Page 40 of Good Duke Gone Rogue

Another voice broke into their intimate space, “Good thing I came back when I did.” The driver was looking at them like he had just seen a ghost. He didn’t seem the type to rattle easily, but really, this was not an easy rattlable situation. This was a giant gong sounding situation.

“Y-you shot him?” though delayed, Bernadette was putting the pieces together. Her comprehension lagged behind Jacob, Reggie, and the driver, but then again, her focus had only been on Reggie. Jacob had been behind her. With Reggie in front of her, she hadn’t seen from any other angle.

The driver nodded in affirmation. “I was coming up the road and saw a fellow creeping around the carriage. I choked—I took care of him. Then I came around to the sound of voices and immediately saw what was going on. But I didn’t see that Reggie had the flintlock drawn until after I shot the highwayman. Either way, it looks like that man was going to be a goner.”

“It does seem that way.” Still dazed, she looked to Reggie. “So the highwayman was the only one shot?”

“Yes.”

And reality fell upon her. She bent over to embrace Reggie, tears falling down and pooling on his shoulder.

“I thought—I thought…” she couldn’t even say it.

“I’m right here,” he whispered. And somehow the positions were reversed, and she was now sitting on his lap. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I thought you were gone,” she choked out. “You’re not allowed to do that.” She pushed a fist into his chest. “You’re not allowed to go anywhere.”

He hushed her gently. “I wouldn’t go anywhere even if you did permit it.”

A soft wail, as soft as wails could be, was muffled into his chest.

“Come now, I thought you weren’t much of a crier?” he teased.

“I must be one and not have known it. All these years, I’ve been holding everything in, and now it’s all coming out.”

“It’s not a bad thing.”

“No, it’s not.” She raised her head to look at Jacob. “But timing is everything.”

Jacob looked puzzled. “You’re still crying, Mama. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, I’ve never been better.”

Her son didn’t quite look like he believed her but wasn’t about to say anything.

“Jacob, close your eyes,” Bernadette said softly. In obedience, he put his hands over his eyes.

Bernadette swept in for a kiss. Not a passionate kiss with all the fire behind it. No, it was a kiss of appreciation, surrender, and devotion. And Reggie offered the same kiss back.

It didn’t last long, not only because it wasn’t meant to, but also because fairly shortly after Jacob covered his eyes, he asked, “Can I open them yet?”

Bernadette laughed. “Yes, you can open them now.”

Reggie went out of the carriage to handle the situation. Another carriage arrived and took the three of them home. As darkness surrounded them, Bernadette sat close to Reggie, clasping his hand for the duration of the trip. She was not letting go for anything.

By the time they arrived at home, Jacob had fallen fast asleep, so Reggie carried him up to his bed. There was no prevaricating, Bernadette followed and then led Reggie by the hand back to her room.

“Reggie, I—I—”

“I need to speak first, Detta. I had planned to share this with you at the first chance I had. I must say some things.”

They sat on the chairs by the fire that the maid must have prepared for her when their carriage rumbled up the drive.

“This past week has been the most pivotal week of my life. I’ve discovered the depth and breadth of more emotions than I knew existed. The fire we have,” a whoosh of air escaped his lips, “it’s more than I could ever dream of having. And I’ve dreamed of it more than I care to confess.

Bernadette’s heart was hammering in her chest. Fire. That was one of her concerns. No longer really, but she still had to ask, “And what happens when the fire goes out, Reggie?”

The pain that flickered across his face almost invalidated the question, but then determination replaced the hurt.

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