Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The duke had been alone for so long that the thought of being surrounded by new and old family was both an exciting and fearful endeavor. He knew his family would adore her as much as he did.

Do I adore her? He asked himself as they took a stroll after their meal. He felt exhilarated being able to make future plans with someone whose company he enjoyed so thoroughly. The next step he took sent a bolt of pain up his leg and into his hip. He dismissed it as a weakness in not walking that far for so long.

The pain reminded him of the accident. He had been on his way to visit the woman he was meant to marry. It had all been arranged down to her gown. He had found everything he had wanted in a woman. In Emma. She had been sweet of nature and as in love with him as he had been with her.

He looked at Bethany who had moved slightly ahead of him and looked back. He thanked the accident for the first time since it had happened. If Emma had been hurt the way he had, then he would have stayed by her side.

She had of course not shared his loyalty. Lady Bethany had, on the contrary, taken him at his most broken and pieced him together. The doubts that he was worth loving or being cared for evaporated with her every kind gesture. Each time he had thought she would turn away from him, she had surprised him by being there for him.

Had he stayed with Emma, what more would he have discovered that would have shown their poor compatibility? The way that she had lied to him had made him deeply dislike, even hate being lied to. It was unnecessary and cruel and furthermore, cowardly. Bethany had proved herself to be direct and honest. Values that made her closer to his moral set.

"What have you looking so concerned, Your Grace?" She asked. He was fond of how she was able to take him away from his troubled thoughts.

"I was thinking how fortunate I am to be with you, my lady," He said and looked her directly in her eyes. He wanted her to see that he meant it when he said such things.

"That is a coincidence, Your Grace." Charlotte said with a hint of flirtation. "I was thinking how fortunate I am to be with you."

He smiled at her and she returned it. He knew she had been using humor yet, it did not lessen his joy at hearing her words.

"How so, My Lady?" He asked, not able to resist begging for a compliment.

"You are kind and understanding. Your morals are impeccable—you are a true gentleman. It helps too, that you are so handsome, Your Grace." She reached out to cup his cheek. "I find that scar, that nobody notices yet bothers you, to be rugged. It adds to your features instead of taking from them, Your Grace." She went on in a quieter voice. He realized she had taken a chance by showing such public affection. It may be so frowned upon that she might hurt their reputation.

He gently took her hand away from his face and turned it in order to gently place a kiss on the palm of her hand. She broke eye contact and blushed. He had seen her with other people and took pride in knowing only he could coerce that reaction from her.

They were so lost in each other that they missed the people who stopped walking to gawk at them. They had almost caused an accident when a carriage driver recognized the duke and was not looking at where he was going.

"Shall we go to the maze next, My Lady?" He asked as they got closer to it. "If you need to rest, then we can," he offered, hoping she would want to.

If I can rest this leg, then I am sure I can make it through this, he thought. Bethany gave him a quizzical look before she spoke.

"I think it might be a good idea, Your Grace," she said, as they approached a park bench. He tried to hide how much he ached and how much relief sitting down brought him. He had chosen the maze both to make up for her last experience and because they would travel slower inside. He had lived there for many years and not once had he sat here. The maze was situated halfway between the estate and traveling anywhere else.

In order for him to travel, he had to pass by the park and maze in the main town square.

The way I took it all for granted. Passing this park for years has made me yearn to do the simplest of actions! He sat down, and only then noticed that he had accomplished something.

"You know, for years on my travels, My Lady, I had seen this same bench on passing every time. To sit here like all the others I had seen do so in the park. It is only made that much more special to share it with you," he said. The urge to share overwhelmed him when he was around her.

"I am truly happy to be a part of it, Your Grace," she replied. She looked struck by her emotions, the words coming out in a high pitch.

He was glad that she shared in his joy. It helped that it had steered the conversation away from why they were sitting. She had not looked as though she had needed rest. She had also given him a strange look when he had asked her if she had needed to rest. He felt apprehension creep up his spine when he felt it was time to get up and move on.

"Let us go see the fountain, My Lady. I desire to thank it for making my wish come true," he said, in a voice that made the air stop in her lungs.

"Since it came true, Your Grace. May I ask what the wish was?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It was that I would have the most lovely and beautiful woman be my wife." He said in a way that spoke of how enamored he was with her.

"I am sorry, Your Grace. Then you had the misfortune of being stuck with me instead." Her joking manner brought a chuckle out of him. He had no idea when he had been able to laugh out of joy and not just to appear socially correct.

"There is most definitely nothing to apologize for, My Lady," the duke said, and cupped her cheek the way she had done earlier. The tender smile and the way she moved closer to his hand were enough to almost undo him. He felt relieved that she was fond of him at least.

