Page 33 of Taken by the Icy Duke (Marriage Deals #3)

D iana stirred awake, early sunlight painting the bedchamber walls with a gentle gold. She blinked in drowsy surprise to find Gilbert beside her, propped up in a nearby chair as though he had guarded her throughout the night.

He still wore his rumpled waistcoat from the previous evening, and his hair looked disheveled. At her soft movement, he turned, his eyes vulnerable in a way she had rarely seen.

“How long have you been watching me?” she asked in a hushed voice.

“I have not slept much,” he said, rising to cross the small space between them. “I was worried. Are you well?”

She pressed a palm over her abdomen, recalling how the physician had confirmed her pregnancy mere hours before. The memory of Gilbert’s shock still glowed in her mind, now colored with cautious hope.

“I am better,” she said. “I never wished to alarm you.”

He let out a breath, his words edged with regret. “I am the cause of this alarm, am I not? You felt forced to hide our child because of my vow.”

She swallowed, emotions tight in her chest. “I was so afraid you would resent me… or the baby. You swore never to be a father.”

He knelt at her bedside, concern and love evident in his eyes. “I did,” he said. “My fear was stronger than reason for too long. But when I heard we are to have a child, I felt… relief. Despite my terror, I realized I wanted this more than I had admitted.”

She stared at him with a mix of disbelief and joy. “You wanted it? Truly?”

“I have always loved you,” he said, his voice trembling. “I simply refused to name it. Losing my father and sister scarred me. I assumed any child of mine would be doomed. Yet the thought of losing you, and losing this new life you carry, overcame every old terror.”

“Always?” Diana asked with tentative hope. “Tell me then, all the gifts and the outings shopping, did you do that out of duty, to ensure my appearance met your standards as your duchess? Or, because of your affection for me?”

His face fell with a gentle scoff as he shook his head. “Oh, Diana, my dearest. I may not have realized it at first, but I was happy to shower my affections on you with gifts. Yes, it was tactical in the beginning, but you deserved all of it. And I will spend the rest of my life giving you anything and everything that makes you happy.”

Her tears slipped free as she reached for him.

“Gilbert,” she said, her mouth quivering into a sob. “I love you, and I never wished to keep this from you.”

He closed his eyes, lifting her hand to his lips.

“I love you,” he said, leaning over her. “Please forgive me for all I have denied.”

She let out a broken laugh of relief.

“I forgive you,” she whispered. “I only hope we can face the future away from the shadows cast by your past.”

He touched her cheek, his eyes ignited with tender resolve.

“We can face it,” he said, leaning in to kiss her gently. She sank into the warmth of his mouth, her heart pounding with a sweet ache of shared longing.

After a moment he drew back with a playful smile on his lips.

“I have spent too long pushing you away,” he confessed. “Allow me to show you how I truly feel.”

Her breath caught, her cheeks flushing.

“Yes,” she said, trembling with anticipation. She watched as he rose and removed the rumpled waistcoat, his gaze never leaving her face. The sense of intimacy blossomed, and she recalled how many nights had passed in cold distance.

He returned to her side, helping her ease the covers away. Leaning in, he kissed her forehead, then her temple, trailing reverent caresses as though worshipping her very presence. She curled her arms around his neck, letting his lips find the curve of her jaw and the line of her throat. A quiet gasp escaped her when his mouth traveled lower, each press of his kisses reverent, soft, and full of wonder.

“You are everything to me,” he said, brushing aside the neckline of her nightgown. “I am sorry I ever let fear claim me.”

Her body warmed under his touch, aching for him and the weeks since the last time they came together. The heat of his tongue as he circled her breasts made her sigh.

He gazed at her through half-lowered lashes, the warmth in his eyes reflecting a tender reverence. Gently, he bent to kiss the faint swell of her abdomen—a gentle acknowledgment of the future they now shared.

“Let me cherish you,” he murmured, his voice husky with emotion, his lips trailing over her skin. She felt a surge of affection, tears welling at the corners of her eyes, unsure if they sprang from relief, longing, or the unshakable sense of unity drawing them close.

“I have dreamed of this closeness,” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. He lifted his head to look at her, brushing away a stray tear with the edge of his thumb.

“You never need to dream alone again,” he murmured, threading his fingers through hers. Her heart fluttered at the sincerity etched in his face, and the gentle conviction in his voice.

He leaned in, capturing her mouth in a kiss that spoke of the devotion and yearning he had kept carefully hidden. The softness of his lips, and the heat of his breath, sent a tremor of eagerness through her. She returned the kiss enthusiastically, her free hand sliding around his shoulder to pull him closer.

Ever so carefully, he guided her shift upward, sliding it away from her body. She responded by tangling her fingers in his clothing until she could free him from the rest of his garments. Their combined laughter, hushed by passion, blended with the rustle of linens as he slid himself inside her.

She drew a shivering breath, every nerve alive with renewed closeness and the certain knowledge they carried more than themselves into this union; their child’s future was part of their tender bond. He brushed his lips to her temple, his breath mingling with hers; the lamp’s light caressing the curve of their entwined forms.

