Chapter 31

Marie Webster glared at the Duke of Wiltshire from across her desk. The tall man with his wavy dark brown hair was more infuriating to her than anyone else she had ever met. Apparently, he now found fault with the latest young lady she had thought was his perfect match. She should have known that Dominic Harding was far too broody of a man to fall in love with someone with a pleasant disposition.

It had been two days since she had last seen or heard from Violet and Greyson. She had wanted to pay them each a visit to see how things were progressing, but the Duke's sudden appearance had taken up more time than she would have liked.

"I understand that you were displeased with the match, Your Grace. As I said before, these things take time. You can hardly expect to fall in love with someone after five minutes of speaking with them."

She tried her best to keep her cool, drumming her fingers on her desk and wishing that the man would just leave.

"I can assure you that the date lasted more than just five minutes, Miss Webster. Although it took me less than that to realize that you had once again failed." He stuck his nose in the air and pulled on his lapels, causing his muscles to become even more prominent through the fabric of his coat.

Why is it always the strikingly handsome ones who have to be so full of it?

Her stomach fluttered despite the anger roiling in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh as the clouds outside released a torrential downpour.

"And how many more matches do you think I will need to find before we run out of ladies? Should I be looking in Scotland or France, or perhaps even Germany? The women in London don't seem to be up to your standards."

"How dare you speak as if I am the problem? I came to you because all of London speaks of your success. I can see now that the rumors were greatly exaggerated." The Duke's brown eyes grew darker as he placed his hands on her desk and leaned over it challengingly.

Not wanting to back down, Marie mirrored his gesture and leaned over the desk, matching his glare with equal amounts of fire. "That may be so, but I can see that the rumors of your arrogance were not exaggerated!"

She stood on her tiptoes and leaned closer until the tip of her nose was mere inches away from his.

"Never in all of my life have I ever come across such a stubborn, entitled woman as you!" he growled as his gaze fell to her lips.

The heat that flooded her body rose to her neck, spreading across her face as her lips parted. The tension in the air clouded her judgment in a way that wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

"And never in all my years have I ever come across a man as… as…" Her words faltered as she felt his breath tickle her lips.

"As what, Miss Webster?" His voice was darker now, huskier and lower than she had ever heard it. The timbre of his voice seemed to reverberate through her body.

Suddenly, the bell above the door tinkled, announcing someone's arrival.

Marie jumped back, wringing her hands as if she had been caught in a compromising position.

The Duke, on the other hand, stared at her with a strange look in his eyes that she couldn't decipher.

"I beg your pardon, Miss. I didn't mean to interrupt, I just thought you would like to know that I walked past Blackwood House and spotted Lady Violet climbing into a carriage. She had a few bags with her." The maid's soft voice carried across the room, and Marie looked up to see that she was drenched from head to toe. Her mousy brown hair clung to her forehead beneath her sodden linen cap, and her grey dress was dripping water onto the floor.

"Thank you, Janey. You may go and dry off, I will see to Lady Violet." Marie tore her gaze away from the maid and locked gazes with the Duke.

"Is that how you get all of your information? You get your little mouse to spy for you?" Dominic's lips curled into an amused smirk.

"I can assure you, Your Grace, that no spying is needed in my line of work. All that is required is a deep understanding of others. The only time I have ever failed was when I thought you a good man. I can see now that you are far too in love with yourself to find anything good in anyone else." Marie shot him a glare, before stepping from behind her desk and hurrying toward the door.

The Duke shouted something after her, but she was already out the door and hurrying down the road.

Mr. Pompous would have to wait or shove it, Greyson and Violet needed her attention now more than anyone else.

* * *

Greyson had just slipped his arms into his coat and was in the process of fixing his collar when Marie Webster burst through the front doors of his lodgings.

She was drenched from head to toe and out of breath as she bent over double. "You can't just leave things like this, My Lord. You need to go after her now!"

Her words were almost inaudible, yet Greyson managed to hear them clearly.

"Miss Webster?" His eyebrow rose in question as he waited for her to explain.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened up after composing herself. "You cannot let Lady Violet just slip through your fingers like this. You need to go to her now and confess your love." She exhaled and lifted a finger to his face.

Greyson took a step back as if she were brandishing a weapon. He had found her intimidating when they had first met, but she was utterly terrifying when she was angry and out of breath.

"I am warning you, My Lord, I have had more than enough shenanigans for one day. Don't come with some cock and bull story of not being in love." She waved her finger in his face, refusing to back down.

Greyson eyed her finger wearily before fixing his coat again. "There is no need to wave your finger at me like that, Miss Webster. I cannot say that I am a fan of your intrusive manners, but I'm sure that you will be pleased to know that I am on my way to Violet right now. In fact, I may very well have been there already if you hadn't barged in." He narrowed his eyes at her angrily.

The woman seemed to have quite the nerve for someone of her station.

Marie's eyes widened in shock. "Then you must hurry!"

It almost seemed as if she were about to start crying.

"I am trying to do just that, but your little outburst isn't doing any of us any favors!" he growled at her.

