Page 57 of A Wicked Duke's Arranged Marriage
“I do not know,” he repeated, more surely than before. He could hear the note of his own wonder clinging to the words as he watched Josephine’s head tilt back, and her lips spread in a ready laugh at whatever Lisbet was whispering to her. “I do not know, even if it is possible,” he admitted.
But he wanted to find out.
Simon was forgotten beside him as he considered the possibility that he would have thought far-fetched only a day or more before.
He had been happy enough to imagine being content with her, happy enough to think of their life as well-suited companions who could raise children with one another.
But to love her?
His throat felt tight as he followed Simon’s suit and knocked the drink in his hand back in one go.
“Maybe you should find out,” Simon suggested softly, all teasing gone from his words.
Henry glanced at him, his stomach in knots.
“You seemed to be doing a good enough job when we walked up.”
Henry started admonishing his friend before realizing that Simon was only speaking and meant nothing by it this time.
“That is not what I was doing,” Henry huffed, laughing at himself as he ran a weary hand down the front of his face.
“Isn’t it?” Simon offered him a small smile. “I think you’ve rather forgotten how these things actually go, Henry. You remember it in the wake of having been married. Desire is one thing, yes, but it is part of it. A part I didn’t think ever to see you experience as I have just today again. The way you touch her is as if she is made of spun glass, of precious stone.”
Henry huffed, but his words were stuck in his throat, his eyes on Josephine.
For how could he say, ‘is she not?’ without proving his friend’s point.
Chapter 19
The hours passed quickly, entertaining all their guests. Though, the fact that they were ‘their’ guests still felt otherworldly to Josephine.
Before she knew it, the sun had set, and their guests had moved to retire for the night, leaving Josephine, her parents, and Henry standing in the foyer after seeing so many of them off.
“We really do appreciate your extending the invitation for us to stay here for the week,” her father repeated with a cheery grin. “It isn’t too terrible a drive, but it is rather like a vacation, is it not?”
“Which was the intent,” Henry assured him, inclining his head respectfully. “I am too happy to have you while Josephine settles in and we ready the estate for the wedding.”
“And we are too happy to be here,” Josephine’s mother said quickly, cutting her husband off before he could strike up an entirely new conversation. “We’ll follow the rest of your guests and retire now, though. Josephine? You mean to retire as well?”
Josephine coloured under her mother’s pointed gaze, nodding as her mother glanced to the side to verify that there were at least servants present to supervise them.
“We will let the two of you say goodnight then,” her father said simply, grinning with none of the suspicion her mother harboured.
Henry’s lips twitched, but he said nothing as her mother and father departed, leaving them standing alone in the foyer at last.
She didn’t know why it made her so giddy to be so alone. Maybe it was just her mother’s implication with the warning glance she had given her. Or maybe it was how he had stared so longingly at her earlier that afternoon despite the guests surrounding them.
She felt like a schoolgirl, her stomach a mass of butterflies as the sound of her parents’ footsteps faded, and she was left with only Henry and the watching servants.
“I suppose I ought to walk you to your room before your mother doubles around to check on the two of us,” Henry teased, holding his arm out for her.
Josephine felt her nerves abate somewhat, her own lips twitching as she slid her hand gently onto his proffered arm. “She wasn’t very subtle about that, was she? I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Henry laughed, walking with her as soon as her fingers settled. “I have only myself to blame for that display this afternoon.”
Oh, mercy.
Josephine’s corset was suddenly laced far too tightly, her breath catching in her throat as she stared straight ahead with too much blood rushing suddenly to her cheeks.
