Chapter Twenty-Two

Violet pressed her hands tight together, aware of the nervousness which shot through her as she waited to catch sight of the Duke of Lancaster. She had managed to speak to him the night of the soiree, had told him about her conversation with Marianne and had found her heart contented at his response but now, some three days later, she was still a little anxious. The Duke had sent her a note promising that he would speak with her this evening, but their separation, to her mind, had been much too long already. She did not know what, if anything, had taken place for the Duke had not written to her again and though she had seen her father’s expression appearing to be rather dark and discontented this evening before they had stepped out, he had not said a single word to her either.

It was all rather worrying.

“Ah, there you are.”

Violet turned, her breath hitching as she caught Lady Caroline’s hand. “Caroline. How marvelous to see you.” She swallowed tightly, “Is your brother present?”

“Yes, he is. I believe he is caught up with someone else at present, though he did tell me that he was very eager to see you.” She caught Violet’s hand and pressed it gently. “I am thrilled that things are much improved between you.”

“They are vastly improved,” Violet agreed, softly. “Thank you for all that you did in encouraging that. Without you, I do not think that we would have found our paths drawing back together again.”

Caroline smiled quietly. “There is nothing that you need to thank me for. I am overjoyed to see my brother happy again and to see you free of the same sadness and suffering. I hope soon to call you sister-in-law!”

A flush warmed Violet’s cheeks but she did not refute that idea. Instead, she simply smiled and shared a knowing look with Caroline, quite certain that the Duke had spoken to her about his intentions. It was an utter delight to Violet’s heart. She could only hope that he had found a way to put an end to her father’s threats and coercion.

“Violet.”

The way that her name was said told Violet exactly who it was behind her. She closed her eyes and smiled, turning around to look up into the Duke’s face, her hands finding his.

“I see that my sister has found you before I did,” the Duke murmured, casting Caroline a long look. “Caroline, my dear. I believe that Lord Hampton wishes to speak with you.”

Caroline’s eyebrows lifted. “Lord Hampton?”

“He is waiting for you. Just over there.” The Duke nodded to his right. “Though Caroline,” he finished, as his sister stepped away, “do try not to be seen.”

His sister blinked, blushed and then smiled as Violet looked back at the Duke with slightly widened eyes, all too aware of what that might mean.

“It is as you think,” the Duke said quietly, his eyes twinkling. “And I do hope that she will accept him.”

“I know she will,” Violet replied, seeing the Duke’s eyebrows lift. “After what she has said to me of late, I am certain that you will find them both very happy very soon.”

The Duke tilted his head. “And what of you?” he asked, his voice very quiet indeed as, much to Violet’s surprise, he began to walk towards the back of the ballroom, stealing her away from everyone. There was no-one near them for every other member of society wanted to be seen though Violet herself went willingly, unafraid to be alone with the Duke of Lancaster.

“What of me?” she asked, as he stopped so he might look down at her.

The Duke lifted his hand and rested it against her cheek. “Might you too be happy?”

“Happy with you?”

He nodded.

Her shoulders loosened just a little as she smiled. “You know that I would be.” A slight worry caught at her forehead. “Though what of my father? You know that there is still a struggle there.”

The way the Duke smiled sent such a thrill up her spine, Violet did not have to ask whether or not he had found a solution. The promise was there in his eyes.

“You did?” she whispered, as he nodded, delight capturing her heart. “You have found a way to quell my father’s threats?”

“I have. And I have used it to protect not only you but Marianne also,” he promised, making Violet’s eyes flare with happiness and surprise. “I have made him sign a contract. He is not required to give me a dowry but, should he ever utter another threat – either to you or to your sister – then he will be required to offer three times the amount of the dowry to me.”

Violet’s heart began to pound furiously at the mention of the dowry. Was this what he wanted? He wanted then, to marry her, just as he had offered before?

“There is also the matter of him being called out, not only by myself but also by Lord Hampton, who will soon be Caroline’s husband, if all goes well,” he added, still smiling. “There is nothing that he can do now, Violet. Nothing at all.” Finding her other hand, he leaned down and looked into her eyes. “Though none of this will be possible save for the promise that you will marry me.” The smile on his lips grew steadily. “Will you, Violet? Will you take me as your husband? I confess that I want nothing more than to have you as my bride.”

Violet could not speak. Tears burned in her eyes, her throat aching and yet she had such utter joy in her heart, it could barely be contained. She wanted to leap up and down, to throw her arms around the Duke’s neck and pull herself so close to him, so as to never be apart from him again. She wanted to cry out for sheer joy, to run around the ballroom and let everyone present know that the Duke of Lancaster had asked her again to marry him, had asked her again to be his bride. She did none of that, however. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly and drew in a ragged breath, her heart pounding but a smile on her lips which she hoped gave answer to the Duke’s question.

“My heart has always been yours, Violet,” the Duke whispered as she opened her eyes to look up at him. “I will not pretend that I have found it easy, these last few years. I have ruined myself in darkness and shadow, became a beast, angry and sorrowful. It is only because of you that I find myself joyous again. It is only because of you that I find myself happy. You bring me nothing but light and joy and delight and I cannot think of spending another day without you by my side.”

“Oh, Stephen.” Tears dripped to Violet’s cheeks but she wiped them away quickly, seeing his smile falter and wanting to do nothing more than reassure him. “Your words are a balm to my soul. My heart is yours. I am still as much in love with you as I ever was – if not more!” Laughing softly, she put one hand to his heart, the other sliding up to his shoulder and around his neck. “I did not think that I would ever be given this opportunity of happiness again,” she said, looking straight into his eyes. “It is a joy which I believed I had left behind me, which had been torn away from me. You cannot know of just how happy I am in this moment.” The ache in her throat grew as she realized all that the Duke of Lancaster had done for her in speaking to her father about his threats, in making his contract firm and secure. “You have made my future one of happiness and joy now, rather than sadness and disappointment,” she finished, letting her other hand wrap around his neck as she pulled herself as close to him as she dared. “I have a freedom now that I have never experienced before. To know that my father can do nothing to hurt me, that he can never demand or threaten me – and that he cannot threaten Marianne either – is both a relief and a joy. Your kindness and your consideration of not only myself but of my sister too tells me that your character is just as wonderful as it ever was.”

The Duke shook his head. “It is only because of you that I have returned to myself,” he murmured, beginning to lower his head, closing the distance between them. “I did not know myself these last few years. I have so many regrets, so many instances where I wish that I had found a way to recover our happiness before this moment. I wish that I had written to you, that I had been as determined to find out the truth as anyone else. I wish – ”

Before he could say anything more, Violet reached up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. It was an action which he had perhaps been expecting, though all the same, she felt him start as their lips met. It was not as though they had not shared a kiss before but the last time had been many years ago and in that, it felt as though this one was all the more profound. Warmth flooded her, happiness ran through her and as her arms wrapped around his neck, as his arms pulled her as tight to him as could be, Violet lost herself in nothing but joy. This was where she was meant to be, where she had always meant to be. Fate had returned her to him and in that, Violet felt nothing but happiness.

“I love you, Violet,” the Duke murmured against her lips, the shadows of the room hiding them from everyone else. “I love you more than I can ever express.”

“As I love you,” she whispered back, her eyes closed, her heart filled with nothing but joy. “And I shall love you every day for the rest of my life.”