The Duke's Divorce (The Reluctant Grooms Series Volume IV) (36 page)

“Fiona, there is no future between me and
Mary Elizabeth. My future lies with you.”

“My lord, there can be no future between us.
I will not live my life in the wings waiting for you to decide whom
it is you truly love. I will not be made a laughingstock
again.”

“Fiona, did you not hear me? I said there is
no future between the Countess and me. I was run-away with drink
and distant memories that night. And those remembrances are
something I would much rather forget. The only memories I want to
make now are with you. It is you I love and will always love.” He
stood up and began to pace the small carpet.

“I know I have not been the best of husbands.
I know our marriage did not get off to the best of starts. I also
know how much you mean to me. When I found you gone that dreadful
day, I cried like a baby in my mother’s arms. Lady Olivia gave me a
verbal lashing the likes I have not heard since my father was
alive, and I realized how utterly stupid and foolish I have
been.”

He walked over to her chair and kneeled at
her feet. “Fiona, I know I do not deserve you, you are too good and
kind for the likes of me, but I am begging you, please. Please,
give me one more chance to prove to you how much I love you.”

Fiona sat there in silence drinking in his
words. Could she be sure he was telling the truth this time? He had
done this to her over and over again. Show his affection, then pull
away. What if this was more of the same?

“I do not know if I can. Robert, these last
weeks have brought me to a new outlook. Your attitude to me, your
actions toward me, have made me suspect that we would never come
together truly as man and wife. I always felt you never wished to
remain married to me, and so I found it easier to think of myself
in my own future. Without you.”

Robert got up from the floor and began to
pace again. “What can I do? Tell me what I may do to prove it to
you. Fiona, we belong together. I am sure of it.”

“I need some time, Robert. Time alone. I have
my pride to think of, you know. My father may not have given me
much, but he did give me that. I will not succumb to you so
easily.”

“Very well.” Robert smiled. “How long will
you need?”

“I do not know. As much time as it takes I
would imagine.”

“May I call on you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I asked if I may call on you. I remember
once we tried to go back to the beginning and it seemed to bring us
closer together. Let us start from this place, from this beginning,
and see if we, if you, could find your way to me once more.
Please?”

“Robert, I….”

“Come with me now, Fiona. Let us take a walk
together. Let us take a look around your new neighborhood. Perhaps
there is a restaurant where I may buy you breakfast. You are
hungry, are you not?”

Fiona’s stomach grumbled again with the
mention of food. “Very well. But only as I am hungry.” She smiled
as he held the door open for her.

Robert walked with her around the streets of
St. Ann’s, and on the next block they found a lovely little bakery
where Fiona had her morning hot chocolate and two apple tarts.
Robert was attentive, and asked her questions without talking down
to her in the way he had so many times before. When he found Eammon
had gone to Tattersall’s to look for a horse and carriage, he
immediately decreed the boy could go to Cantin House and pick up
her horse and equipage. If she wished, he would rent her a space in
the stable in the mews behind her house, that way it would remain
at her disposal.

He told her his mother was grateful for her
letter, which brought a tear to her eye. In all this, she had never
meant to hurt Lady Joanna. Robert said his mother understood
Fiona’s position and that she was always welcome to visit. Fiona
thought it better if her mother-in-law visited her in her new
house. Robert made a face, but said he would relay the message.

When finished with their breakfast, Robert
walked her back to number ten St. Ann’s Court. They stood on the
stoop, the key in Fiona’s fingers. Robert took it from her, opened
the door, and swung it wide.

He took her hand in his and brought it to his
lips. “This has been a most enjoyable outing this morning, Lady
Stewart.”

Fiona smiled. “Yes, it actually has. Thank
you for your very kind hospitality.”

“My pleasure entirely.” He paused. “It seems
I have an invitation to a ball this evening. Would you care to
attend with me?”

“Oh, Robert, I do not think that is a very
wise decision, do you?”

