Page 80 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

Already sensing another potential argument beginning to brew, Duncan stepped ahead of the situation with a recommendation, "How about this? The first one to find a smooth black pebble can be the first to be ‘it’?”

The children’s eyes widened in excitement at this new challenge, forgetting their disagreement at once.

“Found one!” Reggie exclaimed, proudly waving the pebble in the air as he giddily danced. “I’m ‘it’! I’m ‘it’!”

Accepting her fair defeat, Lucy agreed and began splashing through the water at once.

“Please be careful!” Lady Punton—who had been resting on a large rock to Duncan’s right—called after the children before turning to Duncan, “They already seem rather at ease with you, Your Grace. Perhaps it's time you considered becoming a father yourself.”

Duncan flashed her a weak smile, thinking of Fairhaven’s confession from the other day. “Perhaps one day, Lady Punton. Naturally, I shall have to find a wife first.”

“A fine young man like yourself should have prospects lined out the door!” the older woman chuckled, her sentiments similar to the ones Lady Penelope had voiced in his room the other night.

“Perhaps one day,” he repeated half-heartedly.

Turning to the side so he could sneak a glance out of the corner of his eye at the happy couple sharing a picnic blanket, his chest suddenly tightened. “The truth is that some things simply just aren’t meant for us.”

He allowed his gaze to linger a little longer on Lady Penelope, shoulders relaxed as she sketched the brighter section of the river further downstream.

“That is true for some things...” Lady Punton answered, snapping his attention back to her, “...but certainly not everything.”

A squeal from behind them caused them to perk up in alarm. Duncan turned his head just in time to see Gloushire on a knee as Lady Penelope cupped both hands over her mouth in surprise.

The older woman next to Duncan seemingly regained all the vigor of her youth as she jumped from her spot and rushed to embrace her daughter.

For a fleeting moment, Lady Penelope locked eyes with Duncan, and he swore that instead of the glee and jubilation he had expected, he was instead met with compliant resignation.

His heart pounded in his chest, desperately pleading to confirm whether this was actually the case or if his imagination was running away with him once more.

But it was too late, Gloushire was already cupping Lady Penelope’s face and pressing his lips onto hers, the bouquet he had been holding during the proposal laying by his side.

Inwardly, every fiber of Duncan’s body screamed for him to turn away from the sickening sight. But he felt too heavy to even lift a finger, remaining stiller than the statues that lined the opera house’s gallery. In fact, if the wind was strong enough, it would probably be able to knock him over and shatter him into pieces.

When Lady Penelope was finally released from the kiss, her eyes landed on Duncan once more, thus sending a shudder that ripped through him so forcefully that he spun on his heels.

Facing his new direction, he quickly realized that he wasn’t the only party who was less than thrilled about the news. Lucy and Reggie had stopped their game of tag and were presently the newly engaged couple with polite smiles and apprehensive curiosity.

They don’t appear to be as surprised as one might expect,Duncan mused.So it’s very likely that Gloushire warned them of his plan ahead of time.

“Come here, darlings!” the viscount called to them, motioning with his hands, an elated smile stretching across his face. “Come hug your new mother!”

The children did as they were told and began wading towards the river bank. Duncan snapped out of his gaze just in time to help them out of the water and then followed a few paces behind them to rejoin the remainder of the party.

Despite still dripping with water, the children obeyed their father and took turns limply wrapping their arms around Lady Penelope’s neck.

“Congratulations, Lady Pen,” Duncan’s lips said before he could stop them.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” Her voice came out just barely above a whisper—perhaps she was too stunned by her good fortune to speak.

Duncan knew that, from a completely impartial point of view, he should have been more excited—the goal that he and Lady Penelope had both been working towards since practically the moment they met had now been recognized.

But instead, he was met with an emptiness so vast that he worried he would collapse into himself. The next thing he knew, he was mumbling something to Mother about suddenly remembering some urgent business that he needed to tend to.

His eyes watched Mother’s lips move, but his ears couldn't quite seem to catch what she was saying.

“I’m sorry, but Ihaveto go, Mother,” he muttered again.

As he stalked away, he got the vague sense of his name being called and voices asking where he was going, but he didn’t turn around.

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