He had become good at judging people. Since his fianc had left, he had become a lot more careful about who he trusted. He felt that he had found a person with qualities he had long ago given up on finding in people.

"We should go to the fountain, Your Grace. The day is going by much too quickly. I would loathe to miss going there again with you," she said, yet did not move away from him. He got up and offered his hand to help her to her feet. They walked the short distance to the maze entrance in silence. The pain was less than he had expected it to be. In no small part he knew it was His Lady helping with that. She had taken away a future that had not looked worth living and had replaced it with days that he relished every second of.

The sun was at its highest in the sky. The birds in the park beckoned them closer. This maze was a fascination with all people of various ages.

He could not think of a time he had come here and there had not been several other people around him. There were a few families enjoying lunch at nearby tables as children explored the maze and park nearby. They went in. At the moment he could barely contain his excitement.

He had the ring he had purchased inscribed for her with her name.

When Lord Wentworth had let him know he would like to see him, he had taken the opportunity to ask his permission to seek his daughter's hand in marriage.

"You wanted to see me, Lord Wentworth?"

"Yes, Your Grace. I am afraid I must return home as soon as possible," Lord Wentworth had informed him.

"Will your daughter be joining us?" he asked, not enjoying how much the thought caused him dismay.

"That all depends on how the courtship is going, Your Grace," Lord Wentworth said in an asking manner.

"I am happy you asked, Lord Wentworth. I would like to ask permission to ask your daughter to marry me," the duke said almost immediately, glad he had gotten to say it.

"You have my blessing, Your Grace. If your intention is to marry my daughter, then she may stay here with you until my return," Lord Wentworth had said with a smile. They shook hands, and the duke was then on his way to find the perfect ring.

He had burst out laughing when the plan to have it inscribed to do it had formed. When the jeweler had asked if he had needed further assistance, he had said that he did not. He had then gone straight to Lord Wentworth and asked how his daughter's name was spelled.

I have had this woman in my house. She is to be my wife and I can not seem to spell her name! He had seemed to accept that he had wanted to be clear on the proper spelling of her name and had written it down for him. The very next morning, he had made sure it was done.

They got close to where the duke had a private tea set up near the fountain. He had sent his servants to set it that morning before they had left. He kept the ring in his pocket, in case the perfect time came to ask her officially to be his betrothed. He was not sure if he would want to go on another voyage so soon. It would be different from going by carriage, more comfortable and luxurious.

The duke and Lady Bethany walked a while longer until they reached their destination.

"Oh, my!" she exclaimed, as he moved ahead to pull her chair out for her. "You arranged this, Your Grace?" She sounded very impressed and it made him smile. "Your Grace, you spoil me. I only wish that I could be half as kind to you as you have been to me," she said with such heartbreaking conviction that he felt sympathy for her.

His intentions had not been to make her feel bought or guilty. He had meant it as a way of showing he could care for her.

"My Lady, I want you to know that I can take care of you. Also that I care for you deeply. Please tell me what I can do to alleviate your concerns," he replied, meaning every word. Not using sentiments as a means to get a woman's sympathy. That was lying and he could not condone that, ever!

"I cannot ask any more of you, Your Grace," Lady Bethany said with almost equal concern as what he had showed her earlier.

"I must ask, my lady, if you at all have feelings for me?" He needed to know for certain how she felt about him. Each time he was in her company he wanted to find any means that would give him the right time to ask her for her hand in marriage. If there was a chance that she did not feel about him at least almost as much, then this would not work after all.

"I have very fond feelings for you as well, Your Grace," she said softly. A gentle smile played on her lips.

"Do you think that you may be happy with me, My Lady? It is a massive decision to leave home and to start your own life. I would prefer you to tell me now rather than live unhappily for years."

"It is a big decision, Your Grace. Only it is a choice most people our age are required to make," she said in a matter-of-fact way.

"That is correct, My Lady. The point is that I would like you to be happy. If that means that you are to be with someone else, so be it. If on the other hand you find that you wish to be with me, I will expect the same loyalty." He spoke in a clear and concise manner.

"That would be an agreement I would be comfortable with, Your Grace." His words did not send her into the panic he was used to seeing from women. The same words he had just spoken to her, he had asked less from a woman and she could not keep up her end.

She is too agreeable. She must have something she does not want me to discover! He thought as he watched her carefully. She should have had issue with at least one thing by now, yet all she does is adore everything. Am I doing the right thing? Perhaps I should call the proposal off? No, I can not be without her!