Page 18 of Boxing With My Duke
Why is he upset over his friend and his wife?
A few minutes later, Carlton stuck his head in. “Catherine, I need to speak with you for a moment. Can you join me outside?”
Confused, she nodded numbly and allowed him to help her from the carriage.
He began to pace again. “This thing that happened to us. Maybe it happened for a reason,” he rasped before clearing his throat. “People do strange things sometimes and there must be a reason for it.”
She glanced around them and noticed a few people were stopping to listen, but Carlton seemed oblivious to them.
“Four days ago, you rampaged into my life, making all sorts of unfounded accusations about my ward, my business, my reputation. Despite that, I agreed to go on this wild ride with you.” He raked his hands through his hair as he paced. “But along the way, something happened. I compromised a lot more than I ever have in my life. I put up with a stubborn, argumentative woman who insisted that a note tacked to a tree would be sufficient evidence for a magistrate to arrest a trio of highwaymen, cold-blooded criminals who would have killed us, given the chance. A woman who demanded that I stand guard while she attended to her private needs, but not too close for fear that I would hear something. A woman who worries after the fact that she may have used poisonous leaves and then asks me to examine one of them to make sure. A woman who insisted there was no time to wait for a magistrate to arrest those three highwaymen and then suddenly decides it’s perfectly fine to waste time trudging through the woods to search for a whimpering dog. What man in his right man allows this,” he signaled with a wild motion of his hand, “to happen?”
Catherine opened her mouth to protest, but he held his hand up.
“Fine, you were right about the dog. But you weren’t right about me.”
“What do you mean?” She had no idea where he was heading with this, especially after what he just said.
He stopped pacing. “You never asked me how I truly felt about love when we spoke of such things early on. I want you to ask me now,” he whispered.
“How do you feel about love?”
“I never believed in it. I thought it was rubbish. I believed love was for fools.”
“And do you still believe that?” She blinked back tears.
He shook his head. “I was wrong. Love can hit you like a thunderbolt. And when it does, there’s no turning back. When you had that nightmare and you kissed me while you were still half asleep, that was the most incredible kiss in my life. And then the second one was even better.” He pulled her close. “Double damn, woman. Don’t you see? I’m madly in love with you. And I don’t want this irregular Scottish marriage of ours to be annulled.”
“I…I love you, too,” she whispered. “Remember when you said it was love at first sight between me and Riggs?”
“Yes.”
She took a deep breath. “I think it was love at first sight when I collided with you at your club four days ago. It took me a while to realize it. I love you so much, Carlton, and I don’t want our marriage annulled either.”
Carlton dropped to his knee. “Lady Catherine Campbell, you are the most incredible, amazing woman I have ever met. Will you make me the happiest of men and marry me…in a regular way?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She placed a finger on his lips as he was about to protest. “However, I will if you take me to Gretna Green and marry me over the blacksmith’s anvil.”
Catherine dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “You stole my heart when you agreed to come on this wild ride with me and you put up with everything I threw at you. There is nothing regular about you, my love.”
Carlton gave a loud whoop as he picked her up and twirled her about in his arms. “Here comes kiss number three.” He grinned as his lips claimed hers.
Applause erupted, and they pulled apart to see Edward and Serafina, Morris, Brandon, and Yates cheering them on, along with a sizeable crowd that had gathered around them.
“Are you ready for another adventure, my love?” Carlton smiled. The love shining in his eyes made her heart soar.
“I’m ready, my love.” She smiled through her tears and pulled him down for kiss number four, knowing it would be the best one yet.
Epilogue
Two months later ~ Bath, England
“Did you ever think you’d be back in the carriage with me so soon, my lovely duchess?” Carlton Coleman, the Duke of Richmond, asked as he tugged his beloved wife onto his lap.
“Honestly…no!” Catherine Coleman, the Duchess of Richmond, said with a laugh. “But I’m happy to go anywhere with you.”
“That’s good to hear,” he said, pleased as punch. Although he was curious that she hadn’t asked about a honeymoon.
“Thank you for my special day, Carlton.” She sighed, placing a light kiss on his lips. “It was like a dream.”
