Page 25 of Love, the Duke (Say I Do #3)
C HAPTER 25
MAN’S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO APPREHENDING A THIEF
SIR BENTLY ASHTON ULLINGSWICK
You will know when you’ve caught him.
Ophelia paced in her bedchamber. It had been over an hour since the vicar and elders left. She’d hurriedly changed into her white sleeveless night rail and brushed out her hair, thinking Hurst would come into her room shortly as he had on their wedding night. But tonight, he hadn’t. The more time that passed, the more worried she became that he didn’t want to be with her.
They had both been quiet on the short but mad dash as they sped along the streets from Lord Gagingcliffe’s house to theirs. She hadn’t minded, understanding he was upset with her for going to the baron’s house. But he had gone too, and before she had. Since all had worked out for the best concerning the chalice’s return to the safety of the church and the magistrate’s arrival to take charge of overseeing the baron’s circumstances and what would happen to him, Ophelia was feeling better than she had in months. All she wanted was to be held in Hurst’s arms.
And he hadn’t come to her.
He had said such lovely things about her and Maman while the vicar was there. She’d hoped that meant he at least understood if he had not completely forgiven her and all was well between them again. But apparently there was mending left to do. Perhaps he was waiting for her to ask for his forgiveness, and she would if it wasn’t too late.
Forcing down her fear of rejection and swallowing her pride, she bolstered her courage as best she could and picked up the box she had placed on the bed. When she got to the adjoining door, she wavered but quickly knocked before she could talk herself out of it.
Hurst opened the door looking splendid in his relaxed state of only trousers, open-necked shirt, bare feet, and tousled hair.
“May I come in?”
He stepped aside and she entered.
“This is for you.” She extended the box toward him.
His expression turned curious. “What is it?”
“You’ll have to open it to find out,” she answered softly.
He took the box, lifted the lid, and stared down at the men’s clothing she’d worn to his house.
Looking into her eyes with what she thought could be a hint of amusement, he said, “I don’t think these will fit me.”
She wanted to smile, but because he hadn’t, she refrained. “Perhaps you’ll allow me to give them away rather than have them burned.”
“No man will wear these.”
Ophelia’s heart felt as if it plunged to her feet.
He bent his head and held the box near his nose as he breathed in deeply and loudly before raising his head and saying, “They smell of your perfume. You must have them washed first. Have your maid’s brother give them to someone who needs them.”
Relief sailed through her. “Thank you. I will.”
“And tell her when he has finished his apprenticeship and is ready to open his own shop to come see me.”
That was far more than she’d expected to hear, and her heart warmed even more toward him. “You will do that for him?”
“No.” He placed the box on a table and turned back to her. “I will do it for you, Ophelia.” He twitched a smile. “Besides, he does excellent work.”
She swallowed down a lump of thankfulness for his kindness. She knew how he disliked her wearing the clothing, and though she would never be sorry for what she had done, she now no longer needed it.
“They will both be pleased. I expected you to ask me for the clothing before we married so you could burn it. Why didn’t you?”
“I knew you’d give the clothing to me when you were ready to trust me with everything.”
“I do trust you, Hurst,” she answered earnestly, feeling the intimacy and honesty of their discussion. “I’m sorry I was so late in trusting you in all things.”
He remained quiet, only looking at her, so she added, “I owe you such a debt of gratitude for everything you have done for me. My family.”
“It is over now. All of it. I asked the magistrate to work out with the bishop how the church wants to deal with Gagingcliffe, but there must be punishment.”
“I’m sure there will be well-deserved punishment, including his banishment from Society.”
Hurst smiled. “I think I can see that’s done if it will make you happy.”
“Very happy,” she whispered.
Hurst nodded. “So no more talk of that tonight, Ophelia.” He put his hands on her upper arms and lightly caressed her. His warmth soothed her instantly.
“I feel we must. You have kept your part of our arrangement, but I haven’t fulfilled mine. I expected you to come to my room so that I might continue my effort to give you a son.”
His gaze swept sweetly up and down her face. “I was waiting for you to come to me.”
That surprised her. “I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t you want to come to me?” he asked quietly.
“Desperately,” she whispered earnestly. “I thought you didn’t want to be with me.”
“I wanted to be with you desperately too, but I needed to think about some things first.”
Ophelia tensed as worry crept over her again. “May I know what things?”
“I’ve been trying to decide if I should tell you or keep them locked away as I have these many years.”
“I would like for you to share whatever it is with me. I want to be a part of all of your life: past, present, and future.”
His low laugh eased some of her anxiety. He walked over and picked up his drink from a table. “Would you like to join me?”
She shook her head.
He took a swallow from his glass and placed it back on the table before facing her. “My father was a wretched man for most of my life until he died of lung fever in debtors’ prison.”
Merciful angels. She hadn’t expected he’d say anything like that. “I’m sorry that happened to him and to you.”
