Page 15 of The Marquess’s Stolen Bride (Dukes Gone Dirty #3)

15

M adeline watched William the whole way home.

Or rather, she stared at his profile. He never once glanced her way. And he was silent for the entire ride, not even responding to her questions about how he’d enjoyed his evening.

At first she’d thought it was her own guilt making her paranoid. She’d been so desperate to stop her stepmother from going through with her horrid threats that she’d done something so shameful she’d barely been able to look her husband in the eye earlier today.

She’d asked him for pin money like the countess had said. But it hadn’t been enough. Not nearly. And then she’d seen money on his desk. Funds set aside for household items.

Her mouth was dry and her stomach queasy at the memory of it. So quick. So easy. She’d had the money in her reticule in seconds.

Did he know? Was that why he was avoiding looking at her?

She pressed her shaking hands to her belly, but her chest was tight with fear as they rode in silence.

By the time they arrived home and were heading up the stairs to her bedroom, her belly was a knotted mess of worry.

“William,” she started.

She stopped when he gave her a warning look, glancing at the maid who curtsied as they passed.

Not in front of the servants , his glare said.

Her mouth went dry. When they entered her bedroom, he shut the door with an ominous snick.

“W-william?” she said, her palms growing clammy when he turned to face her.

This…this wasn’t William. The man before her might as well have been a stranger. The warmth in his gaze had gone cold and the smile on his lips was nowhere to be seen.

“William, is something wrong? Have I… Have I done something wrong?”

Her guilty conscience reared up at that.

Have you done something wrong? Aside from lie and steal and betray your husband’s trust?

He watched her for a long moment, and she clasped her hands tight when she realized…he knew her. He always saw straight through her. And right now, what he saw made her want to weep.

“Did you do something wrong,” he finally said, drawing out the words like he was mulling them over. “I don’t know, Madeline. Why don’t you tell me? Have you done something wrong?”

What do you know? What do you suspect?

She swallowed hard. “I-I…no?”

Oh drat, it came out as a question. As unbelievable as if she’d just tried to tell him a tall tale.

He frowned. “Tell me, love…”

She cringed at the cold way in which he said the endearment. Not at all with that kind, warm gentleness that actually made her feel…well, loved.

He tilted his head to the side to study her. “What became of that pin money I gave you?”

She blinked in surprise as her stomach sank. He knew.

She didn’t know how, but he knew.

“I…I don’t know what you mean.”

“You asked me for money,” he said as he stalked toward her. “Which I happily gave to you. But you never did say what you needed it for.”

She couldn’t speak. Even if she had a lie at hand, she couldn’t have blurted it out. She felt sick, her body cold all over. It didn’t matter what she said because he knew.

She could see it in the set of his shoulders and the lack of warmth in his eyes. She could hear it in the hard suspicion that laced his tone.

Her stomach twisted and turned, her ribcage tightening as her foolish mind went blank. She couldn’t think of a single excuse.

She couldn’t even imagine how to begin to tell him the truth. Especially now, when he was staring at her with such mistrust.

He stopped just short of touching her, so she had to crane her neck to hold his gaze.

“Tell me, Madeline,” he said.

Her heart clenched when she caught a flicker of pain behind that cold, hard mask. She didn’t want to hurt him. She wrung her shaking hands together. More than anything, she did not want to hurt this man who’d been so good to her.

He stepped closer. “If I were to look, would I find more money missing?”

She didn’t answer, but she supposed the tears of guilt and shame that rimmed her eyes gave her away.

“Why?” he rasped. “Why would you steal from me when you know I’d give you anything you ask?”

She shook her head. Foley. It was Foley who’d told him. That much was obvious. He was the only person who knew what she’d done. Indeed, he’d taken the pouch full of coins and given her an admonishment about how she ought to be quicker with her next payment.

But it was a lie, wasn’t it? It wasn’t about the money or how quickly she could get it.

It was about the countess wanting to destroy her and her happiness. It had always been about that.

Madeline’s lips quivered as horror stole over her. She’d been a fool to think there was any other way out of this mess. Her mother would not rest until she was ruined. Until every bit of happiness was taken from her.

“Why, Madeline?” he said. “Just…tell me why.”

But she couldn’t. Because…how? How do you tell the man you’re coming to love that he was not the first to see you naked? She wasn’t sure she could say it aloud. She knew for certain she could not bear it if his gaze filled with betrayal. Or worse, disgust.

But betrayal was already there, wasn’t it?

He was already backing away from her with disgust.

Imagine how he’d react if he knew the whole sordid truth. He’d think her just as wanton and wicked as his stepmother. She clapped a hand over her mouth, but she couldn’t stop a sob.

Her mother had done this, and she’d done it on purpose.

Happiness would never be hers so long as the countess was there to destroy it.