"You don't understand, she's leaving!" Marie pressed and took a step forward, as if she were going to shake sense into him.

The blood running through his veins turned to ice.

Leaving. She's leaving.

The words echoed in his mind like an alarm bell.

"She thinks you only wanted to marry her because of the pact the two of you made. She's leaving the country for a while to get over you. I know your father abandoned you, but this isn't the time to allow the past to win. Get her back before it's too late!"

Greyson took a step forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, moving her aside with ease. "I do not know why you feel entitled to speak the way that you do, Miss Webster, nor how is it that you know about my father."

He wondered if his mother had written to her as well or if she had filled her in at the start.

Marie pursed her lips and glared at him. Greyson doubted that anyone had ever handled her like that in all of her life.

"But if you would kindly move aside, there is somewhere I need to be. Has she already left her home?" he asked coolly, pushing his resentment aside.

He didn't have much time if what she had said was true. Violet could be halfway out of London if she had already left.

Marie brightened noticeably. "My maid said that she was just leaving. If you take a carriage and hurry, you may be able to catch her. I'm not sure where she is headed, though."

"It doesn't matter, I will find her." He pushed past her and hurried toward the door. "The butler will let you out. Please don't barge into my lodgings again," he called over his shoulder and shut the door behind him, pausing on the steps when he heard a loud whoop from inside.

He shook his head and hurried along. Marie Webster certainly took her job seriously.

He lifted his head to the sky in an attempt to judge the weather. It seemed as if the rain and stopped. He'd be able to take a horse and dodge the traffic.

I'm coming for you, Violet.

He hoped against hope that he would somehow find a way to reach Violet before she left the city. It no longer mattered to him how ridiculous the notion was, all he knew was that he needed to get her back.

* * *

Greyson hung his coat in the hall before letting out a heavy sigh. He had ridden all over London in search of Violet, but after hours of searching to no avail, he returned to his lodgings when the sun had set. He would have to track down her parents and write to her if there was any hope of them ever reuniting again.

"Why didn't I just go after her instead of being so stubborn?" he whispered angrily to himself and pounded the wall with his fists.

He had spent so much time trying to avoid becoming like his father, but he had ended up losing the woman he loved anyway. What had all those years of isolation gained him in the end? If only he had told Violet he loved her when he'd had the chance.

"Greyson?" Her soft voice made him look up. She was standing in the hallway, with her traveling cloak still on, her hair damp along with her clothes. "I went to Montclair Manor, but you weren't there. I was afraid that you had already left. Has your father been to see you? I know you may not want to talk to me, but I do care for you." She fiddled with her cloak, looking anxious.

She was about to say more when Greyson strode over to her and took her in his arms, kissing her lips with all the passion he could muster until she relaxed in his embrace.

Pulling back, he examined her face, drinking in every minor detail. "I thought you had gone forever."

"Greyson…" Her eyes fluttered open. They were filled with uncertainty.

"Please, let me speak first. I was wrong to let you go without telling you how I felt. I should have told you that day in the rain that… that I love you."

The words were harder to say than he had anticipated, yet he pushed past his fear in the hope of reaching her heart.

Her eyes filled with tears as her lips parted in a gasp. "I love you too. I felt utterly lost when I went to the manor and couldn't find you. I thought you had left the country, like I…" she trailed off as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"There's no need to say anything else, Violet. I know you wanted to leave. I don't blame you either. My behavior toward you had been utterly unacceptable."

"Please, don't apologize. I have been just as stubborn and blind. I should have tried harder to make you see that I love you instead of trying to run away like I have done for years. So much was put at stake because of this foolishness."

She cried softly, the blue in her eyes turning that light violet that had mesmerized him from the start.

Warmth filled his heart to bursting. "There is no need to dwell on any of that now. We were both fools in love, not realizing that the only people we were fooling were ourselves. Even my mother knew all along that we trying to pull off a ruse."

She laughed between sobs as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Greyson held her close for a moment, enjoying the warmth of her body against his before gently pushing her back and tilting her chin up so she looked into his eyes. "I know this isn't the most romantic setting, but would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

His heart skipped a beat as he waited for her response.

"Yes, a thousand times yes, Greyson."

The sheer joy that filled her eyes melted his heart and prompted him to draw her into his arms once again.

Lifting her, he carried her up the stairs while kissing her passionately. They stopped for a moment on the landing as she drew back and gazed down at him.

"Are we alone?" Her cheeks flushed as she glanced over his shoulder, seemingly scanning the hall below for servants.

A deep chuckle escaped his lips. "Trust me, my darling, that isn't something you have to worry about in these lodgings."

He drew her in for another kiss and parted her lips with his tongue, searching the depths of her mouth amidst her soft sighs of pleasure.

His arousal grew when she wrapped her legs around his waist, her breasts pressing against his chest.

She stopped kissing him and looked down at him with a frown. "Do you think we should wait until we are married?"

"I won't tell anyone if you don't. How will they know?" He gave her a cheeky smile and winked.

Violet burst out laughing and allowed him to carry her into his chambers, where he shut the door behind them with his boot.