Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

“ M e?” Luke repeated, his heart thundering in his chest.

He saw Emily’s eyes widen, and a smile broke out across her face, part embarrassment and part something else that Luke could not quite place. He felt something deflate within him.

“You are talking about our lessons.” Luke murmured.

“Yes, among other things. You believed in me and my ability enough to push me. And even though I was angry and scared, I am glad you did.” Emily wrapped her arms around herself.

“Are you?”

“Yes. Although it was rather a risk on your part, do you not think?”

“No. I knew you could do it. I had complete faith in you.”

“And you were right. I can do it.” Emily reached into a pocket an procured a bundle of clues. “Every clue I read, every word… They feel like a gift.”

“They are not gifts, they are simply the rewards of your own hard work.” Luke replied as they began to walk.

Emily fell into step beside him, the smell of her perfume catching on the wind. “And your expert tutelage.”

“You are a very good student.” Luke smiled at her.

“It has been so hard trying to contain my excitement. It feels like it has just been bubbling out of me this whole time.” Emily spun in a small circle, throwing her arms wide and grinning broadly. “And I could not share it with anyone. Natalie just thinks I am very committed to this whole adventure.”

Luke watched her spin, preparing to catch her if she fell. “I can imagine that must have been hard for you.”

Her joy filled him, seeming to course through his body. A lightness overtook him, and he felt an urge to spin like she was, but he stopped himself. I am getting caught up in the excitement, that is all.

“I kept all the clues. I wanted to remind myself how far I have come.” Emily stopped spinning, and said a little breathlessly. “To remember this day because it proves that I can do it.”

“I have been telling you this the entire time.” Luke laughed softly as she swayed on the spot, clearly a little dizzy. The flush in her cheeks, the pride, she can finally see just how much she can be. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Thank you.” Emily blushed and looked away. “I wanted to read some for you, to show you… Well it seems rather silly now.”

“It is not silly. I would love to hear you read them.” Luke said gently, his chest squeezing as he did so.

“Very well.” Emily held out some slips to him. “Why don’t you pick a few? Then you will know I have not cheated!”

“I trust you. I do not think you would cheat.” Luke smiled, he knew that she wanted him to pick because then she would have to read them again, unprepared. “But I will do as you ask.”

Their fingertips brushed against each other as he took three slips of paper from her. Warmth spread through him, and he looked away from her as he handed her back the papers. He cleared his throat.

“Read on.” He gestured to her. What is wrong with me?

“Are you well?” Emily asked.

“Yes. Of course.” Luke tried to calm his thundering heart. She is supposed to marry your brother. “Please, read for me.”

“Very well. The first one says, “I can be made a variety of ways, but to use me, you must first break me.”” Emily’s voice was clear and confident as she read the words. “The answer was an egg of course.”

“Of course.” Luke gestured for her to continue, watching as her whole face lit up with joy.

“Then we have, “I have keys but no locks, I have strings but no puppets.” And then finally, “I grow on trees, but am not a leaf. I have juice, but am not a lime. I am round, but not a ball.”” She gave him a satisfied look. “Natalie figured out the answer to the last one, it was orange. But I figured out the other two.”

“That is amazing. You sounded so confident, so clear when you read. And you not only read the words, but you understood them.” Luke felt his own excitement build.

“Thank you. I know they are only simple things really, but-” Emily began but Luke shook his head and interjected, “- there is no but. You have done exceptionally well in a very short time. Do you know how difficult it is to not just read the words but to understand them?”

“I did have to read them more than once.” Emily admitted.

“Most people would, and all that means is you pushed yourself time and time again. Honestly, E- Miss Pembleton, your tenacity is breath taking.” Luke felt a surge of adrenaline. I cannot let myself slip, we cannot be that familiar with one another.

“Thank you. But I could not have done it without you.” She met his gaze, her smile no longer teasing, but shy and earnest.

“Perhaps not. The fact remains, you should be proud of all that you have achieved.” Luke moved towards her, and then stopped, remembering himself.

“Is vanity not a sin?” Emily teased.

“Pride and vanity are not the same thing, and pride is only bad if it is in excess.” Luke’s tone was serious. She needs to understand just what she has achieved; I will not let her downplay her success. “You must celebrate your accomplishments.”

“It is hard when you cannot share them with others.” Emily’s smile faltered, and Luke heard a note of sadness in her voice.

His own heart twisted and he asked. “Who would you share it with?”

“My sisters, those people who were close to me. It would just be nice to show them that I am capable, that I do not need to be looked after.” Emily sighed and looked at him. “Is it vain to want that appreciation?

For a moment, he said nothing. He knew she was thinking of the words the Marquess had claimed were hers. Knew that many women were called vain, where men would be called accomplished. But she was not vain. She should be proud.

“It is only natural that you should want to be appreciated for all your hard work. I do not think it a vain thing at all.” He poured all his sincerity into his voice, clenching his fists to keep from reaching for her hand. “I know that it may not be the same or that it may not mean as much, but I am proud of you.”

He thought she would tease him, perhaps make a joke, but instead, her eyes widened, eyebrows arching. Her breath caught and she looked away. Luke frowned.

“I did not mean to sound patronising.” He growled softly. “I was not teasing you, I meant it genuinely. I am so, very, very, proud of you and all that you have accomplished.”

“You did not sound patronising.” Her voice was small and soft, a catch to it that Luke did not understand.

“Then what offense have I caused?” he asked.

“You have not offended me.” Emily replied, still not looking at him.

“But I seem to have caused some kind of upset. And I would understand what I have done.” He moved towards her, almost reaching for her and then stopping.

