Page 33 of Duke of Emeralds
“Edinburgh. She has three children, rambunctious little ones.” He chuckled and moved slightly away, moving his arms as though he was about to splash her again. Hester braced for it and shut her eyes.
Thomas laughed. “Do ye concede and give me the win?”
“Never!” To demonstrate her will continue, she gathered a small current around her and sent it his way.
When their mirth subsided, she inched close and asked, “Is Elspet your only sister?”
“Aye.”
“And your parents?”
An invisible wall immediately rose between them. Thomas’ jovial demeanor shifted, his gaze turning distant, and she felt a pang of regret for her curiosity. How foolish of her to pry into matters that lay buried beneath the surface.
“It is nearly time for dinner. We should return,” he said, breaking the silence with a note of finality. As she gathered her heavy skirts, the weight of her spirits matched the damp fabric clinging to her legs. Just then, her foot slipped on an unseen stone, sending her tumbling backward into the water.
“By the heavens!” Thomas rushed to her side. “Are ye all right?” He extended a hand, pulling her up from the water’s embrace.
“I am well enough,” Hester replied though the embarrassment made her cheeks burn. She attempted to navigate toward her abandoned boots, but each step threatened to trip her further, her skirts dragging heavily behind her.
“Allow me,” he said suddenly, and before she could protest, he scooped her into his arms, lifting her effortlessly.
“Thomas, what are you doing?” she gasped, her heart racing as she squirmed against him.
“Taking ye back home,” he declared, ignoring her protests.
“But I can walk,” she insisted.
“Aye, but ye’ll only slow us down,” he countered. “I cannot risk ye tripping and hurting yerself.” His words hung in the air, laced with genuine concern, and something inside her stirred—a longing for his care that both thrilled and terrified her.
As they approached the castle, Miss Holt and Mrs. Smith appeared, their brows furrowed with concern. “Is all well, Your Grace?” Mrs. Smith inquired, eyeing Hester’s drenched form with disapproval.
“The Duchess is unhurt. Only drenched,” Thomas reassured them, striding past them toward the grand staircase.
When they reached her chamber doors, he finally set her down, but instead of releasing her, he held her against him, their bodies mere inches apart. Hester’s breath quickened as she became acutely aware of how the wet fabric clung to her form, a scandalous reminder of their proximity. Thomas’s gaze roamed over her, unabashed, until he blinked, as if awakening from a dream.
“Ye should change out of those wet clothes before ye catch a chill,” he advised, his tone suddenly serious. “I will see ye at dinner.”
With that, he stepped away, leaving her feeling oddly bereft and even more confused about these strange feelings than before.
CHAPTER 17
Thomas slammed his fist into the heavy leather bag, the thud echoing in the empty boxing room. Sweat stung his eyes, his muscles burned, but the phantom scent of Hester’s lavender water clung stubbornly to his senses. He drove another punch then another, the rhythm harsh and futile.
Every impact jarred his bones yet did nothing to dislodge the image of her wide hazel eyes and the hesitant curve of her mouth when she’d laughed in the water. Yearning. A raw, unfamiliar ache pulsed beneath his ribs, sharpening with each useless blow.
He stopped, bracing his hands on his knees, chest heaving. Surprise warred with utter confusion. This… restlessness… had plagued him nightly since the infernal marriage. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
He left the gymnasium, cleaned himself, and made for his study as the sun began to rise. The exertion had left his shoulders stiff, but it was more welcome than thoughts of his wife. Thomas satbehind his desk and dipped his quill, the nib scratching loudly on the parchment as he wrote:
Dearest Elspet,
England continues its usual whirl though I find the country air at Lushton agrees more. The Duchess…
His hand paused. What to say?The Duchess occupies my thoughts to an alarming degree?No. Absolutely not. He forced the quill onward.
…The Duchess is settling into her duties with commendable diligence. She has undertaken the reorganization of the library with surprising vigor. The servants, initially reserved, appear to be warming to her quiet manner. She possesses a dry wit I confess I did not initially perceive…
He wrote steadily for a full page, detailing Hester’s tentative attempts to manage the household and her unexpected competence with the estate accounts. Only when he signedYour affectionate brother, Thomas,did he lean back, the tightness in his chest easing fractionally.
