringlets, she coiled her hair in sections, so it piled higher on her head. The veil was a simple azure jeweled tiara and attached to the white lace cascading down her back. White baby’s breath flowers were stuffed in the bun, making her appearance angelic.
When she finally slipped into the gown...she nearly lost her breath. Never in her wild imagination would she have put together such an elegant creation. She doubted a princess would have owned a garment so lovely. The white satin gown had an overdress in striped gauze and trimmed with Brussels lace. White pearls were sewn into the bodice, the sleeves that hung off her shoulders, and the ruffled border of the dress, giving the gown more of a touch of elegance. The garment fit her body perfectly. As she stared at herself in the full-length mirror, she couldn’t believe that the image staring b
ack was her—Alexandria Templeton—the wallflower.
Self-conscious about showing so much of her shoulders and bosom, she tugged on the sleeves to lift them higher, but her maid gently tapped her hands on Alexandria’s knuckles and shook her head.
“Miss Templeton, don’t be so modest. You are so incredibly lovely in that dress. It would be a shame to cover anything up.”
Part of her couldn’t wait for Julian to see her, and yet the other part of her was scared of watching his reaction. She remembered the look in his eyes when he’d kissed her so passionately, and especially when he desired her. Seeing his green eyes turn darker was her weakness. She wouldn’t be able to refuse him for anything.
For finishing touches, she slipped on elbow-length white gloves and then picked up the bouquet of lilac flowers mixed with freshly cut pink lilies that were laying on her vanity.
The maids stood back and gazed upon Alexandria, wearing wide smiles. Joanna slowly maneuvered from her chair and weakly walked to her. She wore one of her lovelier powder blue gowns with long sleeves, but wore a white shawl around her shoulders and arms.
Joanna patted Alexandria’s cheek. “You are very beautiful, my dear sister. Our parents would have been so proud.”
Tears formed in Alexandria’s eyes and she nodded. “I wish they were here.”
“As do I.” She glanced at Johnson. “Please help me downstairs. We are ready to begin.”
Alexandria walked behind her sister and the maids slowly down the stairs. Her limbs shook and her heart knocked crazily against her ribs. Breathing slower, she tried to steady her nerves, but it was no use. She’d never been more anxious than she was at this moment.
It shall be over soon. But not soon enough, unfortunately.
She waited in the hall just outside the ballroom until it was her turn to enter. She clutched the bouquet harder, and her palms grew moist inside the gloves, yet her body was cold.
Finally, Johnson motioned for Alexandria to enter. She wouldn’t be surprised if she swooned at any moment. Her legs were going to collapse beneath her, she just knew it.
Stealing the Duchess Page 14
