Page 34 of Caught with the Beastly Duke (Dangerous Dukes #3)

“No one is going to be here,” Rosalie moaned as she set her head down on the desk. “This is a waste of time.”

“It’s not a waste of time!” Iris said sharply. “It’s just the first step on what is going to be an incredible journey!”

But Rosalie just let out a pitiful groan and closed her eyes. “I wish I’d never started on this.”

“You’re just nervous,” Violet said, coming to stand by the desk and rubbing Rosalie between the shoulders. “I promise you, you’re going to be a wild success.”

Rosalie didn’t open her eyes. She knew she was being a tad dramatic, but in her defense, she had never pretended she wasn’t dramatic. That’s what made her a storyteller, wasn’t it? That she was able to plumb the depths of human emotion and experience them firsthand?

Okay, now you’re being too dramatic even for yourself.

Violet’s hand left her back, and from where she lay with her head on the desk, she could hear her sister whispering together, conferring, probably deciding if this was just a bout of nerves or if they should take her seriously.

“Rosalie, we’ll be right back,” Iris finally said, raising her voice so Rosalie could hear her. “Don’t you dare try to escape!”

“I won’t escape,” Rosalie grunted. “But I’m not doing it. I can’t.”

The door opened and closed then the room was silent. Rosalie sat up. She was mercifully alone in the room. Sighing and stretching, she looked around. Afternoon light was filtering in through the window, illuminating the plainly furnished antechamber of the Assembly Rooms. She’d never been in here before. Every time she’d been to the Assembly Rooms, she’d come as a spectator, not as a presenter. And now… she couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the fact she was here to be seen, not to see.

If anyone even shows which I very much doubt they will.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught sight of the stack of books sitting on the mantelpiece, and she felt her stomach lurch. She couldn’t look at those right now.

The door to the room opened at that moment, and Nathan came in.

It was incredible, Rosalie reflected as she fastened her eyes on his, how much her husband had a soothing effect on her constitution. Seeing him now, surveying her with a slightly amused smile, she felt all the fear and self-doubt melt away. She even felt a little bit excited.

Iris and Violet knew exactly what I needed.

“What’s this I hear about how you no longer want to give the reading?” Nathan said, putting his hands on his hips. “Your sisters say that you are in here moaning and feeling sorry for yourself?” He tutted. “That’s not the published author I know and love.”

“I can’t go out there, Nathan,” Rosalie said. “I can’t. Who do I think I am, giving a reading of one of my own works? I’m not supposed to write books! I’m supposed to read them.”

“Just like you were supposed to be the secondary character in your own life, not the heroine?” He tilted his head to one side.

She rolled her eyes. “That was a long time ago. I’ve come to accept I can be the heroine. What I can’t accept is that people might actually come and see me read. What if no one shows up, Nathan? What if people ask questions and tear the book apart? What if they tell me I’m a fraud, that a woman can’t do this?”

“Oh, Rosalie…” He strode across the room and pulled her to her feet then enveloped her in a hug. “They’re not going to say that,” he murmured. “You have been getting glowing remarks in all the papers.”

“One of them said, Surprisingly adequate for a novel by a woman.”

Nathan snorted. “Everyone knows Lord Randall has regressive views on women. Anyway, he has terrible taste in literature as well.”

Rosalie laughed weakly. “That is true.”

Nathan released her and held her at arm’s length then traced a hand along her cheek. “You’re going to do very well, my love. I have not a single doubt in my mind that you will read beautifully and that everyone who comes will hang upon your every word. You are a talented writer. I know it, your sisters know it, and your readers know it. Deep down, I think you know it, too.”

Rosalie bit her lip. She wanted to believe him; she did believe him. Most days, that is. But not today. Today, all her old insecurities were coming rushing back.

Nathan seemed to sense this, because a finger curled around a lock of her hair and said, “What would Lizzy ‘Nobeard’ Seacliff do?”

Rosalie burst out laughing. “Not this again! Are you going to invoke her every time I’m scared to do something.”

“Yes,” he said very seriously. “And every time, you’re going to remember how brave you are.”

She gazed up at him for a long moment, letting his certainty and love radiate down on her. I can do this.

“It’s a special thing that I can be weak in front of you, and you still love me,” she whispered at last.

“You can always be weak in front of me,” he said. “But this isn’t weakness, it’s just nerves. We all get them from time to time. Now, I think you’re going to want to go out there.”

She glanced nervously toward the door. “What if no one shows up?”

The amused smile returned to his face. “I think you’re going to find that isn’t an issue.”

Her heart leapt. Does that mean…? “All right, let’s go, then. I’m ready.”

He released her, and she walked over to the mantle and picked up the first book on the top of the pile of identical books: a slim, leather-bound volume in a beautiful, rich red.

The Secret of the Spanish Rose, by Rosalie Goldwin.

