Free Thawing A Duke's Heart (Faces of Love Series #1) by Jessie Bennett Page A

what he must constantly be feeling.
    Julia silently came into the room and began to undress for bed. I laid on my side as tears silently streaked down my face. I did my best to pretend I was already asleep.
    Julia wordlessly climbed into bed next to me. She sighed sadly. “Lord Cadwell wouldn’t stop asking Lady Cadwell about what had gotten Mother so upset,” she finally said in the dark. She must have known that I was awake. “So Lady Cadwell finally told.”
    That was all Julia said and then she rolled over and went straight to sleep.
    The next morning, I didn’t come down to breakfast. I felt emotional and physically drained. My eyes were swollen and red from a night of crying. I finally determined that I would die if I stayed in my room any longer. I put on my simple tan morning dress and made my way downstairs. I had first hoped to escape to my usual retreat in the library, but that room would forever hold a different presence. I was startled to find my sisters outside of Father’s study, desperately trying to listen at the door.
    “What are you doing?” I whispered to them.
    “Shhh,” Rebecca hushed me.
    “The Duke of Gaffton is in there,” Julia explained.
    Panic immediately caught in my throat. Why was he in there? Had Father called him here? Maybe he was yelling at him. I was froze in place. I so desperately wanted to know what was going on in there, but was terrified at the same time. Suddenly the door opened and Gaffton solemnly stepped out. He was the perfect proper Duke again. He turned and shook Father’s hand gravely. My sisters had fluttered away from the door and were standing off to the side. Gaffton turned and spotted me instantly.
    Turning back to my father, he said, “May I please have permission to take Lady Mary on a walk in your garden?”
    Father gave a begrudging nod of agreement.
    He walked up to me and held out his arm, “Lady Mary, may I please have the pleasure of your company on a turn of your garden?”
    I slipped my arm into his. The warm tingles I used to feel at his touch were now like shooting electrical volts. He looked down at me and gave me a weak smile. It was just a smirk really, but it was that peek into the relaxed Duke that I had come to know.
    We walked out silently and for a while just strolled around the garden arm in arm. I couldn’t imagine what he would have to tell me.
    Finally, he spoke. “We will be married in two weeks.” He said it softly, but matter of factly.
    I halted from shock in my tracks, yanking him to a stop also. He looked down at me sorrowfully.
    “I don’t understand,” was all I could manage to get out.
    He sighed in resignation. “What is there not to understand? I have compromised you. I will do the honorable thing. We will be married.” Again he said this matter of factly.
    “I can’t, I won’t.” As much as my heart leaped at the thought of marrying Gaffton, I couldn’t. I couldn’t marry a man because he felt honor-bound to do so.
    “Mary,” he said softly. “I have ruined you. This is you only chance. I know we don’t always get along, but I promise you will never want for anything. I will respect your wishes. If you never want to see me after our wedding day, I will understand. I never meant to…I’m so sorry.” He cupped my face with his hand and gently brushed away that troublesome curl.
    “Your Grace, I can’t marry you. I told you I will only marry for love, not because someone feels honor-bound to do so.”
    He sighed again. I could tell he was struggling to control his temper toward my stubborn determination.
    “So you will spend your whole life a spinster?” I shrugged. I had assumed that I would after last night. “Think of your sisters. I have not only ruined you, but also any chance of them making proper matches. If not for my honor, then do it for your family.”
    My shoulders collapsed at this. He was right. I had ruined us all . I couldn’t ask my sisters to give up their future for my desires for