Chapter 14

"Who is it? You may come in."

Jane knocked on the door of her husband's study and stepped inside with a smile, her heart leaping at the sound of his voice.

"Good day, Your Grace," She greeted him, her smile ever fixed on her face.

Colin had his nose buried in papers, but his head raised completely and his eyes lit up at the sight of her. A small smile lifted his handsome face, and Jane tried to stop her heart from beating at the sight.

"Good day, duchess," He responded, his voice carrying a tinge of tenderness. He pushed his hands out in a stretch as he went on, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Jane tried to keep her eyes away from his wide arms and pouted playfully as she asked, "Am I not allowed to see my husband whenever I please?"

He let out a soft chuckle and motioned for her to take a seat on one of the chair facing his desk, but she shook her head with a teasing glimmer of defiance in her eyes.

"I'm not here to sit, Your Grace," She declared, her tone hinting at a playful determination that demanded his attention. "You know why I am here."

Colin's face showed a slight confusion. He raised an eyebrow, prompting her to speak, "I don't believe I do. Why indeed are you here, my dear wife?"

Jane's felt her heart leap once more. She tried to keep her cheeks from flushing at the sweet melodic sound of him referring to her with an endearing term, to no avail.

She managed to clear her throat and with a teasing smile dancing on her lips, she locked eyes with him, her gaze filled with amusement and challenge. "Indeed, what am I here for then?"

Colin raised a brow once more and laughed lightly. "Did you per chance miss my face?"

Jane fought the blush that attacked her cheeks. With a forced frown, she asked, "Have you truly forgotten, Your Grace?" She squinted at him, her tone holding accusation, "You have indeed, have you not?"

He went silent, seeming to be racking his brain and coming up with nothing. Looking at the sincerely confused expression on his face, she gasped again.

"Your Grace, you gave your word you would engage in playtime with me and the girls today. We agreed it was essential to helping them in these times."

"Ah."

Reminded once again of the pressures that came from his newly inherited workload, Colin gently rubbed his forehead and nodded in recognition.

"I got so caught up in work and the accounts, I nearly forgot," He admitted.

Jane's eyes widened in understanding. She gave him a comforting smile as she spoke, "You can take an hour break, and I'll inform the girls. We'll play when you're ready."

However, Colin shook his head resolutely. He rose from his chair and walked slowly towards her. His voice was low as he spoke, "That won't be necessary."

As Colin stood before her, his frame towering over hers, Jane's heart raced with anticipation. His eyes were fixed on hers with an expression she couldn't place. She felt like she was about to explode, wondering what it was he wanted.

He had something on his face that resembled a smile and this made her heart skip a beat. Slowly, he approached her and her breath was gradually becoming hard to catch. She tried to look away, nervous but he flashed a charming grin that held her gaze.

Colin reached out, and with a gentle touch, brushed a stray curl away from her face, eliciting a soft gasp from her lips at the unexpected contact.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes, her heart pounding beyond control. When she opened them, she was met with a smug, satisfied smile on his face.

"I'm ready. Let's go meet the girls," He declared, then swiftly moved past her and headed for the door.

Jane stared at his receding back in shock, doing her best to calm the pumping going on in her chest.

After getting the girls, they all stepped outside together. Margaret and Louisa's excitement were at an all-time high, their joy radiating as they bounced on their toes, eagerly anticipating the start of the games.

Jane, with a laugh, playfully urged them to settle down. Her tone was filled with warmth and amusement as she spoke, "You need to be calm to understand the instructions of the game, that is, if you want to win. Or do you not?"

After a moment, as the girls finally calmed their jumping, Jane grinned mischievously, ready to reveal the day's activity.

"Today, we're having a treasure hunt around the estate," She announced, her words met with gasps of excitement and admiration from the girls. Their collective oohs and ahhs filled the air in a comedic manner.

Colin, standing aside, couldn't help but chuckle at the girls' reactions. Noticing his amusement, Jane inquired, "And what puts such a smile on your face, Your Grace? Do you find the game that silly?"

