Page 106 of The Last De Loughrey Dynasty

“What a surprise, you have to ask Archer a question, Doe.”

“That’s not how the game works,” he told her.

Naomi shrugged. “Jesse is already the most honest person in the whole of England. You, however, are a book closed by unbreakable locks.”

“I disagree, I do have secrets,” Jesse argued. However, I doubt he was telling the truth. Not that I was complaining, but he couldn’t stop talking for the life of him. Too muchinformation did not exist in the world of Jesper Antony Berkshire.

“But you have to agree that Archer has far more interesting secrets than you hold.”

“Well… perhaps, but still, rude.” Jesse crossed his arms and turned his head to me. “Go on, Dollie, ask your fated lover.”

“Stop the teasing, would you?” I shot back with a quiet chuckle.

“Never,” Jesse mouthed at me.

I rolled my eyes, turning to Archer, who was already looking at me, almost keenly waiting for whatever I was going to ask him. But truthfully, I did not want to ask him anything. I wanted to know nothing about him. No deep secrets. Nothing. All I wished for was to get to know him in various ways, such as lying beside him all night beneath the stars on his balcony while we just talked. A game of truth or dare where I could force him to tell me anything wasn’t appealing enough for my liking.

But there was one thing I was genuinely interested in knowing.

“When did you decide you wanted to become an astronomer?”

His eyes softened slightly, and I wasn’t sure if anyone who wasn’t familiar with him would have noticed.

“I never told you…”

I smiled knowingly, “you didn’t, but it’s written all over your soul. You shine when you mention anything happening off earth grounds. Whether it’s stars, constellations, galaxies, or the structure of the universe. Precisely, when I first met you, I wouldn’t have guessed you for being such a geek when it comes to the questions of the universe,” I chuckled teasingly. “I’m sure everyone in this room can confirm that your dream is quite obvious.”

But when I looked around, I spiralled on my statement. Nathaniel eyed his friend with a questioning look, while the girl next to him had her head tilted a little as she frowned softly.

Did I imagine the desire crossing his features when he looked into the night sky, or was I the only one who noticed?

“Archer is more of a business–” Jesse started, but Archer interrupted him.

“I was seven when I first discovered my love for astronomy and thirteen when I expressed my wish to my father to become an astronomer, but he wasn’t delighted by my decision.”

Archer and I spent a lot of time together, despite the more sane action would have been to stay away from each other. While I tend to be the talker between the two of us, I got to know him to the depths of his heart easily. But one thing he never talked about was his father.

“You never told me,” Maisie mumbled, surprise crossing her face. But how could she not know when the two of them grew up together?

Archer’s fingers brushed against my hand, which rested on my thigh underneath the table. Fire rushed through my veins, and I looked up at him. His eyes didn’t lay on me, which told me the gesture wasn’t meant to gain my attention. It was a simple touch of our skin to feel the ribbon that bound our hearts together. I knew as he spoke the next words.

“Neither did I tell Doe.”

I knew you loved the stars nevertheless.

CHAPTER FORTY

DOROTHEE

“Mister Berkshire,if you’re so fond of mocking your classmates’ way of dancing, why don’t you replace him and show us all how the waltz is danced with Miss Alderidge instead?” Mrs Fanning prompted Jesse and waved him onto the dance floor in the marvellous ballroom of the school. “Go, go, Mister Berkshire. Your time to shine on the dance floor.”

Jesse pushed off the wall where he had stood next to me and replaced Nathaniel, taking Maisie’s hand in his. “Miss Alderidge, I’m delighted to dance with you,” he curtsied before her, making her belly laugh.

“I do have to say I’m quite disappointed not to finish this dance with my beau, Mister Berkshire,” she joined his game, making the class break out in chuckles.

“Quite the scandal that you prefer the oil boy over me, Miss.”

“I weigh two billion, Mister Berkshire, I’d like to see your net worth if we’re starting to compare ourselves in front of my lady,” Nathaniel shouted from where he had joined our group and taken a seat on the windowsill.

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