Destined For A Duke (Completed)

Chapter 7

Ella sat before a mirror in her room. She kept on thinking of Max's sinfully well made body. There were rumors that Lord Maximillian was a rich, spoiled rogue who cared for nothing and no one. His reputation was further solidified after rumors of his escapades at gaming hells with Lord William started. Now that she knew both men, she wondered if they were even true.

Ella knew a thing or two about the useless rumors that nobility of London treated as absolute truths. Hadn't one such rumor destroyed her sister's chances of happily ever after? She wanted to ask them but Lord William was so unapproachable and Max was infuriating.

Ella was thinking of all possible rumors that London society might come up with for her when someone entered her room. Thinking it was her maid, Ella gestured her to come closer.

"Where have you been? Come on, help me undress." She knew her maid was having an affair with Lord William's stable master. How can someone be so negligent? Love made fool out everyone.

"Vanity suits you. I would have helped you undress but I don't think that you were asking me." A deep voice answered. Ella turned to see Lord Max standing in her room. The room appointed to her was fulled with frills and ribbons. Seeing a very masculine Max in her very feminine room made Ella giggle.

"What are you laughing about? Shouldn't you be embarrassed?" Max snapped. Seeing his discomfort, she started laughing harder.

"It's nothing. Why were you looking for me?" Ella had stopped laughing but her voice was still breathy. She saw Max's scowl deepen.

"I want you to accompany me to the village fair. We will take George with us and then leave her alone. William needs to talk to her and village fair is his best chance. George will be calm and might listen to him. Are you with me?" Max said with barely suppressed excited. He looked younger, carefree. Ella wanted to capture his face at that moment. She wanted to paint it because it was breathtaking.

She could see him as a child, a mischievous little rascal. He must have tricked everyone in his family, his friends must have been his comrades. She could see their future, their kids.

Their kids? Future? Was she mad?

She knew that Max didn't notice her staring because he was busy planning. Ella could not look at him any longer. She knew she was an aberration in English society with her dark skin and lineage. It was obvious that an influential Lord like Max would marry an English woman of pale white skin and impeccable lineage. She turned, trying to hide the tears that were slowly forming only to come face to face with her reflection.

Ella looked lost and sad. Her eyes shone with tears. She was destined to be disappointed in the matters of heart. She looked at Max's reflection to see a tender look on his face. Max stepped forward and placed his arms around her shoulders.

"What happened?" Max whispered, as if someone else was in the room. Max's compassion was Ella's undoing. She turned around in his arms and started crying. Max held her while she cried as if she had been holding her tears in for ages. Ella didn't know when he picked her up and sat on the bed with her in his arms. When she next opened her eyes, she was in Max's lap and he had his arms around her.

Ella blushed at the intimate position and tried to get up. Max stopped her advance by tightening his arms.

"What happened? You can tell me anything." He gently probed.

"Nothing." Gabrielle was hurt but was too proud to admit why. She knew "nothing" would never satisfy Max's curiosity, so she started thinking of ways to deflect his questions.

"All those bottled up feelings were not nothing." Max probed stubbornly, just like Gabrielle expected. Men were so predictable.

"It was happy crying. I was so happy that you now see the error of your ways. I could not stop the flow of my tears of happiness." Gabrielle grinned at Max. The scowl on his face was enough to show his displeasure but Ella didn't care. Angry Max was easy to hate, caring Max was lovable. She didn't want to make the mistake of falling in love with someone she would never have. Giggling she stood up and started lifting Max as well.

"Get up you oaf! I will help you even though I shouldn't. I am doing this for George and Lord William. Now get out before my maid shows up and gets the wrong impression." Gabrielle said while forcefully pushing him off the bed. She didn't want Max to over think about her reaction or ask her anymore questions. She might answer truthfully.

"You weren't so worried about your reputation ten minutes ago. Are you feeling fine or are you melancholic? Why would your mood change so drastically?" Max started coming closer in an attempt to check her temperature but she swatted his hand out of the way. She tried to push him out of the room again.

"I am perfectly fine, thank you. You should worry about my reputation as well. You don't want to be shackled to someone like me for the rest of your life." Gabrielle couldn't stop herself. She sounded bitter, like a spinster. She mentally berated herself for revealing something. She just hoped that Max did not pick up on it.

It appeared that luck was not on her side as Max turned around and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Is that what you think?" He asked while steadily looking her in the eye. Ella felt small. She wanted reassurance or maybe a confession of undying love and devotion.

"Yes." She looked away before her eyes revealed too much.

"You need to go to London. We will have to fight suitors who would be pushing us out of the way to get your attention. Our drawing room will be overflowing with gentlemen. You just wait and watch." Max confidently replied. Ella was disappointed, she wanted a declaration of love.

Max started walking towards the exit but before leaving he turned at the door.

"Just so you know, I let you win. I already knew they were in love." Ella threw her pillow at him. Max quickly ducked before leaving. His carefree laugh could be heard the whole west wing.

I love them. 😍😍😍 I'm so glad I decided to write this book. It has been so much fun and this will continue. What do you think will happen? Is Max already as involved as Ella?