The Duke I'm Going to Marry(110)

The music continued softly behind them, the melodic strains wafting from the ballroom onto the terrace. He kissed her on the lips, putting his heart and soul into that kiss, possessive and hungry and tender as his lips locked onto hers. He held the kiss longer than deemed proper, held it until he heard the titters and gasps of the onlookers, and held it because he wanted everyone to know how much he loved his wife. His wife. She wasn’t an obligation arising from a scandal. She was his salvation.

As she regained her composure, he slowly resumed the waltz. “Thank you, Ian. You didn’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I did. I love you, Dillie.” Hell, he’d taken far too long to get around to saying it. He bent his head to hers and kissed her again in a way that left no doubt as to the truth of his words.

He kissed her and whirled her across the dance floor in time to the waltz. Their guests erupted in chortles, gasps, and gleefully horrified chatter, but Ian wasn’t nearly ready to behave himself and refused to end the kiss until he was satisfied that he’d thoroughly scandalized the old biddies in attendance... and until the music stopped and he finally heard the thuck, thuck, thuck of Phoebe Withnall’s cane behind him.

Reluctantly, he released Dillie and turned to grin at the old harridan.

“About time you finally let the gel up for air.” Phoebe, in her usual forthright manner, pounded him on the back. She then turned to smile at Dillie. “Well done, lass. Well done indeed. What a scandalbroth your wicked duke has created. No one ever thought he’d marry, certainly never believed he’d fall in love, but I’ve never seen a more pathetic, love-bitten fool than Edgeware. That kiss will be all anyone talks about for the rest of the season.”

“Good,” Ian said, the grin still on his face. “Are you quite finished, Phoebe?”

Dillie’s eyes glistened and her smile was as broad as a moonbeam. Ian loved her smile. He loved the sparkle in her eyes, meant just for him. He loved her.

“Almost. I haven’t told Dillie who started the rumor that got you into so much trouble.”

Dillie’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Lady Withnall, do you know who did it? In truth, I thought it was you.”

“No, my dear. Although I would have had—”

Bloody hell. Ian stepped forward. “My mother did it.”

Dillie’s gaze darted to his. She laughed, and then noticed that neither he nor Phoebe had joined in. “Ian, is this true? She? Why? She must have known what the outcome would be.”

“No, she didn’t think I’d ever marry you. And even if she were wrong and I did propose to you, she expected I’d be dead before a wedding could take place, killed in the stables at the Black Sail Inn, leaving you alone and ruined.” He clenched his jaw, trying to stem his anger. He didn’t wish to give Celestia another moment’s thought, but Dillie appeared ready to ask more questions. Better to tell her quickly and be done with it. “This is the nature of my family. Celestia and my cousins wished to punish you because you’d saved my life, foiling their first attempt in November. For that, you had to be made to suffer.”

She shook her head and simply stared at him. Confusion, surprise, disbelief were all mirrored in her eyes. “How did she know about us? About your stay in my bed?” Suddenly, she groaned. “Of course! Those men reported back to her. She knew exactly where you were.”

“It’s all behind us now.” He dipped his head and kissed her again, the kiss deep and tender. “The irony of it is, she did me a great favor. I’ve always loved you,” he said in a whisper. “I was just too stubborn to admit it. Then that clunch, Ealing, came along and I couldn’t let him have you. I didn’t want anyone to have you. Only me, but I didn’t deserve you. I was almost ready to let you go.”

The sparkle faded from her eyes. “Would you have done it?”

“No, sweetheart. I knew I couldn’t ever do it, but I wasn’t able to admit it to you. Then the scandal broke, giving me a safe excuse to marry you. I didn’t have to put my heart at risk. Everyone would believe I’d married you out of a sense of duty.”

Phoebe struck him lightly with her cane. “Not well done of you. How could you leave the sweet girl in doubt for so long?”

Dillie stepped closer and put a hand on his arm. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” She smiled up at Ian, stars once more glistening in her radiant eyes. “You love me,” she said in a whisper.

“Forever, sweetheart.” He caressed her cheek. “Always.”

Phoebe let out a snort. “Enough, you two. Stop foolishly gazing into each other’s eyes and pay attention to your guests.” Her command given, Phoebe turned and walked away. Thuck, thuck, thuck, the sound of her cane diminished as she made her way across the ballroom.