Library

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

" D uncan," Lucy breathed. She couldn't believe he was here, standing right in front of her after all this time. Perhaps she was dreaming. But he looked too vivid to be just a dream. She'd be sorely disappointed if he was only a figment of her imagination.

"Lucy?"

She wasn't dreaming. He was here! He was here in all glory. And all the hurt came flooding back.

"Lucy, can we talk?"

She turned her back on him and walked back into the drawing-room, staring out the window. Her heart ached with the torrent of emotions that coursed through her.

"Lucy, I am terribly sorry, please."

But she didn't budge. She wished she had never met him. She wished she had never set her eyes on him. She wished he had just let her be. She wished she didn't love him. Oh, she wished a lot of things.

"Lucy," Duncan called softly.

"What do you want, Duncan? Haven't you done enough? Why do you insist on causing me untold pain over and over again? Why will you not just let me be?"

"I am so sorry," Duncan approached her slowly. "Please, allow me to right all the wrongs."

She turned slowly, her eyes meeting his. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the room filled with a heavy silence. Duncan took another tentative step forward, but Lucy held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Stay where you are," her voice was soft but firm. "If you want to talk, then we need to do this properly. No more half-truths, no more secrets."

Duncan nodded, swallowing hard. "I understand. I owe you everything."

Lucy's eyes softened slightly, but she remained resolute. "Then start by telling me everything. I need to know the whole truth, Duncan. No more evasions, no more holding back."

He took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he began to speak. "Very well. I will tell you everything."

She gestured to a chair, and he took a seat, his eyes never leaving hers. Lucy remained standing, her posture rigid. Perhaps, she was bracing herself for what was to come.

"Where do I even begin?"

Duncan muttered to himself, running a hand through his once-glossy dark but now disheveled hair. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"I had a sister — Gertrude. She was everything I wanted and more. She meant the world to me." He paused, swallowing hard. It was never an easy tale.

"One day we were playing in the garden. She had strong legs, Gertrude," he smiled wistfully. "She challenged me to a race." Lucy sucked in a sharp breath. "We took off running, not knowing my sister was running to her death. Gertrude slipped and landed on the ground, hitting her head on a stone.

The impact was too strong for her fragile body. She slipped away. The life drained from her eyes, and there was nothing I could do. She died in my arms. I have not been able to crawl out of the depth of the trauma it left me with."

He was no longer in the drawing room with Lucy. He was in that realm only he seemed to be able to go. He was back in the fields with his sister. A tear escaped Lucy's eyes, and she covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a sob.

"I blamed myself," Duncan continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "Every time I touched someone, I saw her face. Her lifeless body. It became a prison, one I couldn't escape. So, I withdrew. These gloves?" He gestured to his gloved hands. "I wore them to shield myself from the world, to keep the memories at bay. It's the only way I can cope."

He paused, taking off the gloves. He looked down at his hands, now bare, and then back at Lucy. "But then you came into my life. And everything changed. Somehow, the memories fade when I'm with you. The nightmares recede. You brought me peace, a kind of peace I never thought I would find again."

Lucy stepped closer, her hand gently resting on his cheek. Oh, Duncan," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I had no idea."

He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes and savoring her warmth. "You are the only person I can touch without fear, without pain. You make everything better, Lucy. With you, I feel whole again."

Lucy's eyes softened. "Then why did you leave? Why did you push me away?"

Duncan's voice broke, the pain wrenching through his gut. "Because I was afraid. Afraid that I would hurt you, that my demons would destroy our happiness. I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I was only causing more pain."

Lucy took a step closer, her eyes searching his. "And what about now? What has changed?"

Duncan looked up at her, his gaze unwavering. "Everything. I've realized that I can't live without you. That my fear of losing you is greater than my fear of the past. I want to face those demons, but I need you by my side. I love you, Lucy. More than words can say."

The silence was loud. Deafening. Even the air had stilled. The soft wind had stopped howling. Lucy took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

"Oh, Duncan, I love you too. So much that it hurts." Tears streamed down the sides of her face.

