Page 53 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
With one final embrace, Dominic and Catherine bid farewell to Aunt Penelope, their hearts heavy with the weight of parting, but Catherine was strangely exalted to go back to Dominic’s home.Herhome.
As the carriage rattled along the winding country roads on their journey home, they were both lost in their own thoughts, staring outside the carriage window. She was absolutely certain that their time with his aunt had created a significant change in their relationship. She had no idea where it would lead, but she was curious to find out.
“… balls and social gatherings,” she heard him say, but not having paid attention, she missed the first part.
“Sorry?” she apologized, turning to him. “I was lost in the beauty of the countryside.”
He smiled reassuringly. “I was saying it looks like we’ve got the perfect excuse to skip all those stuffy balls and social gatherings,” he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he cast a playful glance at Catherine’s ankle.
She chuckled, shaking her head in mock exasperation as she glanced down in the same direction. Her ankle actually looked perfectly fine, and there was no pain at all, but Doctor Manning suggested to be on the safe side and not risk it. However, she couldn’t resist teasing Dominic.
“Oh, come on, now,” she replied playfully. “You can’t possibly be suggesting that we miss out on all the excitement of the season.”
“Why not?” he countered with a grin, his tone equally light and teasing. “We could have our own little soiree right at home.”
“But what about the gossip?” she wondered mischievously. “Who shall keep us entertained with the latest gossip?”
He patted himself on the chin, pretending to be lost in deep thought. “Hmmm, that is quite a predicament, I must admit. Indeed, who shall keep us entertained with the latest gossip?”
“See?” she said victoriously. “We must not, under any circumstances, skip a single ball or social gathering. It is a matter of life and death.”
He chuckled at those words. “Yes, theywouldthink that, wouldn’t they?”
Strangely enough, Catherine found herself eagerly anticipating the prospect of spending quiet evenings together with Dominic, far from the bustling crowds of society. She had never been much for public events.
She much rather preferred to stay at home with a good book, nestled cozily by the fire, allowing the world to pass her by. She had also always hoped to find a husband who would share such proclivities. When she got married to Dominic, she didn’t think they had anything in common. How could they? They couldn’t have been more far apart.
And yet, it seemed that things were taking a turn for the better. Strangely, and completely unexpectedly, that was exactly what was happening. And Catherine was eager to see what else she would find out about her husband.
The return home was peaceful and uneventful, although Catherine did feel a slight flutter to be there once again. Only this time, she was seeing the place with different eyes, almost as if it wasn’t the same place at all. He helped her up to her chamber. The maids helped her disrobe and have a bath. She joined her husband for a surprisingly pleasant dinner, after which they bid each other good night, much to her disappointment.
That night, as she rested in her bed, her heart skipped a beat upon hearing the familiar knock on her door.
“Yes?” she whispered, her entire body aflutter. That could be onlyhim.No one else would be knocking on her door at that time of the night.
The door slowly cracked open. She smoothed down her nightgown, although it made no sense. She was in a seated position in her bed, with the nightgown underneath a blanket. Nothing she did seemed to make any sense. That was the effect his presence had on her.
At first, she could see only his head. He was smiling. “Are you sleeping?” he whispered.
“No,” she chuckled. She wanted to addobviously,but thought maybe that would be too much.
“May I come in?” he asked again.
“Come,” she nodded eagerly, a little too eagerly. Her pulse quickened at the sight of him.
He stepped into the room, his presence filling the space with a tangible energy that seemed to ignite the very air around them.“I, umm… just wanted to check on you,” she heard him say. His eyes lingered on her with a mixture of concern and something else she couldn’t quite decipher.
Catherine felt her cheeks flush under his gaze, a sudden surge of warmth pooling at the bottom of her stomach, spreading throughout her entire body.
“It has been a long day,” he clarified. “Is your ankle all right?”
“Yes,” she assured him. “I have been sitting most of the day, you know.”
She wanted to tease him. In fact, she wanted to do all sorts of things to him, things that made her both embarrassed and even more thrilled at the thought of them.
“True,” he smiled in a way that made her knees weak. It was a good thing she was sitting in her bed. “Well…” he sounded a bit confused, as if perhaps he was changing his mind about being there. She wanted to assure him that he shouldn’t.
“Please, take a seat,” she urged, gesturing at a space on his bed by patting on it with her hand. She couldn’t believe how boldly she was telling him to sit next to her. But it was as if someone else had taken over her body, someone who wanted this man in every way a woman wanted a man.
