Page 31 of Starlight and the Duke (Cherish and the Duke #5)

R ob held Fiona’s hand as they walked back to Northam Hall, afraid to let go of her lest she fly away on a gust of wind. He dared not breathe or glance at her for fear she would change her mind. But holding her hand anchored her to him and made this moment feel real.

She had agreed to become his wife.

He had never felt such joy arising from a moment of despair, for only a short while ago he had been standing alone at their fishing spot watching his hopes be carried away in the stream’s fast-moving current.

In that moment, he had given up on his dream of ever marrying her, certain he had lost Fiona forever.

Then suddenly, there she was beside him, her chin wobbling as she held back tears.

He saw into her heart, saw how badly it was tattered and torn to pieces because she loved him so fully, with all her heart and soul, and yet felt herself unworthy to be his wife.

Her? Unworthy ? She was his fairy princess and would always be this magical sprite for him.

Even now, her dark, windswept curls danced about her ears and her eyes shimmered as bright as starlight.

In truth, Bromleigh had not ordered him to leave so much as begged him to do the right thing and stop giving Fiona so much pain.

“She’s barren, Rob. That ache remains with her day in and day out.

Do you think it is easy for her to refuse you?

She does it out of love for you, knowing a wife who can bear you sons is what you need. ”

Yes, he did need sons.

Yes, he hoped for children.

But if it meant losing Fiona in order to have them, then the choice was an easy one for him.

He would always choose Fiona.

He meant to seek out Bromleigh and thank him for giving her the push she obviously needed to give up her obsession with salvaging the Durham line.

There had been a few intelligent but ruthless Durham dukes who had built it into one of the most powerful titles in England.

However, for generations there had been mostly wastrels and fools.

A few had been beheaded. A few had lost the title only to reclaim it when their faction rose to power again.

Most of the recent Durham men had died before ever ascending to the title because they were reckless idiots who’d managed to destroy themselves before they ever got their hands on the dukedom’s assets.

Rob had never been raised to be a duke. In truth, he was either forgotten by his father or beaten whenever in that ogre’s company.

He wasn’t sure which was worse.

His mother had gone along with it all because it suited her life of luxury, and she had no wish to disrupt the convenient arrangement reached between her and his father.

For this reason, she’d easily convinced herself that beating strength into him, watching that brute beat a helpless little boy, was all right.

So, did he care about the Durham title?

Not nearly as much as he cared about Fiona, the fairy princess who had nursed his wounds and held his hand throughout his pain, and, with that gesture, lessened it.

And now she would be his. Because it was his turn to lessen her pain.

He dared not blink and lose it all.

Since Bromleigh and Cherish were busy getting ready for their dinner party, he and Fiona chose not to disturb them now and agreed to take them aside just before the meal commenced.

The general announcement would be made later in the evening, once the men had imbibed their ports and joined the ladies in the parlor.

Of course, Rob had every intention of speaking up during their meal if Lady Cordelia said anything out of line. “All right, Fiona? If she spouts her venom, I am going to announce our betrothal there and then.”

“All right. Agreed.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. She was not going to back out.

He escorted her back to the house and they parted ways at the top of the stairs, he turning left to his guest chamber while she turned right to head to hers.

He entered his room with a smile on his face, and kept that smile as he undressed and then washed up.

He saw his reflection grinning back at him as he adjusted the tie of his formal black attire with the assistance of Gawain’s valet, who was making it his life’s mission to see it knotted to perfection.

He then endured more fussing as the man measured the distance between his cuffs and sleeves to ensure just the right amount of white lawn shirt was showing under his jacket sleeve.

The world would not collapse if too much of the white lawn was showing, but Rob dared not say this to the earnest man. So he smiled and thanked him.

In truth, he had never felt better.

He strode downstairs and marched into the parlor where the guests were to gather before being led into the dining room for tonight’s feast. Fiona was there, chatting with several other guests.