He shrugged. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of, Ophelia.”
“So have I. You know most of mine.”
“One of my earliest memories is when I was four or five. My father came in with someone one night. They made a lot of noise and woke me. When it quietened, I walked out and saw him passed out on the sofa. A woman was standing over him searching the pockets in his coat. I’ll never forget the grim satisfaction on her face when she folded his coin purse into her hand. That’s when she looked up and saw me. Panic settled over her features, wondering what I was going to do. Rush her? Scream? Try to wake my father? I didn’t do anything but quietly look at her until she left. I’ve always felt I should have done more to keep her from violating him by stealing from him.”
His words had her heart hammering, but he seemed calm. Perhaps years of living with the memories had done that. Swallowing past a thick throat, she said, “You were just a little boy.”
“Young and impressionable for sure.” He shrugged. “She taught me something I needed to learn. It wasn’t long before I was pilfering his pockets to hold back enough money so I could buy bread and cheese for us to eat and pay the lease.”
Ophelia’s chest tightened. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”
“It never got easier, and my father never changed. His father was a younger son of a duke, so he was left with a bit of land, and horses, but he wasted it all on drink, gambling, and women. By the time I was older the debt collectors started coming around. More than once they searched our home, looking through and taking everything we had including some of my clothing, and my wooden soldiers and horses. I know what it’s like to be on both ends of a violation of someone’s privacy. Taking from my father and then having others take from me. Both ways felt wrong. When my father went to prison and my aunt sent me to school, I swore I’d never do that to anyone, and I hadn’t until today.”
Sorrow swept over her. “I didn’t know that much about your past. I’m sorry you had to plunder Lord Gagingcliffe’s book room today because of me.”
Hurst closed the distance between them and caught her up to his chest. “Maybe I should have told you sooner, but there are reasons I didn’t. I’ve tried to forget it, and I don’t want your pity, Ophelia. I wanted you to know why I was always against what you were doing.”
“Thank you for trusting me with this about your past. I understand why you felt that way.” Ophelia slipped her arms around his neck.
“When my father went to debtors’ prison, I felt I had failed him. That it was my fault I hadn’t been able to hold back enough to pay his debts.”
“But it wasn’t your fault,” she whispered softly, and hugged him close. “You were just a boy. I’m sorry some of my comments to you the first night we met were so harsh.”
“You have never been harsh, my love. And if I ever sound that way to you just let me know. It will never be my intention.”
“Thank you, but I don’t think I will. I like seeing in your face and hearing in your voice what you are really thinking.” She gave him a pert tilt of her chin but then quickly turned serious again. “With all your past, I can’t believe you went to Lord Gagingcliffe’s house and searched for the chalice. I now know how hard that must have been for you.”
He shook his head. “It really wasn’t. I couldn’t let you lose. You always believed the chalice was in a titled man’s home. I had to help you prove that was true. You once said you thought I was looking for redemption, but I never was. I was looking to finally forgive my father and myself. Today, I knew I had to stop fighting myself about whether what I did was right or wrong. I remember we talked about redemption and revenge being powerful motivators, but so is love. I did it because I love you.”
Ophelia kissed his lips and then whispered, “I love you, Hurst. And, I know I don’t have a lot of bad memories in my past to draw from and probably shouldn’t be one to speak to it, but maybe you don’t need to do anything about thoughts of the past other than embrace them for what they are when they come to you. A young boy learning how to be a fine man who knows how to care for people like me.”
His gave her a curious look. “Like you? What does that mean?”
Ophelia placed her hands on his chest. She felt his heart beating beneath his linen shirt. “I haven’t been the easiest of ladies you could have married.”
“You had me from the moment you walked into my life. I love you, Ophelia.” He chuckled softly. “I like that you came into my room looking for me tonight wearing your white gown with the ribbons untied.” He kissed her neck, the hollow of her throat, and then nuzzled her ear.
She smiled and enjoyed every thrill his touch gave her. “Does that mean I should do it more often?”
He pulled her tighter to him. “Definitely.”
Ophelia tugged on the tail of Hurst’s shirt and pulled it from the waistband of his trousers. From there he took over and yanked it over his head.
“What’s this?” he asked, tossing the garment aside. “Are you so eager for my kisses and attention tonight that you are ripping the clothes from my body?”
She ran her hand tantalizingly slowly down his rippled ribs and up across his wide, muscular shoulders. “Is it all right if I am?”
“It’s the way I always want you to be.” He reached down and hooked his arm under her knees, lifted and carried her over to his bed. He slowly removed his trousers and stretched out onto the bed beside her as he pulled her close. “I love you, Ophelia,” he whispered.
She saw the smoldering hunger for her in his eyes and she embraced it by whispering, “And I love you, my duke.”
Their lips met and their bodies entwined.