Page 55 of A Rescue by the Rakish Duke
Her giggles turned into a gasp as he pulled her back into his arms. It was refreshing and surprising how it was so much easier to give in to the feeling this time and that it was the same with her.
They remained in that room, on the rug, forgetting the outside world. Forgetting Evan. Forgetting even Montrose.
For a moment.
The last remnants of the storm were gone, so it was safe to get back on the road. The grounds were still damp from the rain, and the leaves fluttered in the wind.
Gwendoline could not understand why everything looked more vivid than before. She even saw the beginnings of a rainbow, its colors bright against the slightly dull sky.
Thinking back to the night before, her cheeks pinkened. She had not been expecting what had happened, but she also could not bring herself to regret it. Damian had been both passionate and gentle with her.
He had called her by her first name the night before and even in the morning when they indulged in another round. She was still sore, but he had been very patient with her.
She was no longer a maiden, and her transition into womanhood had not happened the way she had expected. She thought she would have to endure it. She thought it would be painful—and it was, for a short while. She thought it would be merely a woman’s responsibility to give birth to heirs. She didn’t know it could bring her so much pleasure.
Her mind reeled from all the possibilities, making her nipples harden under her thick garb.
The clip-clop of horses’ hooves broke into her reverie, and she held her mare’s reins tighter as the serious conversation on either side of her drifted to her ears. She should stop thinking about the night before.
Evan was a sharp man who would immediately know where her thoughts were heading. The idea was horrifying.
“It wasn’t a trap at all,” Damian murmured thoughtfully. “Even the records I checked earlier looked genuine. Both your source and my visitor can be trusted—at least up to a certain point.”
“You were able to check the records earlier?” Evan teased, wiggling his eyebrows and looking at him with that same grin he’d been wearing when he walked in on the married couple in an indecent position.
He didn’t seem to notice that Gwendoline was watching them.
“I was,” Damian insisted, looking only slightly annoyed.
Gwendoline stifled a giggle at the look on her husband’s face. While he wasn’t exactly smiling, there was something lighter about him.
At least, she hoped that she was reading him right.
“I, uh, saw a bit of it. It looked genuine. Timothy would arrange his documents like that. Arranging them by rank then alphabetically sounds like him. He also recorded the amount ofmoney going in and going out. He’s a criminal, apparently, but he’s also fastidious. My father thought he was a blessing to the family because of his skills with ledgers.”
Damian raised an eyebrow at her, looking perfectly unconvinced.
Gwendoline sighed. Yes, her cousin was undoubtedly not a blessing to her family. He was the harbinger of its doom, and he didn’t even care for her as another man in his position would have.
It was a shame that her father couldn’t see the full extent of Timothy’s depravity. He was simply eager to pass on his estate and title to a man he thought would take care of his daughter.
“All right, he wasn’t a blessing,” she admitted, blinking back angry tears. “However, I would love to see the documents again, later. I am part of this now. I followed you both without getting into trouble. I helped you find the documents, and now I’m traveling back to Greyvale with you. There’s no way the two of you would not let me help you further.”
Gwendoline felt Damian’s gaze on her, but he didn’t comment.
“She has a point,” Evan murmured. “While the duchess is not expected to challenge Montrose to a duel, she knows him better than we do.”
A lengthy silence fell over them as they turned onto a narrower path. Gwendoline had almost gotten swept up by the beautiful scenery ahead of them. It was a wonder that after the storm, there was a lot to look at—look forward to.
They did have to ride in single file with Evan in front, Gwendoline in the middle, and Damian at the back.
It was Damian’s silent preference.
The flowers and grass looked jeweled, still wet with raindrops and glistening under the sun. The air was crisp, and the moist earth was inviting, reminding Gwendoline of the times she played outside during and after a storm. She blinked her eyes as her chest tightened.
If only her mother were still alive. What would she think of Damian? What would she think of her child being roped into a forced marriage, only to feel like she had finally discovered something beautiful?
“Are you familiar with Lord Marston?” Damian asked.
