Page 4 of A Duke for Stealing (The Devil’s Masquerade #4)

She raised her pointer finger toward Everett, feeling her cheeks flame with embarrassment. Was she actually doing this?!

“He promised his heart and his hand to me!” She added with a dramatic flair, “Duke of Stapleton, Your Grace, I demand you give me my satisfaction!”

Everett’s eyes somehow went wider with shock and confusion as Rose pleaded with her eyes for him to go along with her. Harriett’s gaze, along with the entire congregation, swiveled to him.

“Is this true?” Harriett whispered loudly, “Your Grace, I implore you, speak! Tell us this is not true!”

Everett glanced at Rose once more, his eyes filling with contemplation, then he raised his chin and cleared his throat.

“It is true,” he stated with confidence. “Miss Gravesmoor and I share a love I can no longer ignore.”

A terrifying screech erupted from Harriett as she threw her bouquet down, and without another word, she stormed back down the aisle and out of the church. Chaos filled the church as gossip began to run rampant.

“Your Grace,” Harriett’s father said, striding up the aisle with his wife. “We demand an explanation this moment!”

“What other explanation is there to give?” Everett asked, setting a hard, intense look upon Rose that made her shiver. “I am in love. That is all there is to it.”

With his friends ushering everyone out of the church, Everett strode toward Rose and snatched her hand, nearly dragging her to one of the private rooms. He’d found Rose’s outburst comical at first, but now that real damage was done, he no longer found it amusing.

“Tell me what that was about and tell me now,” he commanded, shutting the door behind them. “I know you do not love me, so what is it? Jealousy? Anger toward the poor woman? Her reputation may never recover, you know.”

“Oh, posh,” Rose retorted, snatching her hand away from his, “Do not pretend that you actually cared about her.”

“I certainly did not, but I do not go around purposely and publicly destroying reputations for the fun of it,” Tristan shot back.

Before him, Rose flinched, and he could have sworn guilt shimmered in her eyes.

“I was not trying to destroy her reputation,” she said, her tone defeated. “I was simply trying to save yours.”

Everett raised a brow. Over the last couple of years, he’d gotten to know Rose, but always thought she was annoyed by him than anything. Did she really care what happened to him?

“Explain yourself,” he demanded.

Rose drew a steadying breath through her small, pert nose and wrung her hands.

“I overheard Harriett talking to her friends last weekend. She was telling them that she had taken a dalliance,” she told him.

Everett let out a dry laugh.

“So? It is not as I am going to our marriage bed as an innocent.”

“Obviously not,” Rose shot back, giving him a judgmental look, “Your reputation is well-renowned, Your Grace. Her dalliance is not why I spoke up…but what came from that dalliance is.”

Everett stared at her with narrowed, questioning eyes. Then suddenly he understood. His eyes slowly widened with realization, and he took a step back.

“Oh,” he breathed. “OH.”

“Yes,” Rose hissed, “ that is why I spoke up.”

“And you could not have spoken up sooner?” He demanded, “You had to wait until my wedding day?!”

The door opened before he got an answer from Rose, but he saw her pale even further as her mother stopped in. Everett immediately caught the scent of stale alcohol wafting off of her, and even though he was still angry at Rose, he felt a sliver of pity for her.

“Mama!” Rose exclaimed, her cheeks suddenly crimson. “What are you doing here?”

“You did not wake me, so I was late to the ceremony,” Betty stated, “I was walking into the church just as the others were coming out and heard the news! Rose, what have you done?!”

Everett saw panic rise in Rose’s eyes and stepped between them.

“She did me a service, Lady Lightholder,” Everett stated. “I knew this marriage was a mistake, but it was Rose who saved me from it.”

“Well,” Betty scoffed, planting her fists on her hips, “That is all well and good, Your Grace, but what are you going to do to save my daughter?”

“Mama, stop,” Rose pleaded.

“Are you going to marry her now?” Betty demanded. “Or will there be two ladies ruined today?”

Everett felt like his head was ready to fly into pieces as he tried in vain to sort through the chaos that had suddenly engulfed his life. The question was valid, but is that what he was going to do? Marry Rose? The idea seemed preposterous!

A knock on the door drew everyone’s attention, and Everett turned to see Dominic, Tristan, Hugo, and Alistair; their wives and Ophelia standing right behind them.

“Rose, Lady Lightholder,” Seraphina said, her tone gentle as she moved through the wall of men, “Why do you not come with us? I believe some wine is in order, and perhaps His Grace needs a moment to confer with his council.”

Everett gave her a grateful look and then turned to Betty just in time to see her blurry eyes light up.

“Wine, you say?” She asked. “Oh, yes. I do believe you are right. My head is simply affudled with these turn of events. Come, Rose dear, let us have a drink. Find a way to sort through this.”

Everett looked over at Rose, who looked both mortified and terrified. He caught her hand as she was about to leave, and was surprised when a tremble ran up his fingers and through his arm at the touch.

“Whatever happens next, I want you to know that I am grateful,” he said quietly.

“That is well and good,” Rose muttered, not looking at all comforted by his words. “At least I shall know I ruined myself for a good cause.”

