Her words stung like nettles. He wiped a hand across his forehead.
“Lest you forget,” she said indignantly, “I knew your father briefly. He adored you. He went against your mother’s wishes in blessing our marriage just to make you happy. You cannot tell me the punishment he gave you would have been worse than what happened to Mr. Gerald.”
He flinched. “No, I never said — ”
“No, you didn’t say!” she yelled, not giving him an inch. “You didn’t say for years and years. Even after your father died, you didn’t do the right thing.” She leaned forward, jabbing a finger toward him. “A single word from you could have fixed the whole mess, but you never did it. Never.”
God, it was all going so wrong! He was supposed to be declaring his love, not scrambling to explain himself.
He reached toward her. She snatched her arm back and jumped out of the chair, then crossed to the window and leaned her head against the glass. For a long moment, heavy silence filled the space between them.
“I was a child, and I made a child’s mistake. And I did try to set things right, Isabelle. After Father died, after the divorce, I tried. Legal channels are deathly slow. By the time his name was officially cleared, his time was up. I couldn’t get word to Australia sooner than the end of his sentence.” The old frustration and guilt swamped him. “Once he left, my men couldn’t find him. But I tried. His name was cleared, Isabelle. Shall I show you the papers?”
Cold eyes pinned him to the bed. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Don’t act this way,” he pleaded. “If I could take it all back, I would. You cannot know how the guilt has eaten at me for years. I am so damned sorry.”
Her head snapped around. “You’re sorry?” Her voice had become frighteningly quiet. “You felt guilty.” Her lip curled, as though he was a distasteful specimen she was forced to examine.
Somehow, Marshall preferred for her to yell at him. He licked his lips. “I’d hoped we’d have a pleasanter conversation today, Isabelle. About the future.”
She turned away to look out the window again. “What future?” Her words fell like stones into a well.
She was leaving him.
His breathing became rapid and shallow. “Ours, darling.” If only she would look at him. If he could make her angry, even, then they could hash it all out and make up. “I’ll apply for a special license when we’re back in town. We can marry as soon as possible.”
When she looked at him again, it was like staring into the eyes of a stranger. The green irises were flat, devoid of any emotion whatsoever.
“I will not marry you, sir,” she said in a bored tone. “You have a nasty habit of ruining people. You can clear names and print apologies all you want, but you cannot give us back the time we lost. I would be a fool to give you the chance to do it to me again.”
She strode across the carpet to the door. Fear choked him, stealing his breath. His heart felt like it was standing still, about to die. Her hand touched the doorknob.
“Wait!” The word tore from his throat.
She paused, but did not look at him.
“I’ve made mistakes,” Marshall said in a rush. He felt like he was drowning, thrashing to keep his head from going under. “But there are no more secrets now, Isabelle, I swear it. We can truly make a new start. Listen to me, darling.” He swallowed. “This isn’t how I imagined telling you, with me injured in bed and you angry, but it doesn’t matter. I love you.” He laughed softly. “I’ve always loved you, but I was too stupid to realize it. That’s why it hurt so much before. But none of that signifies now. I love you, Isabelle, and I swear I’ll do anything and everything within my power to make you happy.”
He paused to take a breath.
She remained impassive. “Are you finished?”
Marshall’s jaw went slack. He’d failed. He stared disbelievingly at the woman he loved more than life itself, the woman who was about to walk out of his world forever. He shook his head. “I love you,” he whispered hoarsely, his entire being thrumming with yearning.
She twisted the knob and opened the door. Then she turned her head slightly so he could see her beautiful profile. “I love you, too,” she said dully. “But it will pass.”
• • •
The door closed with a soft click. She met Caro and Naomi on the landing and paused to greet her younger friend. The dowager duchess reached a hand toward her. “Isabelle … ” the older woman began.