Regency Romance: An Unexpected Duke's Invitation (A Historical Romance Book)

Chapter ELEVEN

The second act had been playing for twenty minutes, and Nathaniel hadn't seen a thing. He sat brooding in his chair when he heard the soft opening and closing of the curtain to his box. He didn't want company and when he saw who was there, more than ever he wished to be alone. "Don't you have somewhere else you can watch from?"

"Why?" his father asked. "Is this box full?"

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes but gave no reply.

"I saw Miss Ott and Lady Christa leave... What did you do?"

He scoffed, "Of course you'd blame me." Then he turned to face his father, the play completely forgotten. "I found out Miss Ott's little secret tonight."

"And what secret was that?" Wardington asked.

Nathaniel looked away. He wanted to tell his father but couldn't bring the words to the surface. Even now, he protected her, even when he felt so betrayed. He'd actually begun to fall for her.

Wardington spoke, "I didn't know you were one to judge a woman for something she couldn't control."

"She controlled herself by lying to me about it. Pretending to be innocent when all she was after was marriage to one in the peerage."

Wardington was silent for a moment and then said, "But Amy is innocent."

Nathaniel looked at his father, "With your experience, I thought you a better judge of character."

Wardington narrowed his eyes, "What that woman's mother has done does not mean she participated in any of it. She was only a child. Her father died and her mother did what she could to feed her. Hensman never helped his sister, but guilt ate at him after she died, so he took Amy in."

Nathaniel stared at his father and shook his head. "Her mother?" He thought back to Amy's every word. Then he thought about the conversation he'd heard between her and Christa. Thanks to the valet who'd been right outside his door, Nathaniel had been able to deposit Vow into the other man's hands and return to Amy. He'd been right outside the door when he'd heard it.

What if he goes to the whore house? What if he finds out your connection to it?

The connection. It wasn't Amy's. It was her mother's. Nathaniel sighed. He should have known better. He should have been able to see it in her eyes. She was so pure, and kind, and he loved... "No," he whispered.

"Yes," his father said. "You're a fool."

Nathaniel shook his head. "It's better this way. Now, she can go be with someone else."

"And not one day die and leave you like your mother left me." The words struck their target.

Nathaniel turned to his father. "I can't do this," he confessed. "I've read enough tragedies to know that this never turns out well. Look at you."

Hard green eyes stared at him in the dark. "What does that mean?"

"Father, you're not happy."

Wardington nodded, "You're right, but neither are you."

"But I was," he insisted. "Before her. I was happy."

"Were you?"

He was silent. Then said, "I was going to make it."

"And now?"

"Now?" Nathaniel looked away, Amy's smile in his mind. "I don't want to be without her."

"So, what do you do now?"

Nathaniel stared at the stage and decided he would never watch another one with another—or his father—again.

Amy heard a tapping sound at her window and knew who it was. She hoped she knew who it was. Wrapping herself in a robe, she went to the window and opened it. It was raining outside, and Nathaniel was drenched beneath her. He stared up at her, not saying a word, but she saw the remorse in his eyes and forgave him. Immediately. But, he didn't have to know that tonight. "Go away."

"O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head."

Amy scoffed. Shakespeare? Really? "O Romeo, O Romeo... go to bed, or you'll catch a cold."

Nathaniel looked serious, "Not until you forgive me. I was wrong. I know the truth now, and no one else ever has to know."

That was good news. "I forgive you. Goodnight."

"Marry me, Amy." That was not a line from the play.

"What?"

He grinned, "Marry me. I need you. You've woken something inside of me that I fear will die without you. I love you, Amy Ott."

Amy felt tears begin to build in her eyes. "You wish to marry me? You love me?"

"I do."

She smiled, "I love you, too."

He grinned again and then grew serious. "I think we're supposed to kiss now."

She laughed, "You would say so."

He shrugged, "It was worth a try."

"You can wait until tomorrow, can't you?"

His green eyes stayed steady with hers and said, "I could wait for you forever, Miss Ott." And those were the words she'd wanted to hear more than anything else.

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