He cocked his head. “Perhaps you are right.
Well then, would you care to dine with me? I could pick you up, say
seven o’clock?”

“Robert, I’m not sure. You are overwhelming
me.”

The look he gave her was pure disappointment.
“Well, perhaps tomorrow then?”

“Yes, perhaps tomorrow would be better,”
Fiona said. She did not want to appear as hungry for him as she had
for her apple tarts.

“I look forward to it.” He kissed her hand
again and walked down the steps. He turned at the gate and waved.
Fiona stood on the stoop and watched him walk down St. Ann’s Court
with a spring in his step.

Could she really trust this new Robert? Or
would her heart always wonder if he was thinking of someone else?
The only thing she did know was that she had to give him one more
chance. She would never forgive herself if she did not.

Robert courted his wife for the next three
weeks. He took her out for drives in the countryside, to dinner at
the finest restaurants in London, walked with her in the Park, and
sat with her in her little front room while she read to him from
the books in her borrowed library. He was happy they were getting
along so well, but eager for her to make up her mind whether she
would move back to Cantin House with him.

When the scandal sheets reported they were
together but living separately, several dozen women left their
husbands and Robert was besieged by irate men who wanted their
wives back at home where they belonged. It seemed Fiona had started
a trend.

His mother had been to tea at Fiona’s house
on several occasions, with and without Lady Olivia, and although he
wanted to ask what had been discussed, he thought better of it, as
he knew the subject would be him. He didn’t need to be reminded of
his faults.

Tonight was their first night back into
Society, the Duchess of Pelham’s ball, and Robert looked forward to
showing the
ton
he was not such a cad as the papers made him
out to be.

He had sent all her clothes from Cantin House
to St. Anne’s Court, and when he arrived to pick her up he was
stunned by her appearance. She exuded a certain glow about her this
night he had never noticed before.

Fiona blushed when he told her that. “Robert,
please.”

“No, it is true. You have never looked
lovelier. Shall we go?” He held out his hand and escorted her down
the steps to his waiting carriage.

At the Pelham’s, people stared as they made
their way through the great hall to the ballroom. Penny rushed to
Fiona and kissed her on the cheek. William slapped his cousin on
the back. Richard stood with them for awhile before the dancing
commenced, but then departed to go home to Amanda, who was settled
into her confinement waiting for the birth of their child.

“I do hope she has a girl,” Penny said as she
watched the captain walk away. “And if we have a boy, they could
marry.”

Fiona gaped at Penny with round eyes. “Are
you certain?”

Penny smiled. “Yes, most assuredly.”

Fiona wrapped her arms around Penny. “Oh, I
am so very happy for you.”

Robert looked at William. “Is this true,
Will? You are about to be a proud papa?”

William grinned broadly. “That is what my
wife tells me.”

“Congratulations, that is wonderful news.
Come, let us away to the library where we can toast to your good
fortune.” Robert chanced a look at Fiona who wore a questioning
expression on her face. “Or we can stay right here and sip
lemonade.”

Fiona wrapped her arm through his. “That is
very good of you, my lord.”

The night was gay, and Robert could barely
contain his happiness. The four of them stood and conversed,
danced, and laughed together all night.

At one point, Fiona and Penny excused
themselves for the retiring room, and William went to the library
to get a brandy, which Robert declined. He stood near the terrace
doors and waited for everyone to return. He thought about how far
he had come in the last few weeks with Fiona, how they had somehow
grown closer than he ever thought possible, and knew that tonight
she would return to Cantin House. Or at the very least he would
spend the night with her at number ten St. Ann’s Court, and he
sighed in deep and utter contentment.

A whisper of his name called to him from
outside. He turned to look and saw no one. He heard it again and
walked two steps outside the doors. Several couples roamed the
gardens in the moonlight, a few others were along the far end of
the terrace. He looked around.

“Robby, I am here.” Mary Elizabeth stepped
out from the shadows of a large fountain.

