Page 90 of Ruined By The Bachelor Marquess

She had never seen him in such a state and worried that something was gravely wrong.

“Is it true, Julia? Is Pippa’s uncle forcing her to marry Summerset?” His eyes were wild like a mad man’s.

Her breath caught in her throat, and images of St. Clara and Pippa filled her mind. “Y-yes. Since the death of his wife and child last month, Summerset is desperate to marry quickly and get an heir so that O’Brien won’t inherit.” The duchess did not survive going into an early confinement after the dinner at Almack’s. Julia thought it was rather cruel of him to move on so hastily after their death.

Her heart went out to her friend, wishing that somehow Pippa could avoid marriage to the heartless man. But her uncle had returned to London and was set on selling her to the highest bidder.

“Pippa is resigned to do her duty for her family, but it is rather dreadful.” She looked at him inquisitively. “Why do you care? You loathe each other.”

“Dear God, you love her.” Henry laughed at St. Clara. “Now you know what’s it’s like to watch the woman you love be with someone else—”

“It’s not the same thing. Julia is like a sister to me!” St. Clara snapped.

“Nevertheless, now you know how I felt.” Henry’s voice was triumphant.

St. Clara ran his hand through his dark hair and slumped on the sofa. “Damn it! She can’t marry him. Every woman the man marries dies in childbirth.”

“Pippa is the woman you’re in love with? The one you lost a long time ago?” Julia could not believe it. She had begun to suspect that the two had feelings for each other beyond mutual hatred, but she would never have expected Pippa to be his lost love.

What happened between them?

This was not the St. Clara she knew. The man who had become her friend two years ago was confident and sure of himself. This man was not him.

He looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes and answered simply, “Yes.”

Julia opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to find the words. Pippa and St. Clara? What had she missed?

“What are you going to do about it?” Henry challenged.

“I don’t know, but I have to do something.” St. Clara stood abruptly and ran out of the parlor as fast as he had come in.

“Oh my.” Julia took a seat on the sofa, holding her hand to her chest. “How is it that I had no idea that he loved her? I should’ve known.”

“Now that I think about it, there were always telling signs.” Henry sat beside her and pulled her closer. “I believe he’s ruined for any other woman.”

Pippa and St. Clara,how extraordinary.

“Now where were we, my lady?” Henry leaned in closer and pressed a kiss to the shell of her ear, sending a delicious shiver throughout her body.

Pushing all thoughts of her friends out of her mind, she focused on her husband and the fire building between them.

“I believe you were going to ruin me…again.”

“Yes, I believe I was.”

The End.