The American and the Duke

Chapter 20 Katerina

A son? Rowan had a son? Would he not tell me, even now that we were married? I knew that I was not the first woman he had been with. But surely if he had a son, wouldn’t he tell me? I was his wife after all. Her eyes were dripping with malice, she had an evil gleam to them. What was happening? Where had she come from? How did she know my aunt?

“Didn’t he tell you, I am his mistress. Or was his mistress, until he needed a wife. No other London girl would have him though. Though I was sure that once his father was dead, he would fulfill his promise and marry me. Right Rowan? You did promise that you would marry me. Promise that I would be your duchess,” she said. I felt my heart slam into my rib cage. Rowan had promised to marry her, he may have a son by her? I felt so many different emotions. Betrayal, confusion, my mind was still trying to process everything.

“Evelyn, stop lying, we have not seen one another in three years. Not since you were chased from Oxford, running back to your husband in Essex,” he hissed. I stepped away from Rowan, his touch suddenly becoming like ice. Rowan looked at me, his eyes pained. I did not know what to think, how to feel. My husband did not tell me about the son he had. Was he the man I thought he was?

“We have a son together. He told me, once his father died. He would marry me and that our son would be the next Duke of Kent. That he loved me and only me,” she said. I felt my heart stop. Love? He loved her?

“This cannot be true, Rowan tell me that this is not true,” I said. The woman laughed as Rowan tried to reach for me. I recoiled and stared at them. This could not possibly be true. Did he choose me because I would not know? That I was truly just a means to an end.

“Of course this is not true, she is lying. I was with no one when I met you. I love you Katerina, only you. You are the only woman I truly want as my wife,” he said. Pain in his voice. 

“He picked you because you were an American. Your aunt told me all about you. You knew nothing about his past. Most women know he has a bastard child. Just like his father. No respectable English woman would have him. So he seduced the poor little American girl. Making her fall in love with him. Though it is not that hard,” she said. I saw an angry flash in Rowan’s eyes. This was too much. It was all too much.

“Rowan loves only me, he wants only me. He just needed a wife. Now that he has one, he can come back to the woman he truly loves. He will send you away to Hever and I am sure you will become pregnant, and Rowan will have a true heir,” she said. I took a step back from them both. I needed to get away. To process everything that has happened.

“Katerina this is not true, this was never true, I fell in love with you. She means nothing to me. We knew each other at Oxford,” he said. Evelyn laughed again. As if she took pleasure from this. Could I believe him? Why would he not tell me? Tell me about a potential scandal that could rip us apart. I looked at the man I thought I knew. The man I loved.  

“Did he tell you that he loved you? That you were his everything. That no one else was for him but you. That you fit perfectly in his arms when you dance,” she said. I felt a sob escape my lips. 

“Katerina, she is lying, please let me explain,” Rowan said. I backed away and turned and ran. I ran up the terrace steps and back into the ballroom. I needed to be away from this. Be away from all of this. London was a nest of liars and I may have married one.  

“Katerina,” Talia called. I ran past her and into the parlor. The only light was coming  from the ballroom. Talia came in after me. I collapsed onto the couch. Sobs are racking my body. Rowan had a son, he was in love with another woman. Did that mean he had lied to me this entire time? That he had tricked me into marrying me. That he did not love me at all. That I was truly just a game to him? That I would sent away to live on my own and never see him again?

“Katerina, what is it,” she said Talia sat beside me. Just then James came in. He saw my red rimmed eyes and his eyes flashed with concern. They then shifted to anger. 

“Katerina what has happened,” James demanded. Just then Rowan appeared. His face ashen and concern written all over his face. Eveyln hovering just outside the door.

“Gemma darling please,” he said. I recoiled away from him. Nothing he could say could fix the hole in my body. The hole he put there. Did I know Rowan? Was there a man inside of him that I knew nothing of? Was all of this an act?

“Rowan what is going on,” Jamie demanded. I knew that James was going to lose his temper. I stood up, my still trembling. I did not want James to hurt Rowan. I did not want either of them hurt.

“Nothing Jamie, it is nothing. Just a spat between Rowan and I,” I said. I knew that James would get violent if he knew what had happened. Just then our dearest aunt appeared at the doorway. 

“Why is my new maid crying? She said that now her and her son are penniless. And that Rowan is solely responsible,” she said. I stared at Rowan, fresh tears in my eyes. Talia wrapped her arm around my shoulder. She glared at her mother.

“You knew,” I whimpered. An evil gleam in her eyes. Talia and James stared at us. I wanted to go home. I wanted to run away from all of this. I wanted my father. But he no doubt was still enjoying the party.

“She came to me after you went on your honeymoon. She told me that Rowan went back on his vow. That he will not provide for his own son. He is so much like his father, not caring for his own children. Going back on his word,” she said cheerfully. 

“I AM NOTHING LIKE MY FATHER. THAT CHILD IS NOT MINE. SHE IS MARRIED,” Rowan roared. The music in the other room died. Oh no, I could not do this. Not in front of those who wanted to see my marriage destroyed. 

“So you did not have an affair with her. You did not get her with child and then returned to London,” my aunt challenged. I could not stand it. I could not stand being here. Not do this around all of these people.

“Mother what have you done,” Talia demanded, her eyes wild and angry. James walked over to me and stood in front of me, as if to shield me. Shield me from my own husband.

“I wanted to show Katerina the kind of man that Rowan really is. What kind of man she has married. Now she knows, maybe she will go back to America. Leave us all, go back to where she belongs,” she hissed. 

“Yes, I had a connection to Eveyln. But that was when I first attended Oxford. But she tried to blackmail me, and she used our relationship.  I ended the relationship and she was sent away,” Rowan said. I stared at Rowan, wantin to believe him.

“After you got her with a child,” my aunt said. Talia walked to her mother and grabbed her arm. Anger radiating from her body. She looked crazed. I had never seen her like this.

“No, she was married when we had a flirtation. She was already with a child, she wanted to blackmail me. To get my father’s money. She saw me a meal ticket out of her marriage” Rowan said. Could I believe him? Did I really know my husband? Did I make a mistake? Was all of this a mistake?

“Jamie I need to leave, I need to get away,” I whispered to his back. Too much information flooded my mind. I did not know what to believe. I needed time to process what had just happened. I needed to be away from London.

“I will get a carriage to take you home,” he said. He took my hand and tried to leave the parlor. Rowan tried walking toward us. But Jamie held up his hand. I knew that he was angry, but he was trying to control it.

“Stay away from my sister, you have done enough for one night,” Jamie warned. Rowan’s eyes flashed with anger. I felt the air leave my body. I could not bare to see my brother and husband fight.

“She is my wife Jamie, I do not want my wife leaving without me,” Rowan said. Jamie pushed past him and we walked toward the door. A crowd had formed. No doubt hearing the shouting. It had begun raining, and Jamie took off his coat and wrapped it aroud my shoulders. I pulled it closer to hide from everyone. Whish I could hide from everyone. Jamie led me to the first carriage and helped me. He turned toward the driver.

“Driver, take my sister wherever she needs to go. Let no one disturb her,” he said. The driver nodded. I leaned against the seat and closed my eyes. Tears falling, Rowan had tricked me. Could my marriage continue after this? I wished that this was all a nightmare and I could go home back to Boston. I heard Rowan calling my name as the driver led the carriage away. His voice is a knife to my already broken heart.