Then Nathan held the door open for her, and she stepped out of the antechamber to hear a cacophony of noise sounding from the Assembly Rooms ahead of her. Giving him a questioning look, she walked down the hallway and then right, opening the door that would bring her onto the stage.

As she walked out into the open, the faces of at least fifty women turned to stare up at her, eagerness and excitement radiating from every single one, and then they burst into applause.

***

“You were incredible!” Iris gushed, rushing up to Rosalie from behind and throwing her arms around her. “Just incredible!”

“Brilliant,” Violet said from where she was standing behind Iris and beaming. “Absolutely brilliant.”

“Thank you,” Rosalie said, blushing with pleasure and embarrassment at her sisters’ praise. They were enjoying tea and champagne after the Assembly Room reading in the main foyer where Nathan had also arranged to have plated hors d’oeuvres of all Rosalie’s favorites. As a tray whizzed by now, she reached out and grabbed a small tart from it and plopped it into her mouth. It was delicious and had the added benefit of preventing her from having to say anything else.

“You’re looking quite round,” Iris said, raising an eyebrow as she watched Rosalie eat the tart. “I must say that I approve.”

Nathan, who was standing next to Rosalie, looked around at this. “I approve as well,” he said, his eyes sparkling as they swept over Rosalie. “She looks healthy and well-fed, does she not?”

“She does indeed,” Violet said, and she looked meaningfully at Rosalie. “Does that mean there is any news that you want to share with us?”

If Rosalie had thought she was blushing before, it was nothing to the scarlet she turned now.

Nathan, however, merely laughed. “No, no,” he said. “I am merely feeding my wife well. Since our marriage, she has discovered a new favorite pastime, and it isn’t writing—it’s eating.”

“That’s true,” Rosalie said. “I never knew that food could bring so much joy, but that is one of the gifts that my marriage to Nathan has given me.”

“That’s lovely,” Violet said, smiling at the two of them.

“Your Grace?” They all turned at the voice of the newcomer and saw a girl, probably around fifteen or sixteen, accompanied by an older woman who looked to be her mother. She was clutching a copy of The Secret of the Spanish Rose to her chest and looking shyly at Rosalie.

“What can I do for you?” Rosalie said, smiling kindly at the girl, who went pink in the face.

“I was a-at your r-reading just now,” she stammered. “You were wonderful! And I was wondering if…” She looked at her mother, who nodded encouragingly. “I was wondering if I could have your autograph?”

“Oh!” Rosalie was stunned. No one had asked for her autograph before, and she was more flattered than she could say. “Oh, of course! I don’t have a quill or ink, but—”

“I’ll get you one,” Nathan said at once. He sent a footman for a quill and ink, and within minutes, Rosalie was sitting at one of the small tables, a pot of ink and a fresh quill in front of her.

“Who should I make it out to?” she asked the girl.

“Mariah,” she said, her eyes wide as if she couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

“And what was your favorite part of the book, Mariah?” Rosalie asked as she dipped her quill in the ink.

“Oh, when Lady Margaret and Sir Ronald get together at the end,” she said at once. “It was so romantic!”

Mariah’s mother laughed. “She also couldn’t stop talking about how much she admired that the book was written by a woman.”

“Mama!” Mariah looked mortified that her mother had said this, but Rosalie was intrigued.

“Really?” she asked Mariah. “Why did you admire it so much?”

“Well… you don’t see many books by women, do you?” Mariah said. “It made me think I could write a book someday!”

Rosalie was halfway through writing her name and suddenly found she had to stop. A wave of emotion had hit her so hard that a lump had risen in her throat and her eyes had become fogged with tears. Clearing her throat, she forced herself to continue. Then she paused and added another line of ink below her name.

“What does it say?” Mariah asked, glancing at it.

“It says, To Mariah, from Rosalie. I can’t wait to read your book someday.”

Mariah’s eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Thank you for coming to my reading,” Rosalie said. She blew on the ink to dry it then handed the book back to Mariah. “Never believe it when others say you can’t write.”

Mariah and her mother both curtsied, thanked her again, and then disappeared into the crowd. Rosalie felt the lump return to her throat just as Nathan put a hand on her shoulder.

“That was very powerful,” he whispered, and she looked up to see that there were tears in his eyes as well. “You are changing the way the world sees women, Rosalie. You are an inspiration for girls. I am more proud of you than I could ever say.”

“It’s all thanks to you,” she murmured as she gazed up into his eyes. “You were the one that gave me the idea to write. You’re the one that encourages me and gives me strength to keep going whenever I doubt myself.”

But Nathan was shaking his head. “Perhaps I help from time to time, but this is all you, my love. This is your victory and your strength. And I’m so proud of you.”

His hand tightened on her shoulder, and she placed hers over his.

“Maybe Violet’s right,” she whispered, and she let a hint of slyness into her smile. “Maybe it’s time to start a family.”

And as wonderful as it felt to read her book on stage at the Assembly Rooms, no feeling could top the happiness she felt as he nodded, bright-eyed, down at her.

The End.