Page 4 of Taken By the Beastly Duke

"Well I do," he said rising to his full height. "I am, after all, a gentleman."

"You? A gentleman?" she teased, "you seem to forget that you are hiding a wild hellion beneath all your fine clothes," she said, rolling her eyes in mock outrage.

"Shh!" he said, placing a finger on his lips and making a show of looking around for eavesdroppers. "Do not let anyone here hear you say that. Especially not Lady Danbury, she only let me under the impression that I was a proper gentleman."

"You must have really perfected your skills for theatre. It is definitely not easy to pull the wool over Lady Danbury's eyes."

"Maybe she believed me, because I am actually one," he said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Oh you wish. Spin me another tale, would you? I am sure she would not think that if she had seen you fall out of the tree... on your behind," she said, bursting into laughter and Theodore soon joined in. They laughed until tears almost came out of their eyes and some other guests turned to look at them aghast.

When they managed to get themselves together, Victoria changed the subject, "I have really missed you, Theodore," she said. "You always make me laugh."

"Well, I do aim to please," he said with a smile.

Now that she thought about it, she really missed him. He had been the only real friend she had since childhood because she had not fit into the character of a typical female so she had not been friends with young ladies her age. Instead she had become friends with the son of the Earl that lived in the next estate and together they had raised hell and gone on adventures, climbed trees, fished in nearby streams. Together they were the perfect partners in crime getting into unimaginable trouble together.

But as it was inevitable, when they approached adolescence they had to be separated as Theodore left to Edinburgh to attend Oxford and she had to concentrate on caring for her sisters.

They still met when he returned home from his studies for holidays, but there was already some distance and the distance widened even further when he fell in love with Miss Henrietta, a viscount's daughter. When he married her and his father passed away a year later, he had to move back to the title's seat to take up the title and manage the estate that was attached to it.

She still kept in touch with his wife and Theodore himself through letters, but it was never the same as a physical meeting.

"What brings you to town, Theo?" She asked curiously.

"I am to attend Parliament, I have been absent this last few years but this year, Henri insisted that I must attend," he said with a fond smile on his face.

"How is Henri?" she asked.

"She is healthy but her belly is growing bigger by the day," he said with a humorless smile on his face which caused her concern. "We are expecting another child."

"That is great news, Theo!!" she said. "Congratulations! You are about to be a father for the second time."

"Thank you, Victoria," he said. “Sometimes I just… never mind.”

“What is it, Theo?” Victoria asked concerned.

“I just wish things were different sometimes. You know what I mean.”

“I thought you had made your peace by now.” she told him knowing he referred to his unhappiness with the marriage his father had arranged for him. “You two seem so happy. She’s carrying your second child.”

“I know.” he sighed. “I couldn’t help but wish I were married to someone else. You don’t have any suggestions do you?”

She laughed then seeing the smile on his face and shook her head.

“Unfortunately I do not. I am the only available female I know. Unless you wouldn’t mind an older woman then I have a lot of those.”

“You would be the perfect candidate.”

“Oh, Theo. You flatter me.” she laughed but stopped at the serious expression on his face. “You really must stop with this. It can never be. You know that.”

“If things were different… You’re right. I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him and nodded even though she felt uncomfortable.

Seeking to distract him she asked, "how is my little godson, George?"

At the mention of his energetic first born son, the wide smile appeared on his face.

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