He chuckled and responded, "Oh, not at all, dear duchess. I'm just excited to see how this treasure hunt unfolds."

And, in truth, he meant every word. This surprised him too. The game commenced, and Colin found himself more and more pleasantly surprised by the unfolding events.

This newfound relaxation in his interactions with the girls was a novel experience for him. Engaging in the treasure hunt alongside them, he discovered a different side to his nieces as well.

Each playing individually but united in the quest, they followed Jane's clues with enthusiasm and determination. As the game progressed, laughter mostly filled the air.

However, in the midst of the fun, a slight dispute came up, and in turn, shed light on a hidden aspect of Louisa's personality.

Colin realized then that beneath her usual accommodating demeanor, his niece harbored a fierce competitive spirit, perhaps even more so than Margaret. This revelation intrigued him, challenging all his preconceptions about his nieces.

The realization that Louisa possessed a strong sense of independence and drive, contrary to his initial assumptions, brought a sense of pride and admiration. He was excited for what else there was to discover.

Observing Jane's support and encouragement of this aspect of Louisa's character further deepened his appreciation for her role in nurturing the girls' as well. She was everything he had wanted and more indeed.

Time went by and Colin did his best to try to keep his eyes off his wife. However, she seemed to not be making it easy. Time passed, and she only seemed to look more radiant by the second.

Her gorgeous laugh was like magic, pulling his eyes to her scenery every time she began. After a few rounds, he realized he was hopeless and close to falling in last place.

His lack of concentration added to this, but Colin also sensed something else was going on. He began to notice a pattern. However, he needed to be certain, so he waited.

When the next round began, as expected, Jane handed out special cards to the girls for the near fourth time, leaving him out. He chuckled and raised a curious eyebrow, then decided to confront her.

"Might I ask, what's the deal with those cards? Why do I not find one for myself?" He inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice.

With mischievous eyes, Jane met his gaze and retorted, "Oh, Your Grace, you're playing with children." She laughed, the beautiful sound filling his welcoming ears.

"You are ancient compared to these sweet girls, and with every advantage, thus I'm just leveling the playing field," She expounded, a playful grin dancing on her lips.

Despite already having this guess, he gasped playfully as though it just dawned on him. He'd connected the dots throughout the game, understanding her subtle attempts to challenge him by withholding better clues.

"It's only right." She grinned and stuck her tongue out cheekily as she finished.

Taken aback by this small action, Colin couldn't help laughing. He found her childish and adorable demeanor endearing. Jane turned in the direction of the girls, and at that moment, nothing else mattered but getting her to look at him again.

"Oh, Louisa dear? Not that way, do you need me to-"

Right as she attempted to follow after Louisa to help her as the next round had started, Colin instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her immediately.

Caught off guard by his sudden move, Jane gasped. Her gasp doubled when he swiftly twirled her and pulled her. She felt her heart race as he pulled her into him, his hand firmly around her waist.

As she stood frozen in place, shock coursing through her veins, his warm breath tickled her ear as he whispered, "You're not playing fair, my dear, and we both know it."

He watched as her cheeks flushed, her eyes widened with a spark, and her breath hitched ever so slightly, her reaction unmistakable.

Colin could feel the tautness in Jane's body as she stood before him, her entire system racing with excitement and nervousness. The proximity of his strong presence seemed to heighten her senses.

When his chest brushed against her back, he noticed her breath hitch as she tried to steady herself against him. The intensity of the moment enveloped them, making everything else around them vanish.

With each touch, he saw the effect he had on her—waves of heat spreading across her skin, her cheeks flushing, her eyes widening with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Time seemed to stand still as they teetered on the edge of something unspoken yet undeniably potent.

Jane's struggle to maintain composure was evident. Finally, she managed to clear her throat, stumbling over her words as she tried to convey, "You're a grown man, you shouldn't need clues like the girls." Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes reflecting the turmoil within her.

With a playful glint in his eyes, her husband countered immediately, "But I'm your husband, it is only right you help me." His low and husky tone sent another wave of shivers all over her body.

