Page 110 of His Forsaken Duchess
“Enough,” Grace admonished, shaking her head. “This is absurd. Flowers, books, sweets—every surface is covered! I cannot stand it any longer.” She gestured toward the gifts scattered aroundthe room. “Please, Audrey, talk to him. If only to stop this madness.”
Audrey sighed, setting her embroidery aside as her mother thrust the note into her hand. Cedric’s bold handwriting filled the page.
Audrey,
It has been five days since you left, and it feels like a lifetime. I know I deserve your anger, and I know I have much to make amends for. But please, allow me to see you. Walk with me, and let me show you how much you mean to me.
Yours,
Cedric.
Audrey stared at the note, her lips pressing into a thin line as her heart stirred.
What am I going to do with this man?
Sighing, she reached for a quill and inkpot, flipping the paper over. With brisk strokes, she wrote a single line beneath his signature:
Very well. Tomorrow at two o’clock.
The next afternoon, Cedric arrived at her parents’ house with a phaeton so polished that it gleamed in the sunlight. Audrey watched him dismount from the front steps, his movements swift and confident.
“Good afternoon, Audrey,” he said, offering her his hand.
There was a warmth in his gaze that made her hesitate, but she took his hand nonetheless.
“Good afternoon, Duke,” she replied, stepping into the phaeton.
His hand lingered a moment longer than necessary, and she could feel his eagerness to please.
As they set off toward the park, Cedric kept the reins steady, his focus divided between the road and her. “I chose this phaeton because I thought you’d like it. It’s from London’s finest coachmaker.”
“It is very fine,” Audrey acknowledged, her tone amused. “I didn’t know you had such a passion for phaetons.”
“I don’t,” Cedric admitted with a faint grin. “But I remembered you once said you liked the sleek ones. I thought it might impress you.”
She raised an eyebrow, though her lips twitched in reluctant amusement. “And what else have you remembered?”
“That you adore sugared tarts, prefer roses to lilies, and enjoy novels with heroines who challenge Society’s expectations,” he said, glancing at her with a smile. “Shall I continue?”
Audrey shook her head, suppressing a laugh. “You’ve certainly been thorough.”
“I had to,” Cedric said simply. “I’ve only just begun making up for lost time.”
They arrived at the park, and Cedric guided the phaeton to a quiet, shaded path. He dismounted quickly and came to her side, his hand extended to help her down. She accepted, noting the way his touch lingered again, his thumb lightly brushing against hers.
They walked in silence at first, the path winding through tall trees and flowering bushes. Audrey kept her hands clasped before her, her expression calm but watchful as Cedric matched her pace.
“Thank you for coming,” he said finally, his voice soft but steady.
“You’ve given me little choice,” she replied, glancing at him. “Your letters and gifts have left me no room to refuse.”
Cedric smiled faintly, undeterred. “Then I’ll take it as a victory. Small, perhaps, but a victory nonetheless.”
Audrey shook her head, her lips quirking up despite herself. “What is it you wish to say, Duke?”
He stopped, turning to face her. She stopped as well, her gaze steady as she waited.
“I know I’ve hurt you,” he began, his tone serious. “And I know I can’t undo what’s been done. But I need you to know that I meant what I said before. You are my future, Audrey. I see that now.”