She turned back to face him, her face neutral as she shook her head. “It does not matter.”

“Clearly it does.” He insisted.

Something thick and heavy spread between them. It filled the spaces between the trees, catching the leaves in its wake.

“It is nothing.” Emily whispered.

He tried to see what she was hiding. “Please, I do not want you to be upset. Not because of me.”

“Then you would accept it at the hands of another?” she turned to face him, a ghost of a smile on her face, even as her teasing tone did not quite match her eyes.

“I would not tolerate it from any other, but I can only control my own actions.” He replied, the tension between them seemed to ebb a little.

“That is good to know.” Emily said.

“Will you tell me what happened? I would like us to remain friends.” Friends. The word shattered the stillness of the forest. His breaths came a little more freely and he moved away from her.

Emily cocked her head towards him, her face still neutral, though her mouth started to quirk upwards. “Are we friends?”

“I think so.” Luke admitted. Why does it feel as though I am walking into a trap?

Emily raised an eyebrow at her. “You sound unsure.”

“I can only speak for myself, and not for you.” Luke explained, his voice more earnest than he had intended. “But for my part, I consider you a friend.”

“Well, as a friend, then perhaps you will do me a favour.” She gave him a sidelong look.

“And what is that?” he asked.

“Let me get away.” She whispered, closing the distance.

“What?” he felt something brush his side, and then a weight shifted.

Emily took a step away, triumph in her eyes. In her hand, she held his treasure purse. He gaped at her.

“How on earth did you do that?” he asked.

“I may not have been able to teach myself how to read, but I taught myself a great many skills.” She grinned at him. “I was rather a keen trickster as a child, and rather enjoyed removing things from someone’s pockets and replacing them with something unexpected.”

“Was all that just a distraction? Were you trying to keep me from seeing your true intent?” he laughed, though a stab of disappointment ran through him as well.

A look flashed across Emily’s face that he could not quite make out, but it was replaced by the same mischievous smile he had seen so often.

“My intent does not really matter, dear Duke. I have your treasure, and there is very little you can do about it.” She held the pouch aloft, teasing him with her ill-gotten gains.

“Are you so sure about that?” he asked, taking a step towards her. “After all, it is a poor show of gratitude to steal a man’s winnings.”

“And you said I should celebrate my success.” She took a step away from him.

He canted his head towards her. “Then you will not give me the purse of your own volition?”

“No. It is mine.” She held it further out of his grasp.

“For now.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Forever. I am not going to give it to you, and I know that you are far too proper a gentleman to take it from me.”

“Am I indeed?” I will show you how improper I can be. He took a step towards her, watching as she backed away from him. “I think, you will find, that I am rather full of surprises.”

He lunged towards her, laughing. She let out a shriek and danced out of the way. Her laughter mingled with his, echoing around them.

“You will find, dear Duke. That I am as well.” And she began to run.

He leapt to his feet, and chased after her. Thundering through the underbrush, he pushed aside branches and leapt over roots.

“Thief!” he yelled after her. “Give me back that pouch!”

“As my friend, you really should let me keep it.” She called back, darting behind a tree.

He made a grab for the pouch, but she was already gone. “And as my friend, you should give it back to me.”

“I am not known for doing what I should.” She threw the pouch between her hands, her hair mussed from her exertion.

“No, indeed you are not.” Luke agreed.

“Do you give up?” she was still backing away from him.

“I do not give up.” He moved towards her.

“Nor do I.” she replied.

“Give me the purse, Emily.” He said, holding out his hand.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment he thought she would drop the purse, and then she shook her head, wagging a finger at him in admonishment. “If you think you are going to distract me with such a breach in propriety, you are wrong.”

“Is it a breach if we have already called one another by our names?” he said.

Her eyes widened. She remembers, then. Or at least now she will. His heart sped up. He took a step towards her, but she was already running, hurtling away from him.

He launched himself after her, and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her to him, triumph flooding through him as he felt the warmth of her spread through him.

“Put me down!” she laughed.

“Give me back the purse!” he tried to grab for it with a hand, but she almost wriggled free.

She held it out of his reach. “It is mine, fair and square.”

“Hardly fair.” Luke pointed out, breathless as he held her.

She wriggled and Luke thought she was trying to break free, but to his surprise she turned to face him. Her eyes were full of a wild excitement, and there was a cheeky grin on her face.

As she turned, her hair brushed across his face, and he drew in a breath. The smell of her possessed him. His muscles tensed. Her amber eyes found his. Her lips parted.

Luke was painfully aware of his heart seeming to strain against his chest. They were both panting. Her breath tickled his face. Her lips parted. They were so close.

“Luke…” she murmured, and touched a hand to his face.

Something inside him broke. His lips found hers, and nothing else mattered. The softness of her skin against his, the warmth of her seemed to course through his veins.

He felt her fingers entwine themselves in his hair. He lost himself in the smell of her. The way she tasted, of lavender and honey. He pulled her against him, a desperate need overcoming him.

. You should let go. Her words seemed to fill him. Her touch seemed to strip away all the noise. He let go. He was just Luke. And she was Emily. And that was all that mattered.

Something thudded to the ground and they broke apart. He placed her feet gently on the ground. His breathing was ragged. So was hers.

He leaned his forehead against hers. The world around him seemed to be spinning. He had kissed her. She had said his name. And then he had kissed her.

Giddiness threatened to overcome him, and when he saw the look on Emily’s face, everything hit him. She reached to touch his face again, but he caught her hand.

“I can’t.” he whispered.

And then he fled.