Lover Be Mine A Legendary Lovers Novel - By Nicole Jordan Page 0,47
no reason to d-delay.”
Perceiving where the duke was headed, Sophie felt a knot coil in her stomach. She wished with all her heart that she could postpone this unwanted interview, but Dunmore cleared his throat and began again.
“You must know that I feel a sincere affection for you, Miss Fortin. You see … the thing is …” The rest of his words came out in a rush. “I had best just spit it out or I will lose my courage. Will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife, Miss Fortin?”
A feeling of panic hit Sophie, and for a moment she remained helplessly mute.
At her silence, the duke hastened to explain. “I feared if I didn’t act soon, some other younger, more handsome fellow might claim you. I am m-much older than you, I know … but I will do my utmost to try and make you h-happy, Miss Fortin.”
His stumbling proposal was awkward but sweet, yet Sophie couldn’t manage to form a reply past her dry throat.
But when the duke’s expression went from eager to worried, she forced her answer between her lips. “Yes, I will marry you, your grace. I thank you for your kind offer.”
Letting out a deep breath in relief, Dunmore beamed with delight. “Thank heaven. I feared you might not … Well, never mind what I thought. You have made me the most fortunate of men. By your leave … I will go and speak to your father at once.”
Stepping closer, he bowed over her hand and pressed a gallant kiss to her fingers, then turned and hurried from the parlor.
Sophie stood there unmoving, feeling dismay roil her stomach.
Her distress was a measure of how much she had changed over the span of a mere week. Less than a fortnight ago she would have eagerly welcomed the duke’s proposal. But that was before she had met Lord Jack Wilde. Before she had come to know him and begun to hope for the beguiling possibility of a future with him.
She had made the right decision, of course. Accepting the duke’s offer was the surest way to prevent herself from acting foolishly with Jack. Yet as she contemplated what she’d just done, the finality of her situation struck her. She would never have the kind of love match she secretly dreamed of. In all likelihood her marriage would be loveless, passionless, even joyless.
She had no future with Jack, though, Sophie tried to tell herself, remembering what she’d learned about his dark past and the emotional fetters left over from his childhood. The barriers he’d erected would prevent him from giving her his heart.
And it was best to cut all ties with him cleanly, before she fell in love with him, even if it hurt like the very devil. For the pain would be much, much greater if she wound up suffering an unrequited love for Jack when she was irrevocably wed to another man.
She had no choice, Sophie thought with heart-wrenching regret. Tonight when he came to her room, she would end their illicit romance once and for all.
Even so, knowing that she would never again be with Jack after tonight, never share repartee or laughter or passion with him again, left her shaken.
Sophie’s betrothal to the Duke of Dunmore was formally announced before the evening drew to a close. Her parents were clearly elated, but for Jack, the public declaration struck another blow to his chest.
Sophie’s own expression was stoic, except for the brief moment when he caught her gaze. Her eyes held sorrow and profound regret before she purposefully glanced away.
Skye, on the other hand, looked troubled, while Mrs. Pennant seemed jointly vexed and distressed. As the assembly was disbanding, the elderly lady approached Jack in order to chide him for his failure.
“You promised to prevent my grand-niece’s misguided engagement,” she accused.
“My efforts are not over,” Jack vowed grimly.
“Oh, no?” the elderly lady replied in a scathing voice. “What can you possibly do at this late date?”
“I still mean to persuade her to change her mind.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “Sophie will never renege now that she has given her word, nor will her father. And surely you have not forgotten that Oliver wants a duke for his daughter.”
“No, I haven’t forgotten. But I am not giving up.”
Evidently Mrs. Pennant put no stock in his pledge, for distress overwhelmed vexation in her expression. “Sophie is so full of sweetness and life, I fear wedding Dunmore will drain the spirit out of her. I