A Duke Always Has a Secret by Rebecca Leigh

Author:Rebecca Leigh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2022-09-21T17:19:32+00:00

Chapter Twelve

When Catherine ran into Ian at the ball everything that had happened seemed to crash down on her at once, and she felt her knees give way. Thankfully he was there to catch her and hold her upright without anyone noticing her distress. He helped her to the bottom of the stairs and after assuring him that she would be alright, she made her way up to her room. The ball continued downstairs for hours, and she did not expect Hawk to send for her until the morning. She had gotten undressed with her maid’s help and slipped into her nightgown. She paced the room, tried to read, and sat by the fire, but she was much too nervous to sleep.

She was not the first lady to be married by special license. Hawk and Persephone were married quickly by special license, although it was for Persephone’s protection, not because she had announced to the world that a man had been in her bedchamber. Her Aunt Louisa had always warned her about her mouth and her willingness to say things without thinking. Now she would pay for her discretion. Perhaps if she could convince Hawk there was another way to avoid scandal this could all be avoided. She kept going over everything in her mind, but she could not come up with anything.

Two years ago, she would have thought all her dreams were coming true, but she was older and wiser now. Michael had secrets and she wasn’t sure if she would ever know what those secrets were. She wasn’t so naïve that she didn’t know that most wives didn’t know everything about their husbands. Wives were supposed to be silent and not ask questions. Their sole purpose was to beget heirs, but she didn’t want to live like that. It was not in her nature to be submissive and meek. How could she be married to a man that kept her in the dark about his whereabouts? She also knew about his wild past, and while she was aware that most men kept mistresses before they married, even her brother, she was not the type of woman that could share her husband with another. If he decided to keep other women, she wasn’t sure she could deal with that.

It was nearly dawn when she decided to give up trying to sleep and get dressed. She was certain that Hawk would send for her before breakfast and she wanted to be ready. Her stomach seemed to be tied in knots and she felt a little nauseous. She sat in the window seat and watched as the sun came up and the streets of Mayfair came alive with activity. When there was a soft knock at the door, she nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned as Persephone peeked her head into her room.

“Did you sleep at all last night?”

Catherine stood up and moved toward her. “No, I’m afraid I have made a mess I can’t get out of this time.

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