Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 81

"I saw you with her."

Matthew froze in place as the air left his lungs. Impossible! How could Maggie know about it? Did his man betray him?

His mind whirled with questions, but there was no time for them now. What he needed was an immediate answer, and he couldn't afford to make the wrong move. He considered his options. It was nighttime and Maggie might haven't seen things clearly. He could try to convince her that she'd confused him with someone else.
"Maggie, you must have mistaken—"

"I know you like the back of my hand, Matthew. There's no way I would have mistaken you. I saw you step out of the back entrance. You talked to her at the curb, then you stopped a hackney cab and climbed into the carriage with her." She cut off, looking straight into his eyes. Matthew fell silent. Maggie had seen so much, it was pointless to deny it. Now he must find a way to convince her that it meant nothing. Arabella meant nothing to him, and only Maggie that mattered to him now.

He lifted his gaze to meet Maggie's, and before he could start his explanation, she urged,
"Tell me the truth, Matthew. Are you still in love with her? Because I'd much rather hear a painful truth than a comforting lie."

"No, no, Maggie. It's not like what you think." He approached her in a few long strides and put his hands on her arms. To his great relief, she offered no resistance and let him lead her to the couch by the fireplace.
"Come, sit with me. I'll explain it to you."

For a moment, it occurred to him to tell Maggie everything, but then he refrained from doing it. If Maggie knew about Bella's pregnancy, she would certainly change her mind about marrying him. She would give up him for the sake of Bella and the baby. And he just couldn't let her sacrifice her own happiness once again. She certainly deserved better than endless disappointments. On top of that, he'd learned how precious a gift Maggie was, and he didn't want to lose her, so he shrugged off the prick of conscience and concocted a story that would suit him best.

"From the very beginning, she's been running away from an arranged marriage. She needed a place to hide, and I felt compelled to help... I... I thought I loved her, but things have changed since I found out that she cheated on me during a night stay in a hotel. I left her because now I want nothing to do with her. But apparently she still needs my help. She has no means to survive in the streets, and she doesn't want to return to her family either, so I helped her find accommodation and pay for her stay. But that's it. She means nothing to me now and I've told her that. I also told her that I never want to see her again."
Guilt and self-disgust weighed on the pit of his stomach as he ended the story, but he convinced himself that it was for the best. He waited in bated breath as Marguerite stayed silent, but eventually she asked,
"Is that true? Have you no feelings left for her?"

"No. I've seen what kind of woman she truly is."

Marguerite bit her lip, her gaze dropped to some point in the low table in front of her as she considered her options.

"Maggie, you have to trust me. I don't want anything to come between us. Not this time." Matthew leaned forward and took Marguerite's hand in his. Her gaze lifted to meet his, and she eventually said,
"Alright, Matthew. I trust you."

Relief poured into him, filling him with gratitude and he couldn't help but reach out for her, crushing her body to his as he held her in a tight embrace. He must have surprised her with the sudden hug, because her body stiffened for a brief moment, but then he felt her relaxed against him as he ran his hand over her back.
"Thank you, Maggie. I promise you'll be the only one for me."

She said nothing, and when Matthew pulled away a fraction to look at her, he caught a flicker of doubt in her eyes. In a desperate attempt to convince her, he lowered his head and captured her mouth with his. Her lips parted as a startled gasp escaped her, and he deepened the kiss, wanting to chase away any doubt she might have, as much as he wanted to convince himself that he'd made the right choice. He just wanted to forget about everything for a moment, to find comfort in her loving embrace, but all of a sudden she tore her mouth from his. Startled, he opened his eyes and found her blushing and gasping, her lips swollen from his kisses.