The Forbidden Duke (20 page)

Titus held his arm out. “Walk with me.”

She put her hand on his sleeve, and they walked straight back through the sitting room toward the terrace. Once outside, he closed the door behind them. This might cause a scandal, but then this entire event seemed destined to ruin her newfound status. She couldn’t have cared less.

Titus moved away from her and walked to the edge of the terrace that looked out over the garden below. He turned, his face only slightly less fierce than it had been when he arrived. “Tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you betrothed to him?” The question was harsh, clipped.
 

“No.”

“Then why does all of London think you are?”

“Because he told them?” She took a deep breath and tried to shake the consternation from her head. “He only just arrived a few minutes ago. Someone else—Lady Faversham—congratulated us on our betrothal. I don’t know how she heard about it. I do know that he said to her that we became engaged yesterday. He paid me a call, and we strolled around the garden. He made his intent to court me quite clear, but he didn’t ask me to wed him.”

Titus leaned back against the rail on the terrace. He massaged the bridge of his nose for a moment, then dropped his hand and fixed her with his emerald gaze. “What do you want?”

Her mind was in total disarray. Everything was happening so fast. “What do you mean?”

“Do you wish to marry Dawson? I thought you might prefer a different life—perhaps even without a husband. I know you value your autonomy.”

Nora began to relax. Here was the man who understood her. “No, I don’t want to marry him, but he’s made an awful mess. If I say we aren’t betrothed, I will be the one to suffer.”

“You are not going to suffer. I promise you that.” The simple clarity in his gaze made her believe his words. If anyone could keep her safe, she knew it was Titus.
 

She tensed again, but with anticipation instead of anxiety. “How?”

He strode toward her and took her hands in his. “They talk about me, they paint me as something I’m not. I ignore them. I’ve created a façade to keep them at bay. You can do that too. As my wife. Marry me, Nora, and I will give you whatever you want—even if it isn’t me.”

Oh, but she wanted him. Desperately. But did he want her, or was he simply being the most gallant man she’d ever met?

The door opened, and Dawson stepped out onto the terrace. He looked between them, his gaze landing on their joined hands. He frowned deeply. “You choose him?”

Nora looked at Titus with love bursting in her heart. “I do.”

Dawson’s answering laugh was surprisingly cold. “Do you know what you’ve chosen? I would have given you respectability and comfort, a family and security, but you prefer the man who saw you ruined all those years ago.”

Darkness crept into Nora’s happiness, dulling the edges. She looked at Titus but asked Dawson, “What are you talking about?”

It was Titus who answered, however. “He’s talking about Haywood and how I encouraged him to pursue the foolish girl who thought he would marry her. I told him to take whatever he could get away with, that no one would ever find out.”

Suddenly she recalled the Marquess of Ravenglass. He’d been the leader of the group Haywood had run with. He was the quintessential Untouchable whose reputation made him almost unacceptable.
Almost
. But not entirely, because he was, after all, the heir to a dukedom. And everyone knew a future duke could do whatever he pleased, including leading idiot young bucks to do the same.

She knew without a doubt that what Dawson said was true. All she had to do was look at the shadow stealing over Titus’s face and the regret creeping into his gaze.
 

Disappointment swirled through her. “You encouraged Haywood. Did you remember who I was from the start?”

His mouth was tight, unyielding. “I did.”

“Is that why you helped me? Is what why Lady Satterfield is sponsoring me?”

“
No
.” His response was immediate and vehement. Emotion stormed into his eyes. “Yes, I felt guilty, but when I learned whom she’d hired as her companion, I welcomed the opportunity to right the wrong I’d done you. Yes, I wanted to help you.” His gaze softened. “Only I never imagined you’d be the one to save me.”

She’d saved him? She wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, but the sentiment was so lovely and so pure, she knew Titus wasn’t at all the man he’d been nine years ago. And neither was she the same naïvely innocent girl. Right now, with Titus, she could put the past to rest at last. She could be the woman she longed to be—a woman with a choice.
 

She looked between the two men. The hope and vulnerability in Titus’s eyes, coupled with the power to choose, which he was once again ensuring she possessed, made her decision quite simple.

She turned her head to look at Dawson and said, simply, “Yes, I choose Titus.”

T
itus had watched the joy fade from her face after Dawson had spilled the truth. Now he stared at her, uncertain of what he was seeing.

“Titus.”

The single word came from the doorway. His stepmother had followed them and had clearly heard everything Dawson had said. The anguish in her tone cut straight to his soul. It was like watching his father lose his faith in Titus all over again.
 

Dawson scoffed. “Of course you’d choose a duke over me.”

Titus’s stepmother moved onto the terrace. “She chose the better man, you dolt. You should take the stairs down to the garden and escape that way. If you don’t, I fear you’ll be eaten alive by everyone in the drawing room. The second they find out that Nora is betrothed to my son, you’ll be a laughingstock.”

