Page 78 of Her Duke Next Door
“I wish to tear him apart for what he did to you,” Dominique snarled. “But I need to trust the constables to do their job.”
As he seethed, watching Hugh be chased and captured, Mary shuddered at the wet on her lips from the forced kiss. She pressed her hand to her lips. Dominique caught the motion and immediately untied his cravat to wipe her mouth with.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“Anything for you.”
She smiled up at him.
“What is the plan?” she asked.
“Ah, well, Hugh is an Earl, which makes it rather difficult for him to go to prison. However, your brother-in-law, and my new good friend, Alexander, is quite a remarkable man to have as a connection. He has used his connections to dig up quite a nasty past that Lord Yore has done an excellent job of covering up.
“He has framed many people, committed fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and harassment. He has quite a long list. There is also a stupendously long list of debt in his name which makes him practically penniless as well, so he has very little hope of returning even if he wished to.”
Dominique wore a smug smile as he continued, “He shall be forced out of the country, penniless, and shall become somebody else’s problem. However, he is notyourproblem any longer, and he shall have a long repayment of everything he has done wrong.”
Mary smiled, liking that plan.
“Can I kiss you, wife?” he asked, considerate of what Hugh had just done.
Mary nodded, desperate to rid herself of the memory.
In the distance, cries went up as Hugh Yore was finally caught. Dominique claimed her mouth right outside the restaurant, illuminated by the lantern.
“I love you, Mary,” he whispered, kissing her deeply.
“I love you, Dominique.” She pressed closer to him and let herself fall into his bruising kiss once more.
Epilogue
The summer sun beat down on the public park, spotlighting the family sitting on a blanket in a grove of trees.
Light dappled over Mary’s skin as Dominique brushed the back of his hand down her cheek, gazing at her fondly.
“You look beautiful,” he told her quietly. They had a moment of this outward affection before their daughters ran up to them, squealing, happier than either of them had ever been.
“Mama, look! I found a perfectly shiny apple!” It was Katie who showed Mary the apple she had picked. A bloom of warmth spread through her chest as she beheld her stepdaughter.
Eloise was still growing accustomed to calling Dominique her papa but the times she did, he looked like the happiest man alive.
“We picked a whole basket of them but this was the best one,” Eloise said. “Katie promised to share it with me.”
“Ah, let’s halve it for you both then, shall we?” Dominique asked.
“Thank you, Papa,” Eloise said, glancing shyly at Mary, who only nodded.
Following Hugh’s arrest, Katie had been returned home. She had been kidnapped from the gardens that morning by Hugh, who had been stalking the estate. Holed up in the compartment beneath his carriage, she had been freed by a furious Dominique who only stewed that he did not get his own personal revenge on Hugh.
“Like I told you after we got Katie back, Eloise,” Mary said, “You may call Dominique whatever you wish. Katie, the same goes for you. We are married, yes, but you can decide if we are Mama and Papa to both of you.”
“I like it,” Katie said happily, biting into the chunk of apple that Dominique had prepared. “It is not my fault Eloise is shy.”
“I am not shy!” Eloise protested. “I am… not used to it, is all.”
“And that is all right,” Mary assured her quickly. “Now come sit down and eat your sandwiches.”
Dominique sprawled on one side, ever the picture of languid comfort, and Mary admired him in quiet thought. That was until she heard the giggles.