"Please don't cry, Lucy. My heart cannot take it."

"You do not get it, Duncan. I love you but I cannot do this anymore. I cannot take this kind of treatment from you again. My heart can't bear it."

"No, Lucy," Duncan whispered, his eyes going white. "You cannot mean that. You must understand. I have been a fool, letting my fears drive a wedge between us. But no more. I love you, Lucy. Truly, deeply. And I want to be with you, to stay by your side for the rest of my days."

"Duncan, can you truly move past this?" Duncan remained silent. "I need to know that you're truly committed. That you're willing to share every part of yourself with me. No more walls, no more barriers." He remained silent, his eyes tightly shut. "Duncan?" Lucy called out softly.

"I am, Lucy. I swear it." His eyes burned with an intensity that shook her.

"Are you certain of it?" She stepped closer, her hands trembling slightly as she took his. "I am only human. I will get hurt and sick at times. I am not invincible. When I saw the panic in your eyes, it broke me. I cannot bear to see you in such pain."

Duncan's brow furrowed, his grip on her hands tightening. "Lucy, I..."

She shook her head gently. "Let me finish, please. I was so hurt when I saw your face that day. I hate to think that I was the cause of your distress. I do not want to see you hurting because of me."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held his gaze steadily. "But I also know that life will bring its share of trials and tribulations. We cannot avoid them. We can only face them together."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Oh, Lucy, I have been such a fool. I was so consumed by my fear of losing you that I failed to see how my actions were hurting you. But no more."

He pulled back slightly, looking deeply into her eyes. "I promise you, I will never leave you again. No matter what. We will face everything together, come what may."

"Duncan…" Lucy trailed off, uncertainty clouding her eyes. Duncan didn't miss it and sought to reassure her.

"I swear on my life, Lucy. We are in this together. I will hold nothing back from you. I will share everything with you, no matter how painful. I can't lose you. You are my heart, my soul. Please, give me another chance."

For a moment, they stood there, the tension palpable. Then, slowly, Lucy reached out and took his hand. "All right, Duncan. We will face this together. But I need you to promise me one thing."

"Anything," he replied, his voice fervent.

"No more running. No more hiding. We confront this head-on, as husband and wife."

He nodded. "I promise, Lucy. No more running."

Her heart swelled. The atmosphere suddenly seemed brighter. She rested her head against his chest and savored the feel of him again.

"That is all I need, Duncan. To know that we are in this together. That we will stand by each other's side, through thick and thin."

He kissed the top of her head, a sense of profound relief washing over him. "We will, my love. I swear it."

"I love you." She peered at him from her fluttering lashes.

"And I love you, my Duchess." Lucy nearly leapt for joy. "And I would like my duchess to be back in her home. What do you say?"

"I say we return to Northwick immediately, Your Grace. We did have a wager." Lucy winked.

Duncan's eyes darkened to a smoldering blue that sent a lick of heat pulsing in her belly. "We wouldn't want to not fulfill our ends of the bargain now, would we?"

"We certainly would not," Lucy's eyes twinkled as she pulled him down to her and latched her lips to his. She kissed him tenderly, her heart full and near-bursting at the seams.

Her hands snaked to his hair, grabbing a fistful. She earned a throaty moan from him, sending liquid pools of fire between her legs. His hands roamed all over her, touching and teasing. She felt hot. She could swear she was on fire. And somewhere in the back of her head, she remembered where she was — in her father's home.

"Duncan," she rasped. "Duncan?"

"Is there a good reason why you're interrupting us ?"

Lucy laughed, a low throaty sound that sounded strange even to her ears. "We're not really in the best of places. Anyone could walk in."

Duncan sighed, obviously disgruntled. "What do you say we take this home. Duchess?"

"I say we do, Your Grace."

They had hardly crossed the threshold when Duncan grabbed Lucy and pinned her against the wall, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. His hands sneaked underneath her dress to play with her breast. He rubbed against her nipple gently and she felt desire shimmer right through her.

