Page 46 of Duke in Shining Armor
Catherine pulled away from him and searched his face. “You truly wanted to offer for me?”
James saw the disbelief in her face.
“I hesitated. I did not wish to overpower you, and I felt we had a little time. I wanted to speak with you and find out how you felt about it. Then it was my intention to speak with your father.”
“I did not know, James, and when I overheard you with that woman in the library, I thought it was best for me to leave,” she said shakily.
“It was the honorable thing to ask for your hand after what we shared, but it is more than that.” James tilted her chin and gazed upon her face. “I have taken a real fancy to you, my Catherine. When you were in Switzerland, I missed you terribly. After all, it is not very often that a gentleman meets a lady who swears like a sailor and readsThe Spectator.”
Catherine smiled and her eyes lit up.
“I understand that you have your doubts. All I am asking is that you keep an open mind and give me a chance to show you that I care for you.”
“I would never tolerate my husband having a mistress,” she whispered fiercely. “I do not give a fig if these things are expected from gentlemen of your stature. What will matter are my expectations and my husband’s, not society’s.”
His heart damn well jerked, and an odd tenderness filled James. “I would never act like such a cad with you as my wife.” Her eyes widened and he teased, “I recall your skill with the derringer.”
A smile bloomed on her mouth, and that tenderness deepened. What were these feelings that she so effortlessly provoked? James reached out and tucked a loose wisp of hair behind her ear. “You can take some time to decide, but no longer than our next ball.”
Catherine laughed and her gaze gleamed with delight. “I will think upon it, James.”
“Now I know you must allow others to call upon you, but do not indulge.”
“Do you mean in the same way that you indulge with Lady Jane?” she asked sweetly.
James was surprised at Catherine’s remark. “Of what do you speak?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Never mind. We should return before we are missed.”
“Yes, we should, but I will call on you tomorrow and I will send you flowers for I want you to know that you are not far from my thoughts.”
James led her from the maze, pleased with what he had accomplished, and his conviction that all was not lost.
* * *
When they exited,the maid waited outside the maze, Catherine realized that James had planned the entire encounter. She fought the blush rising in her cheeks and cast him a side glance of rebuke. The duke merely winked, and Catherine could not help smiling. Even now, her lips tingled and her heart raced. The maid followed them at a discreet distance until they arrived at the house. Catherine smiled when she reasoned the dreadful Lady Jane was seated across from James to make her jealous, and shockingly it had worked.
Catherine thought of her time alone with James. She had never felt such tenderness toward a gentleman, and she never competed with a lady for a gentleman’s attention. James was by no means perfect, but she felt that he understood her, possibly more than any other. She could not think of another gentleman who would allow her the freedoms he had when she was at Pembroke Estate. Even when she had asked him not to divulge the unfortunate incident to her parents, he had agreed and kept his word. A marriage to James would not be a contract, for he had some affection for her, and it was more than she could hope for in this society.
He had been forthcoming, being that he told her how he felt, and she knew this was quite novel. Gentlemen were not in the business of telling ladies what they felt. She had heard the stories of how wives’ feelings were largely ignored, and their primary role was to deliver an heir. On the other hand, there seemed to be much more to James than she first thought, and she liked it.
When they went to the maze, she had no notion he wished to devour her, but she was happy that he did. The pleasure was so … so intense. Her legs felt like jelly when he put his fingers inside her softness, and she thought she might faint. She had grabbed onto his shoulders when passion tore through her, for she was afraid if she let go, she would fall. She could still feel the dampness between her thighs, and she felt a thrill that they shared another secret. He awakened such feelings deep within her, and she wondered if these emotions would always be there, or would they grow even more?
Her thoughts were interrupted as they arrived at the house, and James led her into the drawing room.
“There you are,” the duchess said, her eyes glinting with a curious light. “I hope you had a lovely stroll in the garden.”
“Thank you, I did, Your Grace. The duke was kind enough to show me the maze. It is beautiful.”
“You are very gracious, my dear. Ever since the children were but bairns, they would go there to play in the maze every day. Jimmy, the gardener, spends a great deal of time keeping it immaculate even to this day.”
Lady Jane piped up, “Yes, I do so remember that captivating maze. I have gotten lost there a few times myself.”
Catherine gave her a sweet smile. “How lovely.”
James had ambled over to Lord Windemere, and she heard him say, “I would like to call upon Lady Catherine on the morrow, if it pleases you.”
“Certainly, Your Grace. Please join us for afternoon tea if you may,” her father replied.
