Page 37 of An Arranged Betrothal with an Icy Duke
“Henry.” She smiled despite the slight trembling within her. “I want to be honest with you too. That isallthat I want, and I have been honest with you from the very beginning of our connection.”
“I know.” He chuckled softly, but there was no malice there, no mockery. “It is something that I have come to value, even though I did not always think of it in such a term.”
Understanding what he meant, Edith nodded. “I see. Well, I must say that my heart is glad that you are eager for sucha… truthful connection between us.” Remembering what she had said to Lady Frankton the day before, Edith took in a deep breath. “There is something that I did want to speak to you about.”
The Duke’s eyebrows lifted a little. “About our marriage?”
She shook her head no.
“Then I have nothing to fear.” A small, flickering smile danced in the corner of the Duke’s mouth. “I need not grow concerned that my lady will step away from me. This engagementwilllead to marriage.” He pressed her hand again, his breath brushing across her cheek as he shifted a little closer to her, sending all thought of what she was to say from her mind. “You shall be my Duchess, Edith.”
For a moment, Edith could not breathe, the thought of being in such a position stole all of her strength. She felt overwhelmed, crushed, almost, at what was going to be asked of her. Remembering how the Duchess had spoken to her about the ball, how she had seemed frustrated at Edith’s lack of understanding, Edith caught herself frowning. “What if I cannot be all that you need?”
The Duke leaned all the closer to her, his eyes searching hers and a flush of desire ran straight through Edith’s frame. “You are already all that I need, Edith,” he said, softly. “You have brought me back to life. You have shown me what it is to trust, to be open to another. That is something that I cannot help but be grateful for.”
Edith could not speak, could not even move. All she could see was the blue of the Duke’s eyes, wondering how she could have ever thought them piercing or sharp. There was a beauty there, a depth to them that she had never really seen before and, as she watched, the Duke leaned forward and touched his lips to hers.
With the shock of it, Edith jumped in surprise and the Duke pulled away at once, leaving them both staring at each other; breathing hard. Edith did not know what to do, for she had never been kissed before and yet the desire for the very same, the desire for even more of it, grew strongly.
“Forgive me.” The Duke pressed one hand to his eyes, his lips tight. “I should not have taken such liberties. You were not expecting such a thing and – ”
Edith, this time, was the one who leaned forward and met his lips with her own. The very same heat seared her as before, stealing her breath, only for the Duke to tilt his head just a little in order to deepen their kiss. Fire like nothing she had ever felt before tore through her and Edith pulled away, astonished at the amount of feeling a simple kiss could evoke.
The Duke smiled a little ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “I think that should be enough for the moment,” he said, his voice rasping a little. “That was both surprising and… well, quite wonderful.”
A blush ran through Edith’s cheeks but she smiled back at him, aware now that he still held her hand. “Yes,” she whispered, suddenly unable to look anywhere but his face. “Yes, it really was.”
***
“I do declare, you have not stopped smiling since I first saw you arrive!”
Edith laughed as Mrs. Wilkins came across the room, a tea tray in her hand. “It has been a remarkably enjoyable afternoon,” she said, grateful now for the tea which was soon to be served.
“Though it is already late,” the vicar’s wife reminded her. “Will you not be tardy for your own dinner?”
Edith shook her head. “The guests dine late so I will stay for another hour or so and then take my leave.” She accepted the cup gratefully from Mrs. Wilkins. “I was glad to be able to help put the children to bed. They are all so very dear.” She smiled softly. “Caleb especially is a very lovely child.”
“He is.” The vicar’s wife sighed and smiled. “This orphanage has been very blessed by the Duke’s generosity. We would not have been able to accommodate the number of children we have without his kindness.”
“I think that he has done a great deal of good without truly realising it,” Edith agreed, finding her heart singing as she thought of the Duke, remembering the kiss they had shared earlier that day.
The vicar’s wife nodded, studying Edith carefully for a moment as though she had something to say but was not quite certain how to say it. Edith simply smiled and waited, wondering what was on the lady’s mind. Eventually, she spoke.
“I am aware that the Duke has been in something of a depression for some time,” she said gently, as though she was a little afraid of Edith’s reaction to such a statement. “Though now, ever since you have arrived here, he appears to be a good deal happier. That must be because of you, Miss Tidemore.”
Edith shook her head, though she still smiled. “I do not know if that is true, though I am glad that you have seen a change in him. I… ” A sudden frown crossed her brow as she sniffed the air. “Wait, is that… is that smoke?”
Alarm reared in her chest as Mrs. Wilkins shot to her feet, hurrying across the room to the door. She opened it and at once, the smell of smoke grew stronger.
“There is a fire!” Mrs. Wilkins cried, fear evident in her voice. “The children! I – ”
“Go and raise the alarm. You know where to go better than I. I will fetch the children.”
Without so much as a glance over her shoulder towards Mrs. Wilkins, Edith hurried along the hallway and climbed the staircase. There came a few frightened cries from the children but Edith, reassuring them as best she could, called for them all to follow after her. Grasping the hands of two of the youngest children, she hurried back down the staircase, all too aware that there were two other bedrooms for her to go back to search.
“This way, as quickly as you can,” she cried, only for the crackling flames to catch her attention. She turned her head, gasping in fright as flames began to lick up the sides of the dining room door. Had the fire started in the kitchens?
“Hurry!” she cried, hearing the cracking of the beams as the wood began to roar with heat and fire. She ushered the children outside, then turned to hurry back to the other bedrooms. “Come out, quickly!” Opening one of the doors, she saw three frightened faces looking back at her. “There has been a fire,” she explained, coming a little further into the room as smoke continued to fill the hallway. “Come now, quickly. Follow me.” The three children hurried after her and after checking the final bedroom and finding it empty, Edith was able to bring them to the safety of the outdoors. Coughing to clear her throat, her eyes streaming, Edith called for all the children to come together. Quickly, she counted them, and then counted them again.
