Page 61 of An Orphan for the Broken Duke

It was only then that Rhys allowed his thoughts to catch up with his actions. He fell back against the door, his heart thumping painfully, his breathing coming in deep gulps as if he had forgotten how, and guilt crashing down upon him like waves.

That was harder to do than he had hoped. Worse still, it was only the beginning. From now on, Rhys needed to separate himself from Violet as much as he could, reminding her of what this marriage was always meant to be. Not what he wanted it to be, but what it had to be.

For Lucy… for Violet… and for Eleanor.

Twenty-Two

The days following the ball were some of the most confusing and frustrating of Violet’s life.

She had woken the morning after the ball in a state of unexpected bliss… no, not unexpected. That was not correct. When she went to bed that night, she had never been so happy. Finally, she was willing to admit that she had real feelings for Rhys, and he was finally willing to admit the same. No more lies. No more denying what she knew. She trusted him completely, she wanted him in her life, and he wanted her too.

She had set her head down on the pillow and her smile held as she slept the night away. It was a dreamless sleep that found her, a comfort never before known because all her worries and those doubts she had carried with her for years had been washed away.

So, when she woke, the happiness she found was very much expected. Rhys’ kiss was still felt on her lips, her heart literally hurt from how much it raced, and she simply could not wait to start the day and her new life afresh.

That was my first mistake… trusting someone when I ought to have known better.

In hindsight, she supposed that Rhys’ actions should not have surprised her. Had he not warned her? Had he not told her already who he was and why he was alone? But she had ignored them, and now she was paying the price.

Consequently, Rhys spent the next few days avoiding her completely, and while Violet thought about going to him and forcing him to admit how she knew he felt, Violet was stubborn. Worse still, her walls had rebuilt themselves, and she remembered why she never trusted anyone.

“I still think you should speak to him,” Rose said on the third day. They walked the garden together as Lucy ran ahead.

“I will do no such thing,” Violet told her.

“Then you are a fool.”

Violet scowled at her sister. “What sort of advice is that?”

“The type that you need to hear.”

“Were you not the one who warned me about him in the first place? Who mocked me for how I felt? What happened? Why the change of heart?”

Rose sighed and looked sadly at Violet. “I never warned you against him, Violet. I might have doubted the type of man that he was—doubts that at the time felt justified. But I did not hate him.”

Violet scoffed. “You certainly did not encourage me either.”

“I was wrong,” Rose admitted. “As for my mockery? That was… it was done in fun, because it is so rare to see you fall for someone as you were doing.”

“I was not falling for —”

“All I have ever wanted, Violet, is for you to be happy,” she cut over Violet. “Since father died, that has been my charge. You worked so hard to protect me, nearly killing yourself, and I would watch on, hating that there was nothing I could do to help.”

“There was nothing to be done,” Violet assured her. “Your job was not to protect me or worry about me, Rose. That was my charge for you.”

“Then who would look out for you, Violet?”

“Nobody!” Violet cried. “And that is the point.”

“No, Violet…” Rose stopped walking, and when Violet turned to look at her, she winced as if she had been slapped. Her sister was always one who wore a smile, who found cheer in the most dreadful places. But her eyes watered and never had Violet seen her look so distressed. “I know you love that I relied on you, that others do too. I know how much you rely on your independence like a shield to protect yourself with, but it does not have to be that way. To have someone else to look out for you, to love you? There is nothing wrong with that.”

Violet wanted to scowl angrily at Rose. She, more than anyone, should have understood why Violet was this way. What was more, she ought to have appreciated it!

And yet… I know she loves me, and all she wants is what is best for me. How can I possibly blame her for that?

“I am not going to argue with you, Rose,” Violet said. “Not about this.”

“Does that mean you will talk to him?” Rose pushed. “If what you told me about the night of the ball is true, I do not believe that His Grace means to avoid you. I refuse to believe that he wants such a thing.”