My Dangerous Duke (The Twisted Dukes #2)

Chapter 25

A Few Days Later

“ I am just happy to see that you and Rhys have mended things so quickly,” Eleanor laughed, leaning into Xander fully as he led her through the front door of Larsen Hall.

“He had nothing more to complain about,” Xander replied, giving her a sly smile as he scooped her into his arms. “He did not have to thong me, and I replaced the rug you and I ruined the night we made up.”

“Things did get a little messy, didn’t they?” Eleanor asked mirthfully, her eyes bright.

Visions of that night exploded in Xander’s head, and he smiled wickedly.

“Indeed, they did,” he agreed, his body stirring to life. “Why do we head upstairs and try some more of that?”

Eleanor bit at his neck in response, he walked even more quickly toward the stairs.

“There you are!” the dowager’s voice rang through the foyer, stopping him three steps up.

“Apologies, Grandmother, but can this wait for another time?” He asked absently, taking another step. “We have some… marital matters to discuss.”

Eleanor slapped his chest as his grandmother hissed at him to be serious, and with a sigh, he rolled his eyes and came back down the stairs. It was only then he saw the worry etched in the older woman’s face, and his previous thoughts and feelings vanished. Carefully, he sat Eleanor back down on her feet, and they both went to the dowager duchess.

“What is wrong?” Eleanor asked quickly, clutching the dowager’s hands. In her left one, Xander could see a letter crinkled up in her tight grip, and his dread grew.

“Grandmother, what is it?” He asked.

“It is Richard,” she explained, her voice tight, “He has left us! Here, look at this. It was found in his room!”

As Xander took the letter, the dowager continued to sob harder and leaned her frail body completely into Eleanor’s. Eleanor embraced the older woman tighter and gave Xander another worried look. Xander met her eyes with the same emotion but did not open the letter.

“How could he do it?” the dowager sobbed. “How could he leave us? For a man? I know what he said about love, but- but this?”

Xander did not need to look at the contents of the letter, not if these were his grandmother’s questions. She understood Richard’s secret now. All of them did.

“Grandmother, I offer my deepest apologies for not handling this better,” he apologized.

He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, but her sobs only grew louder.

“My baby boy,” she wailed into Eleanor’s neck. “Who is going to protect him? He will not survive on his own, he is not capable of it!”

“Hush now,” Eleanor soothed, her voice gentle as she rubbed circles into the dowager’s back, “Richard is a Harrison. This already makes him stronger than most.”

“Oh, darling girl,” the dowager sighed, pulling away to dab at her tears, “How I do appreciate your comforting words. I so hope that you are right.”

“Honey,” Xander implored softly, looking toward his wife. She gave him an affectionate look, and he knew she was ready to help. “Please help Grandmother to bed, I believe this is far too much for her nerves.”

“Of course,” Eleanor replied quickly.

Xander gave her a look of appreciation and Eleanor sent him a look that said she would find him when she was done. He gave a furtive nod. Good. He needed to see her after this.

“Come now, Grandmother,” she urged gently, slowly leading the dowager up the stairs, “Let us get you in bed with a cup of warm tea for your nerves, yes?”

“Did you know?” she asked, a fresh wave of sobs pouring from her throat.

Xander’s chest tightened as he watched the two women he loved the most descend the stairs.

“It is all right,” Eleanor only soothed, keeping the older woman steady, “It is all going to be all right.”

Xander waited until they disappeared onto the second floor where his grandmother’s compartments were situated, then strode to his study with the letter. Once there, he smoothed out the paper on his desk and read its contents.

Dearest Family,

I have found a forbidden love. One that burns deep and true, but cannot exist in our country. I have tried to keep this love between Marcus and me a secret. To protect not just us, but all of you. Failing to do so has been my greatest defeat, and I cannot bear that I left you to pay for that.

Perhaps it is for the best, though, for I can no longer continue living my life of lies in England. I have taken a small sum, which you will notice in your accounts, and by the time you read this, I will have boarded a ship with Marcus. It is better that you not know where we are for now. All you need to know is that I am your burden no longer.

Richard.

P.S. I will return the funds when possible.

Xander crumpled the letter back up, not bothering to fold it correctly. He was not worried about the funds. Whatever the amount was, he cared little about it. Richard, for all of his faults, was oftentimes an asset to the family business and deserved a payout.

For a moment, he thought about tracking him down. Not for himself, but for his grandmother. Despite finding out about Richard’s lifestyle, he knew she still loved him deeply and would want him back where she could keep an eye on him. But… would Richard want that? Or would he want the chance to be free? Xander knew that he would beg his family to stay away if it was the only way to keep Eleanor, and therefore he could not blame his cousin for his choice.

From his desk drawer, he pulled out the letters Victor had used as blackmail and studied them for a moment. There it was, the penned words that had changed his life forever. In the beginning of it all, he had hated Richard for his mistakes; for being the one that forced him into marriage. Now, though, panic rose in him at the thought of not having Eleanor in his life.