His hands gripped her shoulders. “Tell me what’s going on, Madeline. I am your husband. You ought to be able to tell me what’s happening.” His grip tightened, and there was no hiding the anguish in his eyes. It was anger mixed with hurt and…

She choked on another sob.

Hope.

He wanted to believe her.

He wanted to help her, even now after whatever Foley had said to him.

She took a step back. “My mother needed money.”

“For what?” he snapped. “I’m already restoring their home and have offered assistance?—”

“Not that,” she said. “She wants…” My downfall. She wants me ruined . “She wants more money. She thinks…she thinks I owe it to her.”

He shook his head. “The woman is just as mad as your father.”

“No, she’s not,” she muttered miserably.

And that made it so much worse.

Their father had been cruel, of that there was no doubt. Even Albert hadn’t been spared from their father’s erratic temper and violent mood swings. The mad earl was vindictive and spiteful toward his own children. He’d gone into fits of rage over the slightest wrongdoing and then would spend days at a time happy as could be. It was the inconsistency of his nature that made others think him mad. It was his bizarre actions, like forcing his daughter to be imprisoned that had likely had the servants whispering about his unhealthy state of mind.

But the thing about her father was…everyone knew him to be mad. There was a safety to his madness. He’s not in his right mind became the excuse they gave him. It took some of the sting from his blows.

The countess was something different altogether.

“She’s in her right mind, just…angry,” Madeline continued.

She could feel his stare. But her thoughts were whirring about, muddling her senses and making her stomach twist and churn with indecision.

Part of her wanted to tell him. Everything. All about her childhood. Her father. The woman they claimed to be her mother who hated her with a passion.

The ways her mother had tormented her as she got older, fueling her father’s fears that Madeline would be raped or kidnapped unless locked away. Forbidding her brother to teach her, and sending him off when he got old enough to stand up on her behalf.

“Why is she angry?” William demanded. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

He was only barely hanging onto his patience. And could she blame him?

She’d stolen from him. Lied to him. She’d planned to run away from him before they’d even wed.

“Madeline, talk to me,” he said, dipping his head to meet her gaze. “I cannot help you if you do not tell me what’s going on.”

Her heart twisted. He still wanted to help her.

This man. This kind, loving man. He’d been so hurt in the past and yet he still had so much love to give.

“Is she holding something over you?” he asked. “Is your mother threatening you in some way?”

She didn’t answer. She couldn’t.

No matter what she said, he would think less of her. He would pull away from her.

She would lose him.

It would be her word versus her mother and Foley’s. And right then and there, she saw the end.

She’d been a fool to think her story would end differently than it had begun. Only a romantic nitwit would imagine that she truly was living a fairy tale.

“I cannot tell you, I’m sorry,” she said, backing away as tears threatened. “I can’t tell you this.”

But he’d learn of it. He’d find out.

Her mother’s cruel smile flashed before her eyes. The smugness in Foley’s features—before he’d gone and done what they’d said they wouldn’t.

He’d told William. Maybe not everything, but enough.

Her mother was a cat and she the mouse. Was it about money? Yes. Perhaps. But it was so much more. No amount of stolen coin would assuage her mother’s hatred for her.

No amount of appeasing her wishes would change the ending of Madeline’s tale.

“She’ll ruin this,” she said. “She’ll ruin me, and she will ruin you in the process.”

“What?” He shook his head. “Madeline, what do you mean? Ruin what? How?”

She reached out for him as her chest felt like it was splitting in two. “I know you have no reason to, but please—please believe me that I would never willingly hurt you.”

His gaze darted to her eyes, his expression one of hurt and confusion. “You want me to believe you but you won’t tell me anything.”

She opened her mouth and shut it.

He took a step back, until her hands fell from his chest. “Madeline, tell me what is going on or I’ll have no choice but to find out for myself.”

“William, please…”

“Please what?” he snapped.

Her mind raced with ways she could stop her mother before she did something unbearable…like spread rumors that would ruin her husband’s reputation forever.

She would, that much Madeline now understood. She would make William out to be a cuckold and a fool in her quest to ensure that Madeline never found happiness.

But maybe she could stop her. If she could get to Albert…

Or no. No there was no time for that.

But she could leave. She could walk away now so William wouldn’t be hurt because of her.

“Please what, Madeline?” he growled.

“Trust me,” she whispered.

He laughed, the sound bitter and sharp. “Trust the woman who’s just stolen from me. Who cannot be bothered to tell me why or to even attempt an explanation.”

She bit her lip, tears burning.

“Fine,” he snapped, walking away from her. “You leave me no other choice.”

“William!”

But he ignored her shout as he stormed toward the bedroom door, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind him so hard it shook.

In the silence that followed, her heart crumbled and her knees shook until she fell onto her bed.

All her life she’d been alone. Aside from Albert, she’d never had a single soul to call friend, let alone someone to love.

And now she had friends, and she’d found a man she loved with all her heart.

And yet…she’d never felt more alone.