He recognized Aubrey, Florence Newton, Milbury and his waspish sister, Lady Cordelia, and the other wasp at this house party, Lady Anne Hastings, all of them standing in a circle around Fiona as they conversed.

He felt a moment’s concern upon noticing that unpleasant pair, Cordelia and Anne, standing together.

Evil seeks out evil.

He did not like that they were both beside Fiona, and worried they would destroy her confidence with their insidious comments. It had taken a huge leap for her to overcome her guilt about being childless and agree to marry him.

His fears were allayed when she lit up like a bright candle the moment she saw him standing at the threshold and motioned him over.

Perhaps he was the one blazing like a fully lit chandelier and brightening the room. He did not know, and he was too elated to care.

Her smile meant everything to him.

He approached and bowed low over her hand. “Lady Shoreham, you are looking particularly lovely tonight.”

Well, Fiona always looked beautiful in his eyes, but even more so tonight. She wore a gown of dove-gray silk, a strand of small pearls threaded through her upswept hair.

“So are you, Durham,” she said with a merry lilt of laughter.

Aubrey and Milbury grinned at him.

Lady Cordelia and Lady Anne looked upon him with grim smiles that spoke of their insincerity.

Ah, what a pair of jackals.

After Rob had greeted the ladies and gentlemen within Fiona’s circle, Milbury drew him aside. “Durham, I would appreciate a moment of your time. May we speak with candor?”

Rob arched an eyebrow, but agreed. The two of them stepped onto the terrace.

He did not like the idea of being apart from Fiona even a moment this evening, but she was quite capable of standing on her own and would resent his behaving like a protective ape.

Besides, she did not look worried. Knowing her, if those two wasps dared to insult her, she would swat them down with elegant efficiency.

She could be vulnerable with him because she trusted him. But with those two? She would be fierce as a tigress.

“What is it you would like to know, Milbury?” he asked, enjoying the light breeze that swirled around them as they stood in the outdoor twilight and spoke in private.

“What is the extent of your feelings toward Lady Shoreham? I mean, it is obvious you care a good deal for each other, but…” Milbury raked a hand through his hair.

“You see, my boys are quite fond of her too. I was thinking to court her. I had a very happy marriage and a good home life. My wife was cheerful and compassionate, and I see my boys are missing this joy in their lives very much. My sister is never going to replace this. In fact, I need to get her out of my home as soon as possible.”

Rob suppressed a groan, for that was quite the understatement. His sister was a vindictive menace, and her presence in his household would do more harm than good for Milbury’s sons.

Fortunately, it appeared the marquess realized it and meant to address the problem. “I do not want to get between the two of you if there is something more serious than…er, friendship. It seems as though there is. Am I reading this wrong, Durham?”

Rob did not want to confide his newly betrothed status to Milbury just yet, but did have to say something to alert the man. “I would suggest someone other than Lady Shoreham. She is wonderful in every way, but her heart is taken.”

“By you?” Milbury cast Rob a wry smile. “Are congratulations in order?”

Rob let out a breath. “I hope so.”

“Well then,” Milbury said with a little disappointment, “what of these other lovely ladies? Would you recommend any of them to me? Truthfully, they all seem too young. They are closer in age to my sons.”

“I’ll ask Lady Shoreham on your behalf, or you could ask her yourself. She has a wide circle of friends, and no one can be better trusted with the task of finding a worthy lady for you and your sons. She prides herself on being an excellent matchmaker.”

“Then I will take a moment and ask her. Thank you, Durham.” Milbury shook his head and gave a wistful laugh.

“I enjoyed being married. I think I was very fortunate in the choice I made, even though I was a young idiot in my twenties who thought of himself as quite the rake. How was a man to choose only one lady to share his life when there were so many lovely ones flitting about him like glittering butterflies? And then one evening I saw my Jessica standing beside a potted fern, actually trying to hide behind it because she was so shy and felt overwhelmed at her first ball.”

Rob smiled and let Milbury go on speaking, for it seemed the man had held his grief in for a while and was only now trying to come out of it.