Page 19 of Rogue of My Heart

The duke laughed, bringing his napkin to his lips to hide it. “You’ve not been caught if that’s your concern. And if it is, I’m heartily glad you’re making the expedient decision to offer for the girl.” He dusted his lips with the linen square and laughed again, truly the first time Christian had known the man to show such cheerfulness. Being a source of entertainment was starting to nip at his self-esteem as much as embarrassment had his cheeks. “Calm down, my man. Miss Mowbray spoke to someone in the household, a request for feminine advice, I believe. It traveled from there, quite swiftly, into my ears. I’m a fair taskmaster, Bainbridge, so my staff talks to me. I know it’s unheard of in some aristocratic families, but I prefer it to surviving on a bolster of fear and intimidation.”

Christian placed his cup on the saucer before he dribbled tea as the duke had predicted. “The particulars aren’t valuable to anyone but us, but I’ve loved her for ten years. This isn’t a chance occurrence for me, random temptation or some such. Happening upon her here, in your employ, is nothing short of a miracle. I’ll go to any length to secure her happiness. You have my word.”

A boy raced into the room and threw himself at the duke. “Father! You must come and see what I’ve built. It’s simply marvelous. Miss Daisy said it’s the best castle she’s ever seen!”

Devon ruffled his son’s hair and gifted him with a loving smile. “I’ll come straightaway, Nicholas. Just give me a moment to finish my discussion with Mister Bainbridge.”

Nicholas turned to Christian with an impish smile. “You’re the watchmaker.”

“I am indeed. I wasn’t much older than you when I started taking timepieces apart and putting them back together.” He pulled a center wheel from his waistcoat pocket and offered it to the boy. Nicholas snatched it from Christian with a gasp of delight. Christian’s heart softened, thinking of a child with Raine’s golden eyes someday staring up at him. “I’m working on Philip Webster’s pocket watch this morning. If you come to your father’s study in one hour, if your governess allows it, I’ll show you exactly where it fits within the other parts. Maybe I’ll even, if you have a very steady hand, let you tighten a case screw.”

Nicholas traced his finger over the wheel. “I have a steady hand like no other. I’m a Devon.”

Christian grinned, charmed. “Well, then, you’ll be an ace at it right off.”

The duke gave his son a nudge. “Back to the nursery. Tell Miss Daisy one hour, in my study, for a watchmaking lesson. Thank Mister Bainbridge for the wheel.”

Nicholas bowed dutifully and offered his thanks before bolting from the room.

“You’re good with children,” Devon said with a speculative look in his eye.

Christian fiddled with his silverware, his gaze going to a dour landscape hanging on the wall behind the duke. “I want a family. As it is, I have none.”

The duke wiped at a smudge on the table, then placed his napkin in his lap. “I can speak with Vicar Rawley if you’d like to have the ceremony here. My chapel is exceedingly lovely if I do say so myself. We’ve recently hosted two weddings, and it didn’t take long to arrange either. Then, you can get started right away on that family you’re seeking.”

Christian blinked, stunned by the offer. He would have to speak to Raine, but he’d like nothing more than to secure her hand before they returned to London. “Is marriage easy?” he blurted out, having no idea this would fall from his lips.

The duke’s teacup and saucer rattled as he bumped them, glee splitting his cheeks. “Who told you that balderdash? Easy? What woman have you ever found to be easy? But the easy ones, my friend, are also boring. You want to avoid monotony at all costs. My duchess has never bored me a day in my life.”

“Oh, Raine’s far from boring. Or easy, come to think of it.” He frowned as he recalled their argument beside the bridge, the way he’d had to practically beg her to marry him. “Very intelligent but rather stubborn, not to place too fine a point on it.” Suddenly, the way they’d challenged each other with bold, teasing touches and stimulating conversation until dawn clouded his mind and tightened his body.

“She sounds perfect. And from the smile on your face, I’d say you agree.”

Christian rose and gave the duke a shallow bow. “Far from perfect, Your Grace, only perfect for me.”

Then he went to find the perfectly stubborn woman who would be his wife.

Epilogue

A romantic morning two months later…

Berkeley Square, London

“Kit,” Raine said as she stumbled over a wrinkle in the carpet, “I’m going to trip. Let me see.”

He laughed, a sound she would never tire of hearing, his hand shifting from where he held it over her eyes, allowing a burst of sunlight to sneak in and dust her face. His body was pressed against hers as he guided her down the hallway of their London townhouse, and she gave her bottom a little wiggle to throw him off his mark.

“Oh, no, my lovely bluestocking. You’re not using that trick on me. Penny nearly walked in on us in the morning room last week, or have you forgotten? The man doesn’t knock and you’re insatiable. Cross purposes I’m left to safely coordinate.”

“I thought you liked that I’m greedy where you’re concerned.”

Christian halted, tilted Raine’s chin, and covered her lips in a heated side-kiss that left them both dazed. “Where was I headed again?” he murmured against the nape of her neck once his breath had settled.

Raine lifted her gaze to his bottomless blue one, love a rushing tide through her veins. “It’s a surprise, so I don’t know!”

“Ah, yes.” Christian nudged her toward a paneled door at the end of the hall. “I remember now. Your touch is finally loosening its hold on me.”

“But this is your new study,” she said and glanced back at him. “You had the carpenters in all week. I haven’t stepped inside, not once, as you requested, though I don’t know what trouble I could have?—”