Standing up from his desk, Xander walked the pile of paper and a box of matches over to the fireplace. With care, he stacked three pieces of dry wood onto the grate and then wedged the letters in and around them. A snap of light appeared as he struck three matches against the fireplace, and he tossed them in. The letters worked as tinder, catching immediately and sending embers over the wood. Within seconds, the small sparks billowed into healthy flames, and all proof of scandal was gone.

“Be well, Cousin,” Xander said aloud as he watched the life-changing letters turn black. “I wish you nothing but the best.”

“Please forgive him,” the dowager pled, holding Eleanor’s hand tightly with both of hers.

“There is nothing to forgive,” Eleanor replied honestly, “All of this is my father’s fault and his alone. It is his greed and total lack of respect that has done this to us. It is I who must ask you for forgiveness. Not the other way around.”

“No, my dear,” the dowager replied vehemently, taking Eleanor’s hand. “You have no blame in this. Your father would have found a way to use those letters whether you ran or not.”

The frown on Margaret’s face slowly turned upwards into a serene smile as her blueish-silver eyes brightened- just like Xander’s did when he was overcome with emotion.

“He is changing because of you, my dearest,” she went on, her voice quivering, “He is becoming the man he was always meant to be, and it is your love that has allowed him to do so.”

The two women embraced tightly, holding on to one another for quite some time, then Eleanor gently helped Margaret back down into the pillows. She was relieved to see that she no longer looked as upset as before.

“Richard will be fine,” she sighed, nodding her head as if pushing herself to accept this. “And perhaps this will not be forever. I am in good health, despite my age. It is possible I may see him again. And if he is happy, then I shall be too.”

After bidding goodnight to Margaret, Eleanor quietly closed her door and instructed the other woman’s handmaids to stand by for whatever she may need.

Eleanor stopped a couple of other places before returning to Xander, switching temporarily from wife to duchess. Since returning to Larsen Hall, she had felt a new love and appreciation for her station and now understood why Xander was willing to protect it. First, she went to her quarters and rang for Mrs. Gains.

The housekeeper beamed with happiness when Eleanor gave the orders to start moving some of her things into Xander’s rooms first thing in the morning, and walked out of the room as if she were floating on air. Next, she went to Richard’s quarters for the first time ever. It felt wrong as she stepped into the dark rooms, but as she stepped inside, she suddenly felt it.

The coldness. The loneliness. The sense of conflicting thoughts and possible self-disgust. It all hung heavily in the air of the empty compartments like a dense fog. Eleanor worried her bottom lip as she was filled with sympathy for her husband’s cousin. She was not exactly sure what her purpose was for coming to the room, but as she looked around, she realization welled up in her.

“Wherever you are, wherever you go, I only wish you peace and happiness, cousin,” she whispered aloud in prayer.

Richard had never been kind to her. Had never given her a chance. But, despite that, she still wanted that for them. Perhaps in time, as Margaret had said, they would all be together again.

“There you are.”

Xander’s deep voice sounded from behind Eleanor as she closed Richard’s door. Eleanor smiled and closed her eyes as she felt his hands grasp her waist and pull her back as his lips suckled at her neck.

“Have you been hiding from me? In Richard’s room?” He asked, his tone playful, seductive.

Eleanor leaned her back into his chest as she raised a hand up to cup the back of his neck, pressing his lips closer to her neck.

“I will never hide from you again,” she promised, her lashes fluttering as Xander’s tongue joined his lips.

“Thank heavens,” Xander sighed, then sank his teeth into her flesh.

Eleanor gasped and pressed even further into him, pleasure making her legs tremble. She pouted quickly when he pulled away, but he only winked at her and then threw an inquisitive look toward the door. He still wanted her to answer his question. He could still be rather stubborn when it came to getting what he wanted.

“In truth, I do not know why I came at first,” she confessed, her hands on his waist, “But I found myself saying a prayer for him.”

Surprise glimmered in Xander’s eyes, followed by appreciation.

“And how is grandmother?” He asked then, escorting her down the hall.

“She is much improved,” Eleanor assured him quickly, then laughed, “Though I may have promised a great-grandchild or two in order to make it so.”

Xander let out a laugh, a smirk growing on his lips as he looked down at her.

“Did you now?” He asked, desire gleaming in his eyes.

Right then and there, in the hallway, Eleanor knew that being a father no longer scared her husband. Relief and adoration flooded through her as she looked up at the man she loved, and smiled from ear to ear.

“I did indeed,” she agreed, perking a brow, “And what say you to that, husband?”

Xander’s smirk grew into a devilish grin as his silver eyes darkened. Slowly, they grazed their way down Eleanor’s body, his stare so intent she practically felt it. Hunger took over his eyes as they reached hers again, and he pulled her to his chest with a sudden yank, making her gasp.

“I believe I have an answer for that,” he replied, his voice deepening, “But I would rather show you than tell you.”