Page 63 of The Duke of her Dreams

Without thinking, he went down on one knee and pulled her hand into his own. “I have a ring in my study, and we will get back to that later. But I found out that our arrangement was just a way of me running away from my feelings, and I want to stop running. Helen Jarvis of Erbury House, will you marry me?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pulled him from his knees. “I will marry you, Your Grace.”

And slowly, they kissed each other, surrounded by the joy of a new day and the prospect of marriage.

Epilogue

Helen watched Kate from the mirror in front of her, wondering what her best friend was thinking about. The day was presumably quiet with the sound of tolling bells cutting through the silence at varying intervals.

She smiled, smoothing the creases of her bridal gown. The beauty of it all made her breath come in soft gasps. A delicate work of silk, tulle and satin, it clung to her body before flowing down to her feet in dazzling lustrous folds.

“Kate,” Helen called. “What is on your mind that has you in such a mood?”

Her best friend smiled at her, alleviating some of her worry. “It is nothing, Helen. I just thought about the pact we made when we were children. That we would get married on the same day.”

Helen smiled softly. “You are having a splendid time with Lord Aberdeen, are you not? Your marriage is in a few weeks, and Theodore has promised to take care of everything.”

It was true. After Sebastian was sent to prison, it had been a hard time for Kate. She cried almost all of the time, and Helen knew that her best friend was suffering the same consequences Aunt Gertrude warned her about. Kate fell deeply in love with Sebastian and doubted Helen when she told her about her lover’s schemes.

Helen stayed with Kate through it all, leaving Theodore all alone in Wallington. They traveled back to London to find a match for Kate. Looking back, Helen smiled. Her best friend was courting again, and Lord Aberdeen was the gentlest of men — a perfect match for Kate.

“I am enjoying it,” Kate said. “But it was only a few months ago that everything went downhill.”

“It will be alright this time,” Helen answered, drifting towards her friend. “Now, help me get ready. I do not want to be late for my own wedding.”

Helen sat down, giddy with excitement. A few months ago, she would have settled for any man that asked for her hand. The Season had been turbulent, and so many things had happened. Her reputation was ruined, she lived in the country and worked as if she were a maid, and she fell in love. Deeply and irrevocably in love with the Duke of Wallington, His Grace, Theodore Simmons.

She smiled at the memories that formed in her mind, pushing back the tears so that they would not ruin her powdered face. At the start of the Season, Helen would have never fathomed that she would marry a man she loved. The past few weeks had been idyllic for her. Her days were filled with laughter and raging desires, passions and excitement. Theodore almost never left her side as the days wound into weeks and turned into months.

Helen could no longer hide the swelling tide of desire and want that stormed through her at nights or the pleasures of different sorts frolicking during the day. The soft kisses and gentle touches, deep looks and witty banter.

After everything, she deserved it all. Her father was finally cured of his illness and was set to walk with her down the aisle. Aunt Gertrude was stripped of her yearly income after Helen finally explained to her father about the circumstances that led up to how she met Theodore. After the advice that her aunt gave her, Helen felt bad. But she was tired of keeping secrets. She saw how holding so much bitterness could change a person, and she did not want to go down that path. Her aunt was a better person, living in the country. And Helen was getting married to Theodore.

Smiling, she said a quiet prayer to the heavens. Grateful for everything that happened.

* * *

“Put me down!” Helen squealed as Theodore carried her and raced up the flight of stairs.

After putting up a dam around his desires, he was happy to let them break apart and be free. That morning as she walked into the church, Theodore’s heart was racing wildly like never before. She looked more than beautiful in the gold and green, the folds sweeping around her feet. He wanted to push through the vows until the very end, to kiss her and let the world dissolve around them.

“Not until we reach my chambers,” he whispered and felt her relax in his arms.

They had both been waiting for so long. Stolen glances and kisses were never enough for either of them. Theodore wanted to get the wedding done as soon as possible, but there was so much going on it was difficult. Now, they were past the last hurdle and were newlyweds.

He kissed her lush mouth, tangling his hands through her hair and dropping the pins to the floor.

“You might break them,” she said against his mouth.

His voice was raspy with lust when he replied, “We will buy as many pins as you want, Helen. As many as you would like.”

“I do not want the pins, Theo. They were tedious to work with anyway.”

Theodore worked his way furiously through her gown, cursing at the numerous fastenings along her back. It took only a moment, but he was soon seeing the smooth pale skin under the chemise. His breath hitched in his throat at the sight of her. Light blue eyes hooded with desire stared into his, and he heard small breaths and soft moans.

From under heavy lids, Helen was marveled at the sight of his darker skin. She kissed him with as much ferocity as he kissed her, passion flaming through her veins and heating her blood. When he slipped her gown away from her shoulders, Helen felt the cold overwhelm her, but Theodore’s mouth immediately dispelled the cold as he kissed her shoulders and down to the base of her neck.

He wove his hands through her hair, pulling through the binds and letting the long gold tresses slip down her shoulders. She was more beautiful that way. Softly, he let the gown slip past her shoulders and down to her feet. Under the voluminous folds of satin and silk was the prettiest lace chemise Theodore had ever seen. He watched a sly smile play on her lips as she pulled it over her head. Her breasts spilled into his hands, the warmth numbing him. She was firm and perfect, nipples drawn tight.

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