Page 19 of The Beast’s Duchess (Duchesses of Inconvenience #1)

Chapter Fifteen

C hristopher stood stunned in the very spot where Veronica’s lips had brushed against his neck. He could still feel their lingering touch on his skin.

Why had she done such a thing?

He didn’t deserve such tenderness from someone like her.

Suddenly, the whole of Ashton Castle felt too warm, too lived in. Too bright with Veronica’s liveliness and the love she shared with her sisters. He didn’t belong here, but he couldn’t turn away from it. So he slipped off to the uninhabited part of the castle.

Only when he was tucked away in the restricted section, surrounded by crumbling floorboards and faded wall paper, did he feel like he could breathe again.

He didn’t make it to his room that night, sleeping instead in the safety of his study.

The next day, after he woke up, Christopher almost immediately raced off to the stables. But riding didn’t soothe his turbulent thoughts. Nor did the garden, or even simple solitude. No matter where Christopher went, he couldn’t escape the way Veronica had infiltrated his life.

Her voice echoed through the walls, she’s all the servants seem to talk about, the very castle he calls home has begun to bare the mark of her impact.

It was inescapable.

Finally, he gave up on his normal activities and turned toward the forest. He made his way along narrow, familiar paths until he made it to his destination. The dense trees of the forest gave way to a small lush meadow.

In the center was a small stone, surrounded by things he’d brought in Alexander’s memory.

It wasn’t his friend’s true grave. That was in the family tomb on their estate, a cold stone edifice that bore no trace of Alexander’s vibrant spirit or affectionate laughter.

Still, Christopher needed a place to let out his grief, so once he’d recovered from the fire, he made his own little memorial on the grounds of Ashton Castle.

Getting off his horse, he approached the stone.

“Sorry it’s been so long since I visited you,” he whispered. “A lot has happened since I was last here. I ended up getting married if you can believe it. It’s the same woman from the night of the fire. I hope you wouldn’t be too mad at me if you wer where to see it.”

The longer he stood there, the more his thoughts turned to the night when he lost everything.

It all came rushing back to him.

He could hear people screaming. Feel the heat from the fire scorching his skin.

Veronica had gotten away, he’d been able to save her, but it was too late to save Alexander. He never made it out of the house.

His father never forgave Christophr when he found out what happened, and he had never forgiven himself.

And how could he? The only reason Alexander was dead in the first place was because of him. If he had been faster, stronger, better , he could have found a way to save them both.

But he didn’t.

He had failed his friend then. He was failing his wife now. He should stay away from her.

Stay away from all of them so no one else got hurt because of him.