Page 25 of A Virgin for the Duke of Depravity (Ton’s Beasts #2)

“Dear wife, I believe that you will have to excuse Leo and me,” Aaron interjected, coming up behind her and resting a hand on her shoulder. “Their departure should be discussed with Margaret alone.”

Leo said nothing and headed toward his study. Aaron followed him in, but neither man bothered to pour a drink.

“You did not dishonor her, I hope,” Aaron said, standing by the door. “Whether she chooses to take her vows or not, you are my friend, and I hope you would respect—”

“I did not take her virtue,” Leo scoffed. “Though I dare say that she would have liked it if I had.”

“What she would have liked is not the point. You are a duke. You could have any woman you desired. Why must you want the one woman you cannot have?” Aaron crossed his arms, challenging him.

“She does not deserve what her grandfather has in store for her.”

“You do not know what he has in store for her. Perhaps it would be a suitable match,” Aaron argued.

Leo had thought of this as well. Therewas a good possibility that she could find an arranged marriage just as satisfying as Theresa had with Aaron. A possibility…

But he would not stake Margaret’s future on a possibility.

“No one in the ton will ever be good enough for her,” he said, trying not to think about the men who would bid for her hand.

Aaron watched him carefully, his mouth set in a firm line. Leo knew that his friend wanted to speak about the change he had seen in him ever since Margaret had come into his life.

“And you are?” Aaron pressed.

“I wish,” Leo muttered.

He pushed past Aaron and made his way to the opposite side of the mansion. On his way there, he summoned a maid to draw him a bath. He waited for her impatiently to warm the water and fill the tub. As soon as she left the room, he stripped out of the clothes that still smelled like Margaret.

He sank into the warm water, letting it envelop him until it was all he could hear and feel.

Margaret was determined to go through with the Earl’s demands. Nothing he had done today had swayed her or given her pause. He had done his best to show her the world she would be missing out on, but he could not stop her if she wanted to get married.

It was not like he could marry her.

He was not the marrying type. Leo prided himself on some of the depravity that came with running Olympus. He was the King there, and he would not want to give it up in exchange for a wife to warm his bed.

It was not the way he saw himself, and it was not the way he would live his life. If Margaret truly wanted to get married, he could not grant her that wish.

He dipped his head beneath the water and let out a sigh, bubbles floating around him.

What had this woman done to him, and how was he going to sort it out?

“Where have you been?” Theresa asked Margaret, not waiting for her to offer up excuses. “You have been sneaking off the whole time during your visit, and now you are spending time with Leo alone?”

“Please don’t be cross with me,” Margaret sighed.

“Just tell me the truth. It is all we have ever asked of each other.”

“Leo and I had met before. Before the house party. I met him at Olympus, where I might have stumbled upon his book club.” Margaret looked down at her dress, willing her eyes not to well with tears at the sweet memories of her time at Olympus.

Surely, those were all over at this point.

“But your vows—”

“He did not ruin me,” Margaret said quickly, to ward off any thoughts Theresa might have had about what they did. “There was no reason why the sisters would not still accept me. Not that it matters now…”

Theresa nodded, saving Margaret from the embarrassment of having to tell her exactly what Leo did do to her.

Her friend would surely understand, but she did not think her modesty would permit her to speak.

“If you won’t go back despite the fact that you’re not ruined…Will you go through what the Earl plans? What do you want?”

Margaret considered the question for a moment, her hand absentmindedly reaching for the rosary that was not in her pocket. There were some benefits to life at the convent—safety, for one. But there was no longer a possibility she would find that, no matter where she went.

“I’m not sure I am allowed to want anything,” Margaret said. “Leo and I—it is not meant to be. I’m sure you understand.”

“I worry for you. I want you to find happiness, as I have. If that means that you and Leo must marry—” Theresa took Margaret’s hands in her own, but they were interrupted by the giggles of two small girls.

Annie and Kitty jumped into Margaret’s lap, forcing Theresa to pull back. Kitty put a small, sticky hand on Margaret’s cheek. She furrowed her brow, clearly trying to discern what caused the emotion in Margaret’s eyes.

Margaret tried to smile for the girls, to pretend that she and Theresa had not just been discussing the uncertainty of her future. As if she did not have to think about whether she should return to the convent and take her vows.

“Margaret, will you take us to the kitchens for a little strawberry pastry from today’s breakfast?”

“Two girls after my own heart.” She forced herself to laugh. “Theresa, come with us, and we shall all indulge our sweet tooth.”

She stood up, Annie and Kitty each taking one of her hands. Theresa groaned as she rose to her feet, one hand resting on her belly. The four of them furtively crept through the halls, not wanting to be discovered on their quest for dessert.

The cook saw the girls coming and frowned.

“I have told the girls they could have dessert,” Margaret said with a smile. “I hope I have not overstepped.”

“Not at all, My Lady.”

“Is there any of the strawberry pastry left?” Annie asked quickly.

The cook reached behind her and took out a plate that still had several pastries on it, setting it on the table in front of the ladies.

“If you will excuse me, I have some chores to tend to,” she said, before taking her leave and leaving Margaret, Theresa, and the girls alone in the kitchen.

No sooner had Kitty taken a bite out of her pastry than Leo and Joan burst through the door.

“I have been looking everywhere for you,” Joan complained, out of breath from racing around the mansion in search of the girls.

“And what are you doing here in the kitchens?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow at Margaret.

She paused with the pastry halfway to her mouth. “You’ll have to forgive me, Your Grace. It seems the girls wanted something they were not supposed to have,” she said.

Leo looked at her intently, the tension rising between them.

The girls looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do. Annie wolfed down the rest of her pastry and stepped toward Joan, who took her hand and reached for Kitty.

Theresa rose from her seat and hovered at the edge of the room. Margaret looked at her friend, willing her not to leave her alone with Leo.

“I fear that I have exhausted myself,” Margaret said, rising to her full height. “Theresa, we will have to continue this conversation tomorrow.”

“Margaret—” Leo started.

“Good night, Your Grace,” Margaret said, ducking her head and leaving the kitchens, feeling Leo’s eyes on her as she went.