This man was willing to let her marry Ernest Barrington because he was unwilling to offer her a real marriage himself. He'd had a week to approach her, talk to her, and persuade her that he wasn't just acting chivalrously—that he truly cherished her. But he hadn’t. Her blood was boiling seeing him now, standing in her library as if nothing had happened.
“You have no business here,” she told him.
“Actually, I do.” Will seemed unfazed by the level of her anger. He was still smiling at her.
“The Duke is in his sickbed upstairs." Rose hissed.
"I am aware of that.”
“So, it is extremely inappropriate that you should pay me a call."
"I am not paying you a call.” Will smiled again. “Jennings told me I must ask your permission to visit the Duke.”
His answer wrong-footed her, and she could see he knew it.
“Why would you want to visit him?” She demanded. If the extent of Will’s ardor a fortnight prior was anything to go by, he should be wishing to assure himself the Duke was dead. “I did not know the two of you were close.”
“Not close, no.” Will was studying her so intently she felt hot and uncomfortable. “But we have a business arrangement, and when I heard he was injured, I wished to assure myself of his continued health."
“And you think this is the right time to ascertain that?” She was slightly incredulous. “He is deathly ill.”
Will took a step closer to her and put his arm against the shelf where she was standing. To all intents and purposes, he was boxing her in.
“I understand that you yourself had a broken… business arrangement with the Duke,” he looked at her keenly. “Perhaps I came to assure myself that you were also not too perturbed by that.”
She stared back at him. He was standing far too close to her, so she ducked under his arm and moved to stand behind him. His smile widened as he turned.
“Circumstances change,” she said, more confidently than she felt. “My business arrangement was perhaps not so important as your own.”
“I doubt that, Your Grace,” he said. “But sometimes, last-minute obstacles can give us a chance to change direction.”
Rose clenched her fists at her side.
You didn’t come, she wanted to scream at him.You didn’t care enough to stop me.
Instead, she managed icily, “I am not sure if the Duke is even conscious. Perhaps you should send a note next week when things are more clear.”
“Your butler told me that the Duke was awake and lucid this morning. I will not bother him over long. I just wish to pay my respects. Perhaps you would care to accompany me on the visit?”
“Certainly not!” Rose had no intention of spending time around Will in front of Ernest.
“Will you at least escort me to his bedchamber?” Will asked.
Rose rang the bell on the table next to her. Jennings appeared in seconds.
“Jennings will take you to the Duke’s quarters, Mr. Browning.”
Rose did not want to go onto any upper floors with Will alone.
“I see,” Will said.“Then,I bid you good morning, Your Grace.”
“Good morning,” she replied, clutching the encyclopedia like a shield across her chest until he and the butler had left the room, and then she fled to her bedchamber.
How dare he, Rose railed as she paced back and forth in front of the windows.How dare he visit, now the threat of the wedding is over.
He did ask you to marry him, a little voice said inside Rose.
Yes, but not a real proposal.