But the part of her that desperately held on to the last vestiges of common sense spoke to her. "Duncan," Lucy breathed.

"Not again, Lucy." Duncan growled.

"The servants…oh" she moaned as his fingers trailed to her wet heat. "They might see us." She moaned again.

"Then you just have to be quiet," he smirked. That was next to impossible with the way her body wantonly responded to him.

"I do not think it will help." Duncan laughed, a rumbling sound she had come to love.

"Very well, Duchess." And he picked her up and took them to his bedchamber. Wasting no time, he peeled all her garments, sliding them off her body to the floor and kissing her fervently. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with equal fervor.

He ran his hand over her overly sensitive body, stroking and caressing with a gentle but possessive touch. He stepped back, breaking the kiss as her fingers worked his buttons.

She needed him with an urgency that shook her. She wanted him, all of him, flaws and all. She wanted his body on hers, his warmth that soothed her. It was more than mere desire, more than physical intimacy. She needed his strength. His tenderness. His pain.

He lay with her and kissed her all the more. She opened up to him, wanting him, needed him. She would give anything to have him inside her.

"Duncan," she groaned. She needed him to hurry. She was going to combust. And for all her haste, his movements were controlled. But she could sense the urgency beneath.

His mouth left hers and traveled to her breasts, tasting and suckling. Her nipples were unbearably hard, and she grew even slicker between her legs. His hard length poked against her, teasing. She was mad with need.

"Duncan, I need you, please," Lucy moaned. Having decided to stop the torture, Duncan positioned himself at her entrance and slipped into her silken heat.

He rode them both, their breaths ragged and bodies slick with sweat. She loved and was loved. That was all there was.

She stiffened, the pressure building in her belly. And she screamed as she was flung headlong into the realm that only Duncan could take her to.

Their breaths were ragged, limbs tangled as they reveled in the feel of each other.

"I never thought I could have this again, you in my arms." Duncan pulled Lucy closer, wrapping his hands around her.

"I'm never leaving your side," Lucy placed a soft kiss on his chest.

"But there is something else I must tell you."

She looked up at him, her eyes soft and filled with trust. "What is it, Duncan? You can tell me anything."

"What did I do to deserve you?" He reached for her hand, clasping it tenderly.

Lucy smiled, humming in satisfaction. "Now tell me, what is this about?"

"It is about my mother," Duncan began. Lucy stiffened in his hold, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

"What about her?" Lucy's voice was tightly controlled.

"It concerns the scandal that brought us together. My mother was the grandmaster. She planned it all."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Your mother?"

Duncan nodded. "She was determined to see me married, and in her desperation, she orchestrated the scandal that ensnared us both. She never intended for it to be you, but once it was, she hoped you would leave."

There was a moment of silence, the weight of his confession hanging in the air. But to his astonishment, Lucy burst into laughter. It started as a soft chuckle, growing into a full, melodious laugh that filled the room. It even surprised her, but she couldn't hold it in.

Duncan looked at her, bewildered. "Lucy, why do you laugh?"

She wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, her smile radiant. "Oh, Duncan, for all her efforts to make me go away, your mother has inadvertently played the part of Cupid! The irony is simply too delicious."

Duncan's eyes softened as he watched her, the sound of her laughter a balm to his soul. "You are remarkable, Lucy. Here I feared this revelation would cause you distress, and yet you find humor in it."

She shook her head, still smiling. "How could I not? It seems fate has a sense of humor. Your mother, in her bid to control your future, has ensured our happiness."

Duncan pulled her closer, a smile tugging at his own lips. "Indeed, she has. Even though I take no pleasure in the manner she went about it.

Lucy nestled into his embrace, her laughter fading into a contented sigh. "We should thank her, really. Without her meddling, we might never have found each other."

Lucy really was grateful. For all of Modesty's machinations, she had given her the one gift she had longed for in her life—true love.

What else could she ask for? Thank you, mother-in-law !

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.