Duke Looks Like a Groomsman - Valerie Bowman Page 0,72
arrived at the Montlake residence, bowed his head and nodded at Mary. “Good to see you again, milady.”
“Milady?” Montlake nearly shouted. He stared at Rhys as if he’d lost his mind.
“What are you doing here, Mr. Worthy? Oh, have you come to see Anna?” Mary asked, a sweet smile on her face.
“I have,” Rhys replied, nodding vigorously. “I’ve come to see Anna. Will you please tell her I’m here?”
Mary swiveled around, obviously about to do just that, when her father’s voice thundered, “You will do no such thing, Mary.”
Mary froze. She turned again and stared at her father with wide eyes.
“I’ve no idea why you’re calling him ‘Mr. Worthy’ or why he’s calling you ‘milady,’” Montlake continued, “but this ruffian is none other than the Duke of Worthington, and I refuse to allow him to see your sister.”
Mary’s eyes widened even further if that was possible. “The Duke of Worth—”
Rhys bit his lip and gave Mary his most apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Lady Mary. It’s quite a long story and I—”
“Have no time to tell it,” Montlake finished for him.
The butler was standing at the top of the staircase watching the entire debacle unfold.
“Stratham, get two of the footmen and toss out this blackguard,” Montlake ordered.
Apparently, two of the footmen had already been prepared for just such an order, as they appeared seconds later and wrestled Rhys to his feet.
The footmen wrenched Rhys toward the staircase and down the steps, where Kendall was waiting with their hats.
“I suppose we should go?” Kendall asked with a sardonic smile.
The butler threw open the front door and the footmen tossed Rhys unceremoniously down the front steps. Then they turned back to Kendall.
Kendall put up a palm. “I prefer to leave on my own, gentlemen,” he replied, stepping through the doorway and hurrying down the steps to help up his friend.
Rhys allowed Kendall to give him a hand. He stood and examined himself. He had a bloody scrape on his arm and his ankle had been twisted in the fall. He tried to take a step forward and had to lean on Kendall for support.
The butler slammed the front door shut, and Rhys stood there glaring at the town house, his hands on his hips.
Blast. Blast. Blast.
Kendall pursed his lips. “Well, it certainly seems as if that didn’t go as planned.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Julianna stirred awake when the door to her bedchamber opened and then shut. The soft padding of feet and a candle flickering to light near her bed revealed her sister had entered the room. Was she imagining it, or had she heard a vague commotion in the hallway a few minutes ago?
“Anna,” Mary called softly. “Anna, wake up.”
Julianna pushed herself up against the pillows and rubbed her eyes. “What is it, Mary? Are you all right? What time is it?”
“I’m fine. I think it’s nearly one o’clock.” Mary took a seat on the foot of Julianna’s bed. She held the candle holder in her hand. “I came to tell you something, Anna. Something important.”
Julianna’s heart beat faster. Had her sister come to tell her she should call off the wedding in the morning? “If you’re here to talk about Lord Murdock, there’s something I need to tell you first.”
Mary nodded. “Go ahead.”
Julianna took a deep breath. “I’ve decided to call off the wedding.”
“What?” Mary’s eyes went wide. “But the wedding is this morning.”
Julianna nodded. “I know. I decided last night before I fell asleep. It’s the first time in weeks that I’ve been able to fall asleep actually. That’s how I know it’s the right decision.”
“What do you intend to do, Anna?” Mary asked her, searching her face.
“I plan to inform Lord Murdock at sun-up, then I plan to go find the Duke of Worthington and tell him I love him.”
“You love Worthington?” Mary asked, a frown wrinkling her brow.
“Yes, and even if I tell him I love him and he doesn’t say it back, I know I’ll regret it forever if I don’t at least try. I’ve spent my whole life living up to someone else’s expectations of how I should behave. I deserve happiness. I deserve a chance at true love, and I think I can only have that with Worthington.”
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy for you, Anna, and I truly think you’re doing the right thing. I actually came in here to talk about Lord Worthington.”
“You did?” Julianna replied, blinking at her sister through the darkness. “What about him?”
Mary winced. “Let me preface this by saying I