Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Selene stood at the window of the grand chamber she had been taken to after the ordeal, clasping her hands together, staring at the falling snow outside. This was the first day she had felt well enough to rise.

She turned at the sound of the door opening. Her heart leaped. It was the duke, holding Lenore’s hand. The little girl gave a cry of joy, rushing toward her, hugging her fiercely.

“I am sorry, Miss Bomind,” she said, visibly gulping, as she gazed up at her.

“Whatever for?” asked Selene, smiling at her, her heart shifting with love for the dear little girl, who had sorely tested her limits, but was such a spirited and bright soul.

“I was mean to you,” said Lenore, blinking rapidly. “Lady Gwen told me that you were planning to steal my father away from me and send me to boarding school.” Her bottom lip trembled. “She made me start to dislike you, but I know now that she was a mean lady who lied about you. Papa told me everything.”

Selene glanced at the duke, who was looking solemn… and a bit angry.

“I want to assure you that Lord Mastiff and his daughter have left the house,” he said, his face tightening. “And they will never be welcome here again.” He hesitated. “I kept my word to Lady Gwen and urged the authorities to act leniently toward her in the matter, as she was the one who told me where to find you. They assured me she will not be prosecuted for the role she played.”

Selene nodded, her heart twisting