Everett wished he had more comforting words for her, but he simply let her hand slip out of his and watched as she walked with her head down out into the hall.

“You have to marry Rose,” Tristan commanded as soon as the door was shut. “You have no other option.”

“What in God’s teeth was that?” Hugo questioned before Everett could reply. “Is it true? You love her?”

“Heavens, no! And she does not love me either,” Everett managed to retort before Dominic spoke up.

“Whether you are in love or not, your reputations are both in question now. I do not know why she chose to cause a scene like that, but all that matters now is that you clean it up!”

“You do not think I am aware of that?” Everett snapped.

“If she does not love you, then why would she profess such a thing? In a church no less!” Alistair exclaimed.

Everett exhaled a weary sigh as his friends all waited anxiously for him, then he began to tell them what Rose had just shared with him. When he finished, they all stared at him in shock, only serving to worsen his mood.

“Well, I must say that woman is quite courageous to go to such lengths to save you from such a scandal,” Alistair said after a moment.

“Courageous, yes, but dimwitted,” Hugo countered, shaking his head. “She simply exchanged one scandal for another.”

“Yes, but at least this scandal could be rectified,” Tristan stated, giving Everett a pointed look.

“Stop looking at me like that, Tristan,” Everett commanded, “I may be known for my depravity, but I am not so much that I would refuse to marry the woman to save me from raising another man’s child. Of course, I am going to marry her.”

Somehow, his friends looked even more surprised than before, and he returned their shocked looks with a glare.

“There are some lines even I refuse to cross,” he stated coldly, “and turning my back to the woman that did me such a service is certainly one of them. I appreciate your willingness to have me do the right thing, but I assure you, it was not needed. I’m devilish, but I’m not the devil, you know.”

His friends’ gazes transformed from shocked to apologetic, and he waved off their attempts to coddle him.

“Enough,” he commanded, “I do not need my ego stroked, especially by you four. Just go back out there and help me get a moment alone with Rose.”

Rose paced anxiously within the bridal chamber, the glass of wine in her hand still full. She didn’t bother to look at her mother, knowing her glass had already been refilled twice.

“Rose, darling, perhaps you should sit?” Amelia offered gently.

Rose shook her head and continued her pacing. Of all the foolish things she could have done and said! Why, why had she waited so long to tell Everett? He had every right to be angry.

“Ladies,” Dominic stated, knocking on the door as he opened it.

“Might we give a moment to our two friends? I believe they have something to discuss.”

“Oh, I am not going anywhere,” Betty stated from her seat. “It is clear I have missed too much already.”

Rose caught the imploring look Dominic gave Amelia, and she gave him a quick nod before rounding up Seraphina, Theo, and Ophelia.

“Darling, we will be just outside if you need us,” Ophelia promised, giving Rose’s hand a squeeze.

“All of us,” Theo added with emphasis.

Rose tried to turn her lips toward a smile, but failed. She was not sure if she would ever smile again. Not after the mess she just made.

“Lady Lightholder, Miss Gravesmoor,” Everett greeted politely as he came into the room. “Thank you for your patience. It was needed.”

“What is needed is a marriage,” Betty stated.

She tried to rise to her feet, stumbling slightly as she did so, but caught the back of the chair before she went down. Rose bit back a groan, wishing now more than ever that she had the power to be invisible.

To her surprise, Everett bowed his head politely toward Betty and replied, “You are quite right, Lady Lightholder. And that is what I have come to offer.”

Betty let out a crow of happiness as Rose’s head shot up at his words, unable to believe her ears.

She found Everett’s eyes intently set upon her, not a trace of anger on his annoyingly handsome face.

She’d never studied his features closely before today.

Never really found it necessary to. He’d always annoyed her before she looked at him too long.

Yet looking at him now, she began to understand what so many other women found attractive about him.

Intense, emerald green eyes. Sculpted jaw.

Chiseled lips. And the way two locks of his dark brown hair hung just below his forehead was indeed quite roguishly handsome.

It was a shame he was a rake and never took their vows seriously.

She blushed as she realized she’d been studying for several moments, and pushed herself to speak.

“I- are you certain, Eve- Your Grace?” She asked.

Everett gave her a half smile as he shrugged a shoulder.

“It is what we must do, I am afraid,” he replied. “To protect what reputation you and I have left. I cannot offer romance or some sweeping love, but I can at least give you that.”

Rose frowned again.

“How utterly romantic,” she muttered.

Everett’s smile dropped.

“It is not my fault you were not more pragmatic with your information,” he replied. “Trust me when I say I am not thrilled by this union any more than you are. But I owe you a debt, and this is the only way I can fulfill it.”

Rose knew it was coming. It was inevitable, really. After what she’d done, it was the only choice. Yet even still, she felt her stomach drop and heart wrench.

“I do not want to be married.”

Her voice came out small, childlike.

A glimmer of pity shifted through Everett’s green eyes before they turned hard again.

“At least that we can agree on, but I am afraid we have no choice. Pick out a dress, Miss Gravesmoor. We marry in three days.”