Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 62

Hello, in these two new chapters you'll see a lot of wavering as Matthew begins to realize that he has developed a non-platonic affection for his best friend. He is so lost, being caught between two women he cannot choose from. I know he will annoy and infuriate many of you with his indecisiveness. Please let me know what you think and happy reading.

"You have a very bright future ahead of you. You're destined for greatness and wealth. Soon you'll meet someone who will change your life and be of guidance towards your betterment. You will have friends in very high places. I see nobles and gentry waiting in line, begging to enter your place. You will have everything once you never dare to dream of, and much more. You will be walking on gold. You can buy anything you want except one thing. Respectability. No matter how much money you'll have, you can never buy it. You belong to the darker side."

"That lass, she shall be setting her cap on you, and you won't be able to resist her charms, but there will be another one. Her devotion knows no bounds. You will be caught between them, two women who are equally important to you. You will be torn."

"If so, give me a clue which one is right for me?"

"Only your heart knows the answer."

The Romani woman's clear voice had faded into a distant echo in his head when Matthew woke up to the muffled sound of traffic three stories below. For a long moment, he remained in bed contemplating the decorated ceiling. It was the second time the recollection of the prophecy crept into his dreams. He'd never believed in fortune-telling, but now he could no longer deny it after one after another of the foretelling had unfolded before his eyes.

By a stroke of luck, he met Joe Goddard and his life took a drastic turn from rags to riches. Like a dream, he'd risen to prominence to become one of the wealthiest men in England, undoubtedly the youngest on the list, and his acquaintances were no less than the country's most prominent nobles and magnates, because to be admitted to the club's membership, one's income must pass muster, and the only person who had the sole privilege to determine the prospect's eligibility was no one but him. Who would have thought a former street urchin could have such power over the upper classes? He couldn't ask for more now that he had more money than he could possibly have imagined, but quite apart from his good fortune, he was destined to suffer the agony of being caught between two loves.

He'd been in love with Bella the moment he laid eyes on her, and he always thought his friendship with Maggie was strictly platonic. But the incident last night had opened his eyes to his uncharted emotions, to unrealized feelings that hadn't yet entered his conscious thought. His strong reaction to Jacob and the meddling man last night surprised himself. He was not normally given to explosive outbursts. The aggressive behavior he'd displayed at the party was so out of everything he is. In reflection of what was going on, he started to question his own feelings.

All this time, he used to think that Maggie would always be there for him. She'd been a permanent source of comfort and stability for him that he couldn't imagine his life without Maggie. On the other hand, he just couldn't lose Bella, not again.

But now he started to question the insane obsession he felt for Bella. Is that love? Does he merely lust after her because she is extremely attractive? Has he been too obsessed with his infatuation with Bella that he couldn't see that love has been here the whole time? No. He knows for certain that he loves Bella, because time hasn't changed a thing. She is the one woman he can never be able to forget, but he just couldn't bear the thought of Maggie being with another man. Even worse, the thought that Maggie would be happy with someone else. It made him sick.

With a frustrated groan, he flung the coverlet and leapt out of bed. He needed to figure out his own feelings, and he would start right now. After washing his face and cleaning his teeth, he hastened to get dressed and headed straight to Marguerite's suite.