For her life, she couldn’t understand exactly why she was following him or not demanding they speak of what passed between them. But she couldn’t find the words. Nor at this moment did she care to. Instead, she savored the closeness of him allowing herself to not be bullheaded just this once.
Kate breathed in a deep sigh of relief at the wonderful feel of the cool evening. She tilted her face up to the full moon beaming down on them. The sky was scattered with endless glittering stars. All meant for their wonderment.
Her thin slippers gripped the stones along the path as he led her forward. Fruit trees lined the little lane, and rose bushes were artfully planted beneath them. As they walked in silence, Kate fought back her own nerves. A woman who was less foolish, one who had learned her lessons, would never have come out of the house. She would have stayed firm and protected her heart from further pain. But she’d learned a new lesson in the last weeks.
One could not control their heart, and it was just as foolish to control it as to give it freely.
The path finally led out into a small open area with a stone bench and a sparkling fountain. Trees, their leaves rustling ever so slightly in the breeze, circled the quiet spot.
“You know this place well,” she teased.
Ryder squeezed her hand. “I know a vast many things well. But it is you I wish to know the most.”
Kate’s heart slammed in her chest.
“Kathryn, you have every right to doubt my love for you.”
My love? She knew she should tell herself she was dreaming this. That at any moment she would awake alone in bed, her eyes wet. Lord, he sounded so blissfully beautiful she was certain hyacinth dust was clouding her ears.
He turned to face her, his fingers lacing with hers. “I have treated you most ill.”
She opened her mouth to assure him then stopped. He had treated her ill, but. . . “I never should have allowed it.”
He raised his brows, surprise written across his features. “Allowed, madam?”
“I was afraid of losing what we had, so I didn’t tell you how much you were hurting me or how I saw it hurting you. That was my weakness. I should have out and out told you you were an ass, not sat waiting for the thunderclouds to roll by.”
He blinked several times, then shook his head, lines of remorse pulling at his mouth. “I—”
She lifted a finger to his lips. “No. I promised myself I wouldn’t live in fear when I came to London.” She smiled ruefully. “But I did. I was afraid of caring for you, of angering you, but most of all, of loving you. Hardly the actions of a fearless woman.”
He kissed the pad of her finger then slipped her hand down to rest on his chest. “And yet?”
“And yet, I have realized that no matter what you do, whether you accept my love or return it, my heart will want what it wants. I should never be afraid of that.”
He gazed down on her with what appeared to be wonder. “Oh, Kathryn. I don’t think you have ever truly been afraid. When you desire something you go after it. Fiercely. Beautifully.”
Kathryn had to swallow her heart back at such loving words. So she arched a brow in mock warning. “Nor should I be a mat for you to trod upon with your brusque moods,” she pointed out, not wanting him to forget.
“Never. You will always have only my highest esteem.” He let out a sigh, then brushed a loose curl from her temple. “Kathryn, I am the one who has been afraid. Afraid to let go of the past. Afraid to make myself vulnerable again. And afraid to love you. I know what loss is. I don’t want to feel that way again. And by pushing you away, I lost. I lost the most important thing in my life. The woman I love.” Ryder pulled her to him, caressing his hands down her back. “I love you, Kathryn. I love you.”
Tears sprung to Kathryn’s eyes. “And what has brought this about? Why?”
“You showed me I had chosen to live only a semblance of existence. And you made me want so much more. I won’t live with the past anymore.”
Kate fingered his ivory coat. “You have shed your demons?”
“You slayed them.”
She beamed up at him. “I rather like that idea.”
He smiled back at her, his face full of happiness. “What?”
“That I am your knight in shining armor.”
He cupped her chin, his eyes dark with love. “You are the protector of my heart. It is yours to do with as you will.”
“Then I shall take it and keep it safely for you, with my heart where it shall always be loved.”
Lowering his hand, he let out a rushed breath. The tension in his shoulders eased. “You have no idea how sure I was you would send me away.”
“We have both made mistakes.” She reached up and touched the side of his face. “I’m certain we shall make more. We have a lifetime to make them. I know.”
A laugh filled with pure joy bubbled form his throat. “Indeed.” His face grew more serious. “But now. . .”
Kate bit her lip, unsure what he was about to do.
The Duke of Darkwell, one of the most powerful men in the realm, pulled slightly away from her and lowered himself to one knee.
Kate gasped. He couldn’t. It was—well, it was—for goodness sake, they were already married! She clasped a hand to her cheek, a smile tugging at her lips. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
“My dearest Kathryn, I am on my knees asking you to be my wife. Not because of scandal, nor duty, nor fortune but because I love you and because you have given me my happiness again. There is nothing better I should like than to spend the rest of my days in your company, your bed, but most of all in your heart.”
Tears sprung to her eyes, and she could barely breath she was so overwhelmed. “Oh, Ryder. Yes. I’ll marry you today, tomorrow, forever.”
Ryder jumped to his feet, grabbed her waist and yanked her against him. “Forever, darling. We have forever.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her ever so slowly as if they had all the time in the world.
And to Kate’s delight, she realized they did. They absolutely did.
THE END
Acknowledgements
My deepest thanks to Lindsey, Carol, Theresa, Delilah, Jenn, Kati, and Erin.
Without you all this adventure wouldn’t be possible.
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