Gently moving within her, she felt his hesitation, his gentleness; his desire checked by wanting to keep her safe.

“Is this all right?” he whispered, wrapping his fingers gently with hers. His voice was uncertain and full of a love she had once doubted was possible.

“It is more than all right,” she breathed, lifting her gaze. “I feel safe, and I feel… whole.”

His shoulders trembled as he rested his forehead against hers, as though the moment demanded reverence rather than haste. She closed her eyes, letting tears slip down her cheeks, each one a testament to joy rather than sorrow. When he spoke her name again, it was with hushed awe, as though he uttered a vow carried on soft candlelight.

She answered with a faint, breathless laugh, overwhelmed by the depth of what they shared: the forgiveness, the renewed trust, the child they awaited. Every whispered confession, every lingering touch, told her the shadows of the past had melted under their new resolve.

Her climax surprised her, quickly mounting with the slow, tender movements within her. She pressed her eyes closed, arching against him, crying out with the waves of pleasure. Gilbert took advantage of her ecstasy, moving quickly, panting with need as he finished within her without reservation.

When they lay still, breathing in tandem, he brushed her hair away from her face and pressed a final kiss to her brow.

“I love you,” he said, half-wondering at the brightness in her eyes.

“I love you, too,” she replied, voice trembling. “Nothing shall make me doubt it now.”

In that tender aftermath, they held each other close in the soft glow of lamplight, the warmth of their bodies a promise of all that the future would bring. Challenges, yes, but carried together with a love that eclipsed old fears. And as she drifted off with her head resting against his chest, she let contentment anchor her in the present, certain that whatever came next, they would face it hand in hand, a family bound by trust and devotion.

Later that evening, Gilbert laid abed beside Diana, keeping his arms around her with an insistence that he would stay with her as long as she needed to rest. She nestled against his chest, feeling safer than ever before. Sleep lapped at the edges of her mind, but a knock on the door jarred them both.

Gilbert let out a small growl of frustration and nuzzled her hair.

“Who dares interrupt us now?” he muttered, rising reluctantly to pull a robe over his bare chest.

When he opened the door, Leopold stood in the corridor, hat in hand. He shot Gilbert an apologetic look.

“Forgive me,” he said, clearing his throat. “I have urgent news.”

“Speak,” he said, tensing.

Leopold glanced over Gilbert’s shoulder, noticing Diana half-sitting in bed. He averted his gaze politely.

“I have discovered the source of the rumors that plagued both you and the duchess.”

Diana felt a chill pass through the room.

“You have?” she asked, leaning forward.

Leopold nodded, frowning. “It was Josephine Halfacre. I have found letters and confirmations from several people in her circle. She fed them gossip to keep the scandal alive, hoping to undermine you.”

Gilbert’s jaw set. “I suspected she was behind it. Where is she now?”

Leopold shrugged. “Likely at her townhouse or at some salon, but you can be sure she expects no retaliation.”

Gilbert’s eyes narrowed.

“She will quickly learn differently.” He turned to Diana. “Stay here, my love. I will handle this.”

Diana’s heart fluttered at the endearment, but she nodded in solemn agreement.

“Please be careful,” she said, recalling Josephine’s vicious streak.

Gilbert cast her a comforting look before following Leopold out into the corridor. Diana sank back against the pillows, a hand pressed over her heart.

She dozed fitfully until midafternoon, stirring when Gilbert returned, a grim determination evident in his eyes. He set aside his coat, crossing to her side.

“It is done,” he said, taking her hand. “I confronted Josephine. I warned her that if she so much as breathes another vicious rumor about us, I will ruin everything she holds dear—her finances, her social standing and anything else of note. She seemed to realize her advantage has been lost.”

Diana exhaled relief. “She will not trouble us again?”

He squeezed her hand.

“I made certain of it.” He bent to kiss her brow. “I regret it came to threats, but she left me no choice.”

She let out a shaky breath, her lips curving in gratitude. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I feel safer now.”

He eased onto the bed beside her, gently curling an arm around her waist. “You and our child will never again face such gossip alone,” he said resolutely. “I vow to guard you both, no matter what shadows linger.”

Tears welled in her eyes. She recalled the morning’s tender moment, the shared confessions of love, and the passion that had followed. They had forged a vow that transcended fear, and neither Josephine’s cruelty nor the ton’s rumor-mongering would tear them apart again.

“I love you,” she said, resting her head against his shoulder. “And I believe in you… in us.”

He let out a breath of wonder, pressing a slow, reverent kiss to her temple. “I love you,” he echoed. “Now and always.”

In that tranquil afternoon light, they remained close, their future bright with the promise of healing and hope. Josephine’s threat had been neutralized, the vow that once divided them laid to rest. The quiet hush of the bedchamber cradled them in an unspoken promise: no fear, no rumor, nor any old tragedy would ever stand in the way of their love or the family they would soon become.

The End?