Page 45 of The Duke of Kisses
“It’s lovely,” Fanny breathed.
“Not as lovely as you.”
Fanny turned her head toward David, but he wasn’t watching the birds. He was staring at her. She was instantly reminded that he’d promised to wed someone else and ought not be looking at her like that or saying such things to her.
She looked back to the water, but the show was over. The birds were swimming away—together. She turned from the lake. “Their dance is finished. And so is ours, I think.”
“Fanny, I am so very sorry about yesterday.”
She pivoted to face him. “Just about yesterday?”
“No, about all of it. I should have told you about Miss Stoke.”
“Why? What you should have done was not kiss me or lead me to believe there might be a courtship. I thought we were well on our way.”
“I thought so too.” He took a step toward her. “When I met you at Christmastide, it was the first light I’d seen in the darkness after my father’s death. I reveled in that encounter, even though it was brief. In fact, I relied on the memory of it for some time to lift my spirits. I never should have kissed you then, but the moment was so perfect, and it had just felt…right.”
She’d felt exactly the same way. “I have never regretted it, and I still don’t.” Despite what she’d just said about what they shouldn’t have done.
“Then when I met you again in London, I was thrilled to see you again and to know that you weren’t actually a housemaid.”
It would be easy to be drawn in by his heartfelt words—and she was certain he was being honest. But she couldn’t do that. “And that is where I grow confused. You knew you’d made a promise to Miss Stoke, and yet you flirted with me, called on me, kissed me…” She pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to become angry.
The edge of his mouth lifted. “I did all those things, and I can’t apologize enough. It’s not fair to you to say I was swept away, that you beguiled me completely. I should have ignored my burgeoning feelings—at least until I determined if Miss Stoke and I would suit.”
She tried not to dwell on what he said about feelings. “Do you plan to find out?”
His face creased, and she detected anguish in the fine lines around his eyes and mouth. “I think I must.”
“You did promise.” And she knew how deeply he missed his father, how important he’d been. “Your father would want you to.” How she wished she had that sort of relationship with a parent. She did, however, with another family member—Ivy. If Ivy had asked her to do something, she’d do it without hesitation.
Fanny took a step so that they nearly touched. “You should see if you will suit. Miss Stoke seems quite charming. Perhaps it will all work out.”
His jaw tightened, and his gray eyes darkened to steel. “You are far too kind and understanding. Fanny, you are a singular woman.” His voice was thick with some emotion she refused to ascertain.
“Family is important, especially the ties to those who love and support us as no one else ever could.” She offered him a smile, though it had to have been tinged with the sadness she felt in her heart. “I came to care deeply for you, and I truly want you to find happiness.”
“No more than I want that for you.” He took his hat off and leaned slightly toward her. “And if Miss Stoke and I don’t suit—”
She lightly touched his chest, then jerked her hand away. She couldn’t touch him. Standing this close, she wanted to do that and more. It took great effort not to look at his mouth and wish it were against hers. “I won’t wait for you, David.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.” He sounded sad. Resigned.
Good. She felt the same.
It was a thoroughly depressing moment. Right until a bird—fittingly—shat directly on David’s head.