"You're to choose me, always."

Jane's cheeks exploded with ferocity. She struggled as she finally attempted to free herself, unable to take it any longer. However, Colin held her in place. Then suddenly, softly bit her ear, his tone teasing when he spoke.

"That's for being unfair."

At last, he released her with another satisfied smile, leaving her unable to calm her racing heart.

The game came to an end, with Margaret happily victorious. Despite the little girl running around wildly in excitement, Jane found herself unable to resist stealing glances at Colin.

As he laughed and protested the unfairness of the game, she struggled to focus on his words. Her body tingled with the memory of their previous interaction, leaving her feeling a mix of excitement and confusion.

Colin, noticing her distracted state, attempted to engage her, lifting his brow high as he spoke, "You can't deny the game was rigged, could you, dear duchess?"

His words held a teasing tone, adding to the playful dynamic around them. However, Jane's internal turmoil only intensified as she tried to maintain composure in the face of her growing attraction to him.

"Now, isn't it a lovely and peculiar sight to see the family all gathered together?"

All four eyes turned to meet the dowager duchess' gaze, smiles lighting up everyone's faces. The girls, excited by her presence, rushed towards her with joy.

"Granny!" Margaret's tiny voice was the first to ring out. "Oh, it's so good to see you again!"

Colin, with a charming smile, greeted his grandmother with a nod, "When did you arrive, Your Grace?"

Prudence, with a twinkle in her eye, replied, "Not so long ago, Your Grace."

Her gaze swept over the scene where the family was gathered. She chuckled softly and remarked, "I was told the whole family was outside playing a game; yet, I had to see it for myself to believe it."

Her laughter filled the air as she continued, her eyes shifting to Colin. "Surely, the most shocking sight has to be seeing you out here, beaming with smiles."

The atmosphere was filled with more excitement as the Dowager Duchess' presence seemed to add an even more familial feeling to it.

"And good day to you, our wonderful duchess." With her eyes keen, Prudence turned her gaze to Jane. Her eyes squinted as she inquired, "Why are your cheeks so flushed, my dear? Have you truly been running around that much?"

Jane, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising within her, forced out a laugh as she stammered, "I... I haven't been running around at all, Your Grace. I… I am not quite sure why." Her cheeks flamed even brighter as she nervously chuckled, trying to mask her discomfort.

However, still pressed down with the weight of the Dowager's scrutiny, she fanned herself, in a subconscious attempt to cool the rising tension in the air. With a forced laugh, she added, "The air just feels... warm today."

Her words hung in the tense atmosphere, adding to the questioning presence that enveloped the group.

Automatically, Jane's eyes shifted to Colin's at her last sentence. They both exchanged a heavy glance; he offered her a knowing smile, his eyes holding a silent conversation with hers.

The charged exchange between them added a layer of complexity to the already tense scene, as unspoken emotions crackled in the air.

Sensing the undercurrents of emotion, Prudence observed the interaction with a keen eye, raising a brow at the telling moment.

The awkwardness in the air was almost tangible, each word and glance laden with unspoken meaning. Jane's attempt to deflect attention only seemed to intensify the scrutiny, creating a sense of discomfort that hung heavy over the group.

Jane's cheeks burned even brighter as she met the Dowager's gaze again. Noticing the suspicious gaze, she realized she had been caught and a wave of discomfort washed over her.

Desperate to diffuse the mounting tension, she turned towards the girls, and with a forced calmness, she urged, "You've had enough play for today, my dears. It's time to wash up and settle down for the evening."

Margaret and Louisa, sensing the underlying unease, offered little protest, their voices soft when they finally acquiesced.

Despite their compliance, the atmosphere remained charged with unspoken emotions, each word and action layered with unexpressed feelings.

Jane, her heart pounding in her chest, managed to guide them inside, her grip on their hands a lifeline in the midst of the swirling emotions while the weight of her husband's watchful eyes felt heavy on her back, adding to the tension that hung in the air like a heavy veil.