Page 45 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

A noise came from downstairs, someone shouting. It was growing louder by the minute. ‘Where is that bastard? I know he’s here! Tell me!’

It was Phillip. This was John’s final justice. He would have done no less for Mary.

‘Where are you? You bastard!’ The cry now came from the hall. ‘Is he upstairs? No! Get off me!’ Some poor footman must have been thrown aside.

John was not going to hide from this. He went to the sitting room door and yelled into the hall, ‘Let him up!’

He had not yet dealt with the pain of her refusal.

He had felt battered and beaten to have bared his soul only to be turned away.

He could never match up to her bloody perfect reverend?

He was flawed and chipped and broken in half.

He had shown her his worst side. Taken her to the folly and…

He should not have done that. How could she marry another man; he had been in her body?

He waited, listening to Phillip storm along the hall.

‘You son of a bitch!’ Phillip flew through the door on a whirlwind of anger and gripped John’s collar in one hand. The next thing John knew, he was on the floor and blood trickled from his nose and lip.

He moved to stand but Phillip kicked him down.

John lifted his hand to ward off another blow, but did not fight back. Sometimes they had fought as children. John had always won.

‘I trusted you!’ Phillip yelled. ‘You were my friend! How could you do this to her?’

John moved to climb to his feet but again Phillip’s heel struck his shoulder and knocked him back. He deserved Phillip’s anger.

‘You took advantage of her! You bastard! You knew she was defenceless! I hope you rot in hell for what you have done!’

John said nothing, letting Phillip’s tirade run. What was there to say? It was true. He would be saying the same if Phillip had done this to Mary.

‘Phillip! Phillip!’ John’s heart leapt in his chest as Katherine’s cries carried from below and then from further along the hall. ‘Phillip!’

Phillip turned and John rose.

‘Phillip!’ She burst into the room and her eyes found John. He felt a new hope bloom inside him, like a flower opening.

She looked at Phillip, panting hard as her eyes dropped to his clenched hands. ‘Stop it.’ She was struggling to catch her breath, and her bosom lifted and fell. She must have run all the way from her father’s house. ‘It was my fault, Phillip.’

‘I do not give a damn,’ Phillip answered. ‘He bears the guilt. He knew what he was doing, you did not!’

Phillip was right.

‘And violence will not solve this, no matter what. Leave him be, Phillip!’

Phillip’s hands were still fisted and he glanced at John. ‘It does one thing, it makes me feel better.’

John raised both hands, palm outward. ‘I am sorry. I have told Katherine so. I was grieving. I was not thinking straight. So much had changed and?—’

‘That is no bloody excuse?—’

‘It is not, I know. But it happened, Phillip, it happened and she has her reverend now.’

Phillip glared at John. ‘She has called off their marriage. She will not have him, but you will take her. You will make this right. Do you understand? I do not care what you are or who you are, you might be the bloody king and I would make you have her!’

The only words of Phillip’s diatribe John heard was that she had refused the vicar. His gaze flew to Katherine.

Her eyes met his. ‘Katherine?’ he said, even though Phillip was still railing.

She shook her head and denial forged its expression on her face. She had not come to say yes to him.

She moved to Phillip’s side and held his arm. ‘Leave it, please, Phillip, let it be.’

‘Let it be, Katherine? It cannot be. You are with child. I am not giving him a choice. He has to take you!’

‘With child?’ Shock burst inside John, as Phillip’s gaze turned to him.

‘You did not know?’

‘No! I did not know!’ John stepped towards Katherine but she stepped back.

Katherine was carrying his child, and she had been planning to marry her reverend regardless. ‘Katherine?’ Why had she not told him?

She turned as if to leave. But he was not letting her. He caught her arm, holding her still, as he glanced back at Phillip. ‘Give us a moment.’ When Phillip did not move, John lost his restraint. ‘I said, leave us! We need to speak.’

‘If you hurt her…’ Phillip snarled.

‘He will not hurt me,’ Katherine answered.

As soon as the door shut John released her arm. ‘You have to marry me…’

‘Your offer was made on a whim of jealousy. Why would I wish for an arrogant, selfish man?’

‘You are wrong, Katherine. I visited Phillip last night, to tell him I was going to offer for you. I only found out about you and your reverend then. I asked you because I love you. I am sorry you do not believe it, but you have no choice now, you will marry me.’

Her chin tipped up and her blue eyes flashed. ‘Will I?’

‘Katherine, how can you wish otherwise? You cannot deny me my son or daughter, and them me? We both know what it means to be without our natural parents.’ The floorboards had become quicksand. ‘Why did you not tell me?’

Her chin tipped up higher. ‘What would you have done if I had, John?’

‘I would have supported you.’

‘How?’

‘Katherine…’

‘How?’

‘I do not know what I would have said a few weeks ago, but I would have protected you.’

‘And I would have been known as a whore and rejected by my family and hated by the people whose love I treasure. It is jealousy and selfishness that brought you back – and now I have lost that love.’

‘I came back because I love you too much to let you go. My last offer was wrong, Katherine. I am sorry. But now I wish you to be my wife. You cannot say no. Surely you understand that.’

Even though anger still burned in her eyes, tears ran down her cheeks. His fingers cupped her beautiful face and his thumbs wiped them away. His heart aching for her, he leaned to kiss her. It had been weeks since he had felt the pressure of her lips against his.

‘John, your lip is bloody.’ She pushed him back.

He had forgotten.

Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he pressed it against his lip. ‘But you will marry me?’ She said nothing. ‘Say yes, Katherine.’

‘If she does not say yes, I shall drag her to the damned altar.’ Phillip stood in the doorway.

‘Yes,’ Katherine breathed. John looked back at her. ‘Yes,’ she said again more loudly as if telling herself and not him. ‘I will marry you.’

A firecracker burst in his chest. ‘Thank you.’ What inadequate words. ‘I will make you happy.’ What an unemotional tone. Reserve came too naturally to him. He smiled and flinched from the pain in his lip. But she smiled back.

‘What now?’ Phillip said.

John met his old friend’s hard accusing gaze. ‘I have a special licence. I meant to tell you last night I wished to marry Katherine.’

‘Really?’ There was a dubious note in Phillip’s pitch.

‘Here.’ John reached into his inside pocket, withdrew the marriage licence and held it out.

Phillip looked at it dismissively.

John turned to Katherine. ‘I will take you to London and we will find a minister.’

‘And when the child arrives months early…’ Phillip said.

‘We will go somewhere out of the way and I will not publicise the marriage so the date will be unclear. I have been in mourning, a quiet wedding will not be noted, but I can do no more, Phillip, my family will know.’

Phillip nodded. ‘I will come to London with you.’

‘Let me clean your lip first,’ Katherine said to John. ‘Sit down. Have you brandy in here?’ John looked at her, surprised she cared. ‘Where, John?’

‘Over there.’

She took the handkerchief from his hand, and walked away to dowse it in brandy.

‘Sit,’ she ordered when she turned back.

He did as he was told. How could he not even have considered she might be with child?

Because he was spoilt, arrogant and selfish.

She was right. He did not deserve her. But she was to be his duchess.

She would not find it easy. She would not have a clue how to go on.

She would need his support. He could not be selfish any more.

‘He has a valet and a house full of footmen to wash his lip,’ Phillip grumbled.

Her gaze lifted to John’s as she finished, and she blushed. His heart ached for her and he stood, still holding her gaze. ‘I suppose I ought to change. You will not wish to marry a man with blood all over him.’

She did not reply. Of course, she did not want to marry him at all.

As he left the room, he heard Phillip say, ‘You should have told me.’

He glanced back to see Phillip embrace her.