Robert’s blood turned to ice. “What do you
want, Mary Elizabeth? I have nothing to say to you.”

“Robby, please do not be this way. I have
longed to see you, and you refuse all my invitations. Every card,
every letter has been returned. Robby, why are you being so cruel?”
She sidled up to him and touched his arm.

Robert flinched away. “Because I do not wish
to see you, nor speak with you. Whatever we had is over and done,
Countess
. I am in love with my wife, now leave me
alone.”

“Robby, please, can we not talk together for
just a few minutes?”

“I believe my husband said he does not wish
to speak with you.”

Robert turned and found Fiona, Penny,
William, his mother, and Lady Olivia standing just outside the
terrace doors. Fiona walked to Robert and placed her hand on his
arm.

“I only wanted to talk with him,” Mary
Elizabeth said with a pout.

“And he does not wish to speak to you,” Fiona
said again, and turned both she and Robert away.

“I do not see what he fancies in you,” Mary
Elizabeth spat. “You are nothing but a Scottish harpy, sown on the
milk of sheep and gorse. How could Robert ever love you?”

Fiona’s eyes blazed. “And you are nothing but
a spoiled little hoyden, which makes you nothing but the most
pitiable of creatures.”

Robert took a step to get Fiona away from
Mary Elizabeth, but suddenly was pushed back as Mary Elizabeth lost
all control and slapped Fiona.

Before anyone could intervene, Fiona drew
back and punched Mary Elizabeth in the face. She fell and hit the
ground with a thud, out cold.

Fiona looked at him. “Shall we go back
inside, my lord? I fear I have a slight chill.”

Robert stood in amazement. Fiona’s
unpredictability was one of the things he loved most about her. He
threw back his head and laughed. “Of course, dearest, anything you
wish.”

The headlines in the papers the next day had
Robert and Fiona chuckling over their breakfast.

Duchess of Cantin Dukes Countess of
Contemptibility

It appears Lady Fiona found the Countess de
Lavallier manhandling the Dashing Duke at the Pelham’s Ball last
evening, When the Countess would not relinquish her hold over Lady
Fiona’s husband, Lady Fiona struck the Countess in the face.
Eyewitness accounts say the Lovely Lady Fiona would do Gentleman
Jackson proud. This reporter wonders if the Dashing Duke knows what
he is in for during the course of his marriage.

The day after the Pelham’s ball, Fiona left
her little house on St. Ann’s Court and moved back to Cantin
House.

Two days later, the Duke and Duchess of
Cantin removed from their house on St. Martin Street and left
London altogether to enjoy a much belated honeymoon.

As they pulled up to ‘The Cottage’ in
Swansea, Fiona made Robert stop the carriage before they made the
long turn up to the house. She stepped down from the coach and ran
across the meadow to the two large trees that abutted the slope
where they had kissed that long ago afternoon.

Robert followed at a more leisurely pace and
when he stood next to his wife he found her with tears streaming
down her face.

“Oh, Robert, it is so beautiful. When did you
do this?”

“I’ve had the men working on it since the day
we left. Do you like it?”

Fiona stared at the wooden bridge that led
down to the shoreline. A small gazebo stood at the very end
overlooking the ocean.

“I love it with all my heart.”

“As I love you,” he said and kissed her
nose.

“Do you know who will love it even more?” she
whispered.

“My mother?” Robert asked, wrapping his arms
around his wife.

“The baby,” she said.

Robert kissed her then, and knew that nothing
in the world could ever mean as much to him as this woman, and the
child she carried inside her. He took her hand and walked across
the wooden bridge down to the gazebo, where they stood looking out
over the ocean.

The author wishes to thank “the girls” –

Bridget Chicoine, Liza Salerno, Francine
Howarth,

Michelle Davidson Argylle, Susan Swiderski,
and Bish Denham.

Without whose unfailing support this book
would not be written.

Thank you.

As always, this is for my Monster.

Love you Boola.

And

For Michael

Who knows how to build bridges out of big
rocks.