Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Her lips trembled, and when he saw her look up, Rathe’s chest ached, knowing that she was doing her best not to cry.
But when she glanced back at the camera, it was pointless, the tears streaming down, and her voice wobbling as she said, “I saw...every time...you asked me to marry you...”
A deep breath.
“Shiwnqihijpm.”
Rathe choked, even as almost everyone around him exclaimed in confusion, wondering if they had heard Mary right.
Ah, little pearl.
As coherent as ever.
When Mary looked back at the camera, she was smiling and crying. “You looked like a man in love.” She started to sob in earnest. “You l-looked...like a m-man in l-love with me.”
She brought her hand up. Wagged her fingers. “Still bare, Y-Your Grace. If y-you a-ask me again, I w-would love to b-be y-your wife.”
The camera zoomed out, further and further until he realized that she was in one of the suites of the same bloody hotel he was in.
He shot to his feet, the same time the camera showed the room number.
Rathe ran.
Behind him, the voiceover intoned, “Ladies and gentlemen, that was a live preview of the newest cast member of The Wellesleys, Ms. Mary Ashton, who may just be the future Duchess of Wellesley.”
****
The knock on the door came sooner than she expected, telling her that Rathe was now on the opposite side of the door.
“Mary?”
Her heart slammed against her chest at the sound of his voice. It felt like an eternity ago since she had last heard him speak in person. She felt nervous, queasy, and scared all at the same time, and it suddenly became impossible to move.
When no one answered from inside, he laid his forehead against the door, a part of him wondering dully if he had gotten it all wrong. Or maybe he hadn’t but now it was too late, Mary changing his mind.
“You’re there, aren’t you?”
And still, silence remained his answer.
“Just tell me,” he said quietly, “that you’re okay. I don’t need you to do anything else. I just need to know you’re good.”
The pain in his voice helped Mary find hers, and she said brokenly, “I’m just suddenly...terrified.”
Rathe closed his eyes, relief making his heart pound as he finally heard her speak. “It’s okay,” he said hoarsely. “I’m here. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
“I don’t know what to do.” And it was the truth. There was just a dozen feet that separated her from Rathe, but somehow the distance seemed impossible to travel. Earlier, it had all seemed easy. She would tell him she loved him, and it would be okay again.
But now?
Everything felt like a dream, one that could never happen.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary.”
Rathe’s strong voice reached out to her, destroying her fears, a lifeline she clung to. Her tear-filled gaze flew to the door that separated them. “I-I’m t-trying.”
“Listen to me. I have a question for you.”
“Q-question?”
“Yes, little pearl.” Her tremulous voice made him ache to hold her in his arms, but he knew he had to be patient, had to do this right. “This time, there won’t be any lies between us. No secrets. Just the truth.”
“Y-yes.”
At her answer, he said right away, “I love you.”
Mary’s entire body shuddered.
“I promise that if you become my wife, I will love only you for the rest of our lives. I will forever be proud to have you stand beside me.”
Rathe stepped back. “So if you believe me...then come out and let me put this ring on your finger.”
Time stood still after that, and every second was a dark blur as he waited tautly for Mary to make a decision.
He knew he could have just kicked the door open, could have kissed her into submission, could have chosen not to give her a chance to think.
But he didn’t want to do any of that.
He wanted Mary to really think about it because in the end, she was the one getting the worse part of the deal.
If they married, he would have the kindest girl in the world. She, on the other hand, would only have a flawed, selfish duke as her husband.
An eternity later, he heard the sound of the door opening, and that was the only time he allowed himself to breathe. His gaze began to blur at his first glimpse of Mary, and then she was crying as she ran to him—-
He caught her in his arms.
She hugged him tightly, sobbing harder at how much she had missed the feel of being in his Rathe’s embrace. Pulling away, she whispered, “Tell me. I w-want to hear it for real.”
He didn’t even think of refusing or teasing her. So much time had been wasted already.
“I love you.”
She broke down. Sniffing, she said, “Again.”
“I love you.”
“Again.”
“I love you.” He lowered her down so he could hold her hand.
“Again.”
“I love you.” He dropped to his knees.