Read Online Accidentally Compromising the Duke by Stacy Reid - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stacy Reid
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affections of my dearest friend. Please forgive me.”
“No.”
She gasped, but Adel remained unmoved. “I know why you did it.”
Evie paled.
Adel clasped her fingers together at her front to stop them from trembling. “You have been in love with the Marquess of Westfall since I made your acquaintance these two years past. The prospect of marrying anyone else must have been terrifying. But did you not see that you robbed me of the same opportunity of wedding the man I held affections for? Though I rail against it, I fear deep in my heart I must marry the duke, or my family will never be able to recover from such a mess. He is so unlike Mr. Atwood, I cannot see how we will have a happy—or even a slightly happy—situation. The duke’s charms upon closer acquaintance are sorely lacking. He is severe, cold, Evie.”
But his kisses are divine. Adel ignored the traitorous reflections.
Evie’s face crumpled and silent tears streamed down her cheeks. “Westfall and Wolverton are the closest of friends.”
Adel closed her eyes. That would have been unbearable, but it could not excuse Evie’s action. Adel had trusted her friend absolutely.
Evie’s throat worked. “I could not bear to wed the duke, knowing as his duchess I would have cause to entertain his closest friend. I tried to speak to Mamma and all my pleas fell on deaf ears. I cannot imagine a world without belonging to Westfall…and I thought since you had no such similar affections for Mr. Atwood, I…”
Adel stiffened. “I would not wed a man I have no regards for!”
Evie shook her head, her green eyes pleading. “You care for Mr. Atwood, but I love Westfall. At the crest of each dawn I think of him. He is my friend, my confidant, but I also yearn to be his lover. He makes me ache, and my heart belongs to him. He kissed me once, and I still feel the press of his lips against mine, the heat of his body, and the strength of his arms.”
Heat climbed Adel’s cheek. Mr. Atwood never roused such longing in her; but surely in a few more years it would bloom? But the duke did make your blood stir . It was as if the very devil himself whispered the traitorous thoughts to her.
Evie moved farther into the room. “I own to the love I have for the marquess, but it does not excuse my behavior, Adel. I was rash and so foolish. I am not sure what I imagined would happen, but it was not this. All the guests are speaking of you being in the duke’s chamber. Mamma says by next week all of London will know, and the tattle sheets will speak of nothing else for months,” she ended on a harsh sob. “I wish I could go back in time and undo my thoughtlessness,” she said with heartbreaking sincerity.
Tears pricked behind Adel’s lid. For as long as she knew Evie, she had been in love with the marquess who mostly treated her as the younger sister of one of his closest friends. The marquess seemed like he had no thoughts of considering marriage, and Evie was not sure if it was on account of the mysterious scars that roped half of his face, or just the general contempt that seemed to leak from him whenever he mingled with polite society. Though it pained her to acknowledge, Adel was filled with relief that Evie did not have to marry Wolverton and be consigned to such a distressing situation. But Adel would not say so; the sting of the betrayal was too fresh and deep.
“Have you seen Mr. Atwood?”
Evie shook her head.
“I must go to him,” Adel said glancing on the watch. “I hope he has not heard the rumors.”
Evie exhaled softly. “Will you marry the duke?”
Did she have a choice? “If Mr. Atwood is willing to elope, I…” Adel swallowed the sob rising in her throat. “I do not know what I am feeling or thinking. Only a couple hours have passed since I entered the wrong chamber. I do not want to see my family ruined beyond all measure. If I were to elope with Mr. Atwood would that not be the outcome? Would I not be compounding the disaster? Yet I
“No.”
She gasped, but Adel remained unmoved. “I know why you did it.”
Evie paled.
Adel clasped her fingers together at her front to stop them from trembling. “You have been in love with the Marquess of Westfall since I made your acquaintance these two years past. The prospect of marrying anyone else must have been terrifying. But did you not see that you robbed me of the same opportunity of wedding the man I held affections for? Though I rail against it, I fear deep in my heart I must marry the duke, or my family will never be able to recover from such a mess. He is so unlike Mr. Atwood, I cannot see how we will have a happy—or even a slightly happy—situation. The duke’s charms upon closer acquaintance are sorely lacking. He is severe, cold, Evie.”
But his kisses are divine. Adel ignored the traitorous reflections.
Evie’s face crumpled and silent tears streamed down her cheeks. “Westfall and Wolverton are the closest of friends.”
Adel closed her eyes. That would have been unbearable, but it could not excuse Evie’s action. Adel had trusted her friend absolutely.
Evie’s throat worked. “I could not bear to wed the duke, knowing as his duchess I would have cause to entertain his closest friend. I tried to speak to Mamma and all my pleas fell on deaf ears. I cannot imagine a world without belonging to Westfall…and I thought since you had no such similar affections for Mr. Atwood, I…”
Adel stiffened. “I would not wed a man I have no regards for!”
Evie shook her head, her green eyes pleading. “You care for Mr. Atwood, but I love Westfall. At the crest of each dawn I think of him. He is my friend, my confidant, but I also yearn to be his lover. He makes me ache, and my heart belongs to him. He kissed me once, and I still feel the press of his lips against mine, the heat of his body, and the strength of his arms.”
Heat climbed Adel’s cheek. Mr. Atwood never roused such longing in her; but surely in a few more years it would bloom? But the duke did make your blood stir . It was as if the very devil himself whispered the traitorous thoughts to her.
Evie moved farther into the room. “I own to the love I have for the marquess, but it does not excuse my behavior, Adel. I was rash and so foolish. I am not sure what I imagined would happen, but it was not this. All the guests are speaking of you being in the duke’s chamber. Mamma says by next week all of London will know, and the tattle sheets will speak of nothing else for months,” she ended on a harsh sob. “I wish I could go back in time and undo my thoughtlessness,” she said with heartbreaking sincerity.
Tears pricked behind Adel’s lid. For as long as she knew Evie, she had been in love with the marquess who mostly treated her as the younger sister of one of his closest friends. The marquess seemed like he had no thoughts of considering marriage, and Evie was not sure if it was on account of the mysterious scars that roped half of his face, or just the general contempt that seemed to leak from him whenever he mingled with polite society. Though it pained her to acknowledge, Adel was filled with relief that Evie did not have to marry Wolverton and be consigned to such a distressing situation. But Adel would not say so; the sting of the betrayal was too fresh and deep.
“Have you seen Mr. Atwood?”
Evie shook her head.
“I must go to him,” Adel said glancing on the watch. “I hope he has not heard the rumors.”
Evie exhaled softly. “Will you marry the duke?”
Did she have a choice? “If Mr. Atwood is willing to elope, I…” Adel swallowed the sob rising in her throat. “I do not know what I am feeling or thinking. Only a couple hours have passed since I entered the wrong chamber. I do not want to see my family ruined beyond all measure. If I were to elope with Mr. Atwood would that not be the outcome? Would I not be compounding the disaster? Yet I
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