Page 73 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

Joane remembered William utter those words.

So why is he in a double courtship?

“I didn’t do this to hurt you Joane or to prove a point. I did this to protect you,” Emma said.

“Well you protected me. Thank you for your excellent protection service,” Joane replied cynically.

She could see why Emma did what she did but right now she couldn’t feel past the pain. Every breath she took made her heart ache.

“I am sorry Joane,” Emma whispered.

She crawled nearer to Joane and covered her hand with her palm. Joane wanted to push her away. The anger at Emma built again, threatening to spill and make her lash out but the pain was too strong and Joane wanted comfort. She held on to Emma’s hand and lunged into her embrace, wetting the front of Emma’s gown with tears: hot and strong. Emma wrapped her arms around Joane and rocked gently.

After minutes of silent weeping, Joane asked Emma.

“How did you come to know of this?”

Emma took a deep loud breath. Joane raised her head, looking into the eyes of her friend as she spoke.

“Lord Wembley, the Earl of Norfolk, is a very close friend to my father. And father will always make a visit to his house anytime he comes around. This time when father got home, he told me of how his friend spoke proudly of the ongoing courtship between his daughter and the son of the Duke of Wellington,” Emma said.

She paused to look into Joane’s eyes.

“I was shocked Joane, as shocked as you are right now. But father cannot tell tall tales, so I decided to see for myself.” Emma continued.

“Father was supposed to go to Norfolk today to take some silk materials to give his friend, I asked him to send me. My plan was to stylishly cause the Earl to talk about it, I wanted to hear from the horse’s mouth. But I got one better.

While I was still speaking with the Duke, I saw William coming from the garden, hand in hand with Esther, the Duke’s daughter. What more confirmation is there than that? He didn’t see me or he didn’t recognize me, I don’t know Joane but I saw him.”

Joane saw it in her friend’s eyes, she spoke the truth. William had not denied it anyway.

“So what he has with Esther is known to her father? Do you know if it is known to his parents?” Joane asked.

“I don’t know, Joane. I didn’t ask the Duke.”

Joane shook her head. Something was not right.

If all William wanted was vengeance then he could have had it in the field that afternoon. He could have broken her maidenhead. He could have made her his.

I offered myself to him. He refused. Why did he refuse?

“Why do your eyes look so forlorn? What weighs so much on your mind? Share your heavy thoughts with me, Joane,” Emma said.

Joane eased out of her embrace with Emma. Her eyes had stopped watering. The headache was dropping in ferocity.

“We almost made love today.”

Emma’s mouth was agape in an expression of surprise. Joane almost smiled.

She had not been expecting me to say that.

“I offered myself to William, he refused,” Joane said.

Emma closed her mouth and rubbed her temple with her right index finger.

“I don’t understand. He had you naked?” she asked Joane.

“Naked and hungry, he found out I was a virgin and,”