Page 54 of The Duke's Carriage Window
“You don’t mean here?”
“Yes.”
“In the garden?”
“Yes.”
She seemed to consider something. “That certainly didn’t take long.”
Darius raised a brow wondering exactly what kind of comment that was supposed to be, but Frances quickly changed the subject.
“I shall speak to someone about having the coach brought round at once.”
“Thank you. I shall go and collect Meredith.”
Darius retraced his steps to the garden gazebo where Meredith waited. She was leaning against one of the white pillars, watching him through the rain. Something gripped his heart as he stared back at the beautiful vision she presented, more real than anything he’d ever seen in his life. He came up the steps to her and wrapped his arms around her.
She was his now. He no longer had to fight the urge to touch her, to keep her at a distance.
She sighed against his lips as he kissed her. Meredith was cold and wet. Her shiver passed through to him, and he gently rubbed her arms before he retrieved her wet evening gloves from where they lay on the arm of the settee.
“Let’s go home and warm you up,” he said, kissing the crown of her damp hair.
He took her by the hand and they ran through the gardens toward the side gate that led up to the front driveway, where his coach was waiting. Once inside, Frances wrapped her cloak around Meredith shoulders, and Darius told his driver to take them home.
No one spoke the entire way back, and for that Darius was grateful. He needed time to think, or perhaps not to think. It was hard to be sure.
Once they were home, Frances escorted Meredith upstairs where Nell would prepare her a hot bath. Darius went to his study to write his solicitor a letter about his upcoming marriage. He had just finished the letter when Chelsea politely rapped on his door.
“Come in.”
The butler peered inside. “Mr. Burville has just arrived. I assume you wish to see him?”
Warren politely nudged the butler side so he could enter Darius’s study. “Of course he wishes to see me, old boy.” He was also drenched from the rain, which meant he’d ridden straight here following them home from the ball.
“What is it, Warren?” Darius asked.
“You left the ball like the devil himself was on your heels. When I didn’t see Meredith return to the ballroom, I wanted to make sure the young lady was all right.”
“Honestly, I don’t know if she is,” Darius admitted. “She overheard Lady Mary’s unkind words about her and I know she is upset about that.”
Warren tossed his hat on Darius’s desk and sat down in a chair facing him.
“Lady Mary will not let your slight of her tonight go unpunished. Something must be done.”
Darius met Warren’s uncharacteristically worried gaze. “Something will be done, Warren. I can promise you that. In fact, I wish for you to accompany me tomorrow morning to procure a special license.”
Warren laid his palms on his thighs and let out a soft whistle. “You don’t mean…”
“Meredith and I will be married as soon as it can be arranged, hopefully at the end of next week.”
“Well damn, there’s a thousand pounds I won’t be seeing again,” Warren muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing. Meredith must be overjoyed,” Warren said with a grin.
But Darius’s stomach clenched with nerves. “She does not know as of yet. I will inform her in the morning.”
