Page 109 of A Deal with the Broken Duke
“He’s just trying to restore his reputation.”
“Oh, I know he is,” Juliet said. “And I don’t know whether or not it will work. Daniel has certainly not hesitated in telling anyone who would listen what kind of man he is, and now that Daniel’s talking about it, Matilda is too. I don’t know if there’s any hope for the fellow. Still, I suppose it was nice of him to make the attempt.”
“I don’t know if I’d call itnicegiven that he’s doing it for his own sake and not for yours,” Harry grumbled. “Still, if it pleases you to have this letter, then I’m glad.”
“He admits that he was in the wrong,” Juliet said. “Whether he truly believes that or not, the fact that he’s able to admit it does mean something to me. I believe my struggles with him are finally over.”
“They most certainly are, one way or another,” Harry agreed. “I’ll never allow him to come near you again, Juliet. You can count on that.”
When the dinner was over, everyone walked out to the grounds. The moon was high overhead, hung like a lantern in the sky, and the world beneath was well-illuminated and easy to see.
“Shall we find your brother and sister?” Harry asked.
She smiled. “You don’t want to sneak off somewhere by ourselves?”
“Of course that’s what I want to do. But at a party where I’m the host… our absence would be too conspicuous, and someone would come and find us. No, there will be plenty of time for kissing once our marriage is final, but for now, we would be better advised to keep things respectful and appropriate. We’ve come so far. Let us not stumble at the finish line.”
Juliet laughed. “You must think I’m so irresponsible.”
“You don’t have to be responsible,” Harry told her. “That isn’t the reason I fell in love with you.”
“Oh, no? What’s the reason, then? It’s my stunning good looks, isn’t it?”
“Well, I’m glad you’re ready to admit that you’re beautiful, if nothing else.” Harry grinned. “You know, I’ve been thinking, and I think you ought to givemea nickname.”
“And why should I do such a thing?”
“It seems only fair, given that I referred to you by a nickname for such a long time.”
“Well, I don’t need to take revenge on you for that.”
“Not for the sake of revenge.” Harry smirked. “I just think it might make things feel a little more even. Maybe a little more playful, which was my intention all along, of course.”
Juliet laughed. “I don’t have a nickname for you,” she said. “Much as I wish I did sometimes. You’re just Harry.”
“Well, perhaps you’ll think of one. We do have our whole lives for this.”
They found Daniel first. He was standing on his own and surveying the grounds, but he smiled when he saw them approaching.
“I see he’s no longer angry with me,” Harry noted.
“Oh, he was never angry with you. I think he’s just feeling very protective these days, knowing as he does that he allowed me to spend my childhood feeling tormented and bullied. Of course, we both understand now that that wasn’t exactly what was happening. But I think he’s trying to make up for it.”
“I’d like to make up for it too,” Harry said. “It does upset me to know that I made you so unhappy when we were young.”
“I really don’t want you to worry about it,” Juliet assured. “It’s in the past now, and it’s time we turned our attention to the future. You could even call me by that nickname again if you wanted. I don’t think I would care now that I understand the true nature of your feelings for me.”
Juliet was surprised to find that she meant it. Harry calling her a Chipmunk had once felt like the worst, most hurtful thing imaginable. But now it was almost a fond memory. In the face of everything else they had been through, it was hard to imagine getting upset about something so trivial. It was just one more piece of the big puzzle that was their history together, and Juliet was glad to have it.
Daniel was beside them now. “That was a wonderful dinner,” he praised. “Thank you, Harry.”
“Oh, it was entirely my pleasure,” Harry said. “Walk with us, won’t you?”
“I suppose I’d better. Goodness knows what the two of you might get up to if I leave you unchaperoned.”
Juliet felt her cheeks heat up. Never mind that she had just been wishing to sneak off and kiss Harry, she was embarrassed that her brother would make that suggestion, even in jest.
But Daniel was smiling. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not going to let anyone find out that you stole a kiss, Harry. I know that you love my sister, and I see that you treat her well. Just make sure that continues, and you and I won’t have any quarrels.”
