Page 77 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke

“Of course, Gabriel.” Thalia rose after him, glued to his side as Charlotte flashed the widest grin her way.

“Oh, tell me this isn’t a look into my future,” Robin bemoaned.

“Hush, you,” Charlotte admonished. “Do not ruin this for me; it’s been quite literally years in the making!”

* * *

The evening approached far quicker than anyone anticipated, and for some reason, Gabriel found himself quite nervous. It made no sense; Thalia had been the one to invite him in the first place, and he already knew what she would be wearing. There was no reason for him to be so anxious, and yet, he found himself pacing at the bottom-most step of Stonewall manor.

“Quite pacing, would ya?” Robin groaned from beside the carriage, still fidgeting with his tie. “You’re making me feel all jittery.”

“Hush, you,” Charlotte admonished, slapping his hands away as she quickly tidied his appearance. “He’s allowed to be nervous for his first real outing with Thalia.”

“Neither one of you are being particularly helpful,” Gabriel hissed.

Robin offered a shrug in reply, still trying to mess with his collar as, once more, Charlotte slapped his hands away. “Why did I get dragged along to this, anyway?”

“Because I still need a proper chaperone,” Charlotte reminded him. “And this way, Gabriel and Thalia can spend the entire night together, without having to worry about us.”

“Worry about you, maybe,” Another pained yelp escaped Robin as Charlotte slapped his hands.

“Honestly, stop fussing with those buttons. You’re as bad as Gabriel was at this age…” Charlotte’s chatter fell to the wayside as Gabriel stared up at the front door. He’d forced himself to stay rooted in place, producing his pocket watch as he watched the hand tick by. He wasn’t keeping time, though; he could hardly keep focus as it was. He just needed something to stare at, something to fixate on. The seconds added up to a minute, and he turned the watch onto its back, staring at the engravings along the back.

Find the time.

His father’s initials were barely legible after all these years, and Gabriel found he’d been holding his breath. Maybe this had been a mistake. They didn’t have to appear as a proper couple; Gabriel was certain he could run upstairs quickly and change, match himself to his sister’s daffodil-themed attire. He could just be Gabriel Harding, Duke of Stonewell, chaperoning his sister as she attended her friend’s Seasonal event.

“Get whatever machinations you have out of your head,” Charlotte demanded.

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder, giving his sister an incredulous stare. “You know, we should really discuss how disturbing it is that you can seemingly read the minds of–”

“Ooh, Thalia!” Charlotte clapped excitedly, cutting her brother off with a loud gasp. “You look positively divine! I knew purple suited you entirely too well—you’re going to be the absolute envy of everyone!”

Gabriel followed his sister’s glance, immediately standing as he fully took in Thalia’s appearance. She stood hesitantly at the top of the stairs, the evening hues and candlelight perfectly accenting the soft lilac shade of her gown. Its flowing skirt billowed at the slightest shift of her hip, with carefully-detailed lacework around the ample curves of her bodice.

A rectangular window tastefully presented the fullness of her bosom, and the way her hair had been done—decorated with a number of small, lavender florets—left small curls and dark strands to help shape the soft features of her face. She offered a shy smile towards the Hardings, and in that moment, Gabriel wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and take her to his room.

“So?” His sister pressed against his side, her eyelashes fluttering and her smile as smug as could be.

Gabriel exhaled slowly, reining in his thoughts before speaking. “Like watching the perpetual blooming of a flower. You are ethereal, Thalia Sutton; I daresay I won’t be able to compliment you as you so deserve.”

Even from this distance, Thalia’s face grew rosy. “The mere fact you wish to stand beside me is compliment enough… Gabriel.”

Gabriel’s smile turned to a grimace as Charlotte squealed loudly beside him. He shot her a glare, to which she bid a hasty retreat towards her carriage, Robin in tow. His attention turned back to Thalia, having since descended the stairs to meet him fully. He extended his hand, and in moments, Thalia’s gloved fingers interlaced with his own.

“Let’s not keep her waiting much longer,” she said.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Gabriel mused. “I was considering letting them stew for a while. At least until I’ve had my fill of you, first.”

Thalia’s laughter rang like a bell, and she gracefully stepped off the stairs and into Gabriel’s embrace. “Feeling territorial, Mister Wolf?”

His arms tightened around her waist, a slight growl added to his tone. “Perhaps I am, little rabbit. Perhaps I am.” He leaned in close, catching Thalia’s lips in a brief, but wanting kiss. She was left breathless as he pulled away, that familiar spark of intrigue crossing her eyes as the moment stretched out between them.

“Another week,” she whispered softly.

Gabriel offered a bemused look in return.

“I was considering ways to thank you,” Thalia explained. “As our previous deal has become entirely unbalanced. I thought, perhaps… I could offer another week as a guest in your manor. One not burdened with schemes and plans of ruining a man’s reputation.” Briefly, her gaze drifted towards the ground, but those emerald-green eyes of hers soon found their way back to Gabriel. “A week to… properly get to know one another. To… give chance for opportunities of courtship.”

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