Page 80 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke

That round, much to his frustration, went to Thalia.

They met once more at the center of the garden, a slow waltz guiding them across the dance floor as Thalia caught her breath for their last bout. She propped her head against his chest, allowing him to guide her entirely as they swayed gently to the bright thrum of violin strings. “Seems we’re tied,” she finally said.

“Hardly,” Gabriel scowled playfully. “You cheated that last round.”

“You never said I couldn’t use outside help,” Thalia teased. “Besides, a rabbit has to use every trick she has to escape.”

He spun her gracefully, daring a slight dip as childish giggling escaped her lips. “You’re going to get us caught,” he admonished, glancing around at the drifting gazes of other partygoers.

“Me? You’re the one being obvious!” Thalia bit back more laughter, pulling herself upright as she took control of her portion of the dance. “Gracious; must I do everything?”

That got a chuckle from Gabriel, and he allowed Thalia to dictate their direction for a moment. It had been ages since he’d played such childish games, hide-and-seek especially, and was thrilled at how much of a challenge Thalia put up. “I feel for this last round, perhaps we limit it to hiding places that don’t cause damage to the garden.”

Thalia made a slight face, eyes following Gabriel’s hand as it plucked a stray leaf from her hair. “I swear, those bushes looked like that before I dove into them.”

“Charlotte is going to have a fit if you ruin that dress,” Gabriel chuckled.

Thalia sighed, head settling against his chest once as she relinquished control once more. “She would, wouldn’t she…?”

* * *

The pair took to the farther reaches of the garden for the last round, laughing and teasing while following the bends of the stream. It eventually spilled out into a more impressive river, flowing just outside the home’s property line and into the forest beyond.

Between it, a large field swayed in the springtime air, having cooled significantly since that morning. Thalia shivered in his embrace, and Gabriel was quick to offer his jacket.

“I promise not to give it back this time,” Thalia smiled sheepishly.

“You could certainly try to,” Gabriel replied coolly. “But I’d sooner let it fall to the ground.”

Thalia chuckled lightly, grasping around the coat’s collar and pulling it tighter against her body. She inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering, and Gabriel wondered what could possibly be going through her mind. So, he decided to ask for himself.

“What are you thinking about, Thalia?”

She exhaled loudly, her hands clinging tighter around the coat. “I was wondering… if this stream fed into the one at the park. If this open field connected to that forest, and if I could follow the path back to the grove we spent that afternoon in.”

Thalia paused, taking in another audible breath. “And, I was thinking… now that the pretense of our courtship being a facade is over, it’s easier to remain at ease around you. To simply enjoy the moment as it is, and not overanalyze every spoken word between us.”

Gabriel found himself in complete agreement. Still, Thalia’s expression looked troubled, and thus, he persisted.

“What else are you thinking about?”

Thalia hesitated, wiping her face with the back of her gloved hand before offering a nod. “Occasionally…I am beset with a terrible wave of guilt.” A tear caught against the moonlight, and Thalia left it to run down past her chin. “It doesn’t seem as if I should be allowed to feel so happy. Or, that such joy can still bring me such waves of painful memories.”

“We are creatures of complex emotion,” Gabriel offered gently. “You are allowed to experience pleasure, alongside pain.”

A weak giggle escaped her lips, and Thalia exhaled sharply once more. “I hardly knew him growing up. Robin, I mean; he’d gone to live with his mother once Father believed him old enough, and while I certainly wrote…” she paused, tugging at Gabriel’s jacket once more. “I feel I owe him so much. For taking me in after the disastrous encounter with Giles, and caring for me so intently, when I myself never thought to do so.”

“And now he’s here,” Gabriel reminded her gently. “Enjoying this night alongside you.”

Her laughter came stronger this time. “He’s enjoying it alongside that scheming sister of your’s.”

Gabriel pretended to be insulted, a playful scowl crossing his face as he let out a gasp. “How dare you say such horrible things about my sister! This will not stand, Thalia Sutton; when I win this final hunt, I will take my time devouring you wholly.”

A visible shiver ran across Thalia’s body, and she offered a sly smirk of her own. “Bold proclamation, Mister Wolf. Let’s see if your actions are equally so.” She quickly darted into the treeline, jacket fluttering alongside her dress before being fully enveloped into the shade. Gabriel chuckled lightly, turning around as he mentally began to count down from a minute. She would need it, after all; he was hardly going to go easy on her this time.

A sharp click interrupted his internal clock, and something cold pressed itself against the back of Gabriel’s head.

“What a disgustingly sentimental scene to wander into,” Giles Tilbury hissed into his ear.

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