Dawson pursed his lips and gave Nora a final beseeching look. “I didn’t want to lose you to Markham.” He shot a perturbed glance toward Titus. “I didn’t even realize he was in the hunt too.” He turned his attention back to Nora. “My apologies. I shall be gracious in defeat. I wish you both well.”

Nora smiled at him, which was more than he deserved. “Thank you. I wish you the best as well.”

Titus marveled at her poise and her generosity of spirit. If he hadn’t already been head over heels in love with her, he would be now.

Dawson turned and left.

The countess cleared her throat. “This is going to cause quite an uproar. The mess Dawson created was exciting enough, but I fear this may break the entire ton.”

Titus looked at Nora. The love he felt for her threatened to surge from his chest like a living, breathing thing. A veritable dragon of emotion, the likes of which he’d never encountered. “I don’t care.”

“No, I’m sure you don’t,” his stepmother said. “However, Nora may feel differently.”

Nora didn’t look away from Titus. She stroked his hands with her thumbs. “Actually, I don’t. If I’m to be the Forbidden Duchess, I don’t need to care about anything. At least not about anything I don’t want to. And I choose not to. Titus, I may never hold a ball. Is that all right with you?”

“It only makes me love you more.”

Her mouth curved into a smile that was equal parts joyful and seductive. Titus wanted nothing more than to have her alone.

Nora turned to look at the countess. “Must we go back inside?”

His stepmother shook her head gently, her expression resigned but happy. “No. I’ll make your excuses. Titus, I regret to inform you that your notoriety will only soar, not that you’ll pay any attention to it.”

He pulled Nora closer. “Not a bit.” He bent and inhaled the floral fragrance of her hair before pressing a kiss to her temple.

His stepmother smiled widely. “You’ve made me very happy. Both of you.” She turned and went back into the house, closing the door behind her.

Nora looked up at him. “Did you mean what you said? About loving me?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I think I realized it the other night. It just… It took me by surprise. I’m not good at this sort of thing.” Loving people. Letting them get close.

“I know. You hold yourself so apart from everyone. Is it because of what happened with Haywood?”

He could scarcely understand her compassion. “I wanted to tell you. I just didn’t know how. You should be furious with me. I had a hand in ruining you.”

“You were young and foolish—like me. What did you mean when you said I’d saved you?”

“I hated myself after what happened to you. Not just because of how it affected you, but because of the disappointment I caused my father. He died shortly after that, and I was, quite simply, wrecked. I’ve been doing penance all these years. Helping you, loving you has set me free.”

Tears glistened in her eyes. “Oh Titus, I feel precisely the same.”

He brushed a fingertip along her cheek. “I wish my father had known you. He would’ve liked you immensely.”

She grinned. “I’m sure the sentiment would’ve been quite mutual.”

“Are you certain you won’t mind being the Forbidden Duchess? You were the most celebrated woman in town for a moment.”

She laughed. “Yes, my brief time in the sun. Only, I don’t need the sun when I have you. You’re all I want, Titus. All I need. I love you.”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth. She kissed him back, igniting his desire. He decided right then that a special license would definitely be in order.

After a long moment, he lifted his lips from hers and looked into her eyes. “I’ve waited my entire life for you, and I’d wait a thousand more. You’ve made me the happiest man alive. Do you think they’ll start calling me the Smitten Duke?”

She giggled. “I don’t care what they call you, so long as everyone understands you’re
my
duke.”

He bent his head to kiss her again. “For eternity.”

Epilogue

London, 1816

W
hile some things had changed over the past five years—the most important being the addition of Nora and Titus’s two children—many things had not. Lady Satterfield still hosted the first major event of the Season, and Titus still only danced the first dance, though only with Nora. And Nora went to the ball early to help her mother-in-law prepare.

As she entered the ballroom, Nora was struck with a familiar sense of nostalgia. Every year she recalled the night that had changed her life. The night she’d started falling hopelessly in love with her husband.

She smiled as she thought of him at home reading to their children. He’d come to the ball in a little while, in plenty of time for their dance.

Lady Satterfield strode into the drawing room, which had once again been transformed to a glittering ballroom and would soon be filled with Society’s finest. Titus and Nora kept to themselves for the most part, but they weren’t hermits. Nora attended many events with Lady Satterfield during the Season, but her primary focus was always her family. She paid little attention to the ton, and supposed that in the process, she’d become what she once mocked—an Untouchable. However, not in the sense one might think. She was untouchable because she’d learned not to care what people said or thought. And it was a blissfully freeing state of mind.

“Nora, you look lovely as always,” Lady Satterfield said before giving her a quick hug. They exchanged kisses on the cheek, and Nora returned the compliment. “How are my grandchildren?” the countess asked eagerly. She saw them several times a week.