Page 57 of Stolen By the Duke of Ice
Laughing, he paused his playing and walked to her again.
“You are fire.”
Against the dark, against the cold. Cleansing.
“Be stirring as the time, be fire with fire.” Peter held her gaze.
“Shakespeare.”
“King John, yes.”
“Well,” Dahlia said smiling at him. “I shall add ‘literary lion’ to your list as well.”
Peter’s smile widened into a grin.
Be careful, Peter. Remember the consequences. Remember the cost.
It might be too late.
Chapter Twelve
The morning was progressing very well for Dahlia. She had just completed another chapter ofThe Duke and the Aspiring Detectives. She was feeling wonderful. She had missed that feeling. To see her words in paper, fully formed and complete was pure joy.
She entered the breakfast room with a spring in her step. When she found Mary and Claire were already there, her smiled widened. She could not wait to tell them that she had finished the next chapter just in time.
“Good morning, Dahlia,” they said in unison.
Dahliah was getting quite used to them speaking in unison.
“And a good morning, to you, Mary and Claire,” she said as she went to the sideboard to start choosing her breakfast. She noticed that once again the blueberry sconces were laid out verygenerously. She put three pieces on her plate. When she was done choosing, she went to sit near the twins.
Moving close to Dahlia, Mary whispered, “Remember, Dahlia, we are to have our secret reading club session again this afternoon.”
“How can I forget, dear? And I am happy to tell you that I have just finished the next chapter,” she whispered back.
Claire, who had risen from her place in the dining table and moved directly behind her, brightened. “What did you say?”
“The next chapter is ready.”
“Oh! That is the best news.” She clapped her hands. “And I am happy to inform both of you that I have replaced our soiled blanket with a new one.”
“Thank you, Claire.” Dahlia chuckled.
Mary and Claire had been elated to know that they were her inspirations for the Aspiring Detectives. So far, the detectives, two young ladies in their first season, had navigated their first ball. They had witnessed a crime, had followed a mysterious couple, and, still unknown to Mary and Claire, were about to be introduced to the Duke of Snowdon and his bride.
Yes, the Duke now had a bride. She could not wait to see what Mary and Claire would say about that.
“Good morning, ladies. It is looking to be a fine winter’s day.”
Standing by the sideboard, Peter bowed to them, a smile of greeting on his face.
Dahlia had been about to tell the Mary and Claire that she had spoken the night before to their brother and that they had exchanged olive branches when the actions of the very man himself made her explanations quite unnecessary in her opinion.
“Good morning, Peter.”
Seeing Dahlia’s smiling reply, and their brother’s amiability, the twins realized that peace was now to be had in the castle. And so, Mary and Claire expressed their morning greetings once again in happy unison.
Peter took the seat beside Dahlia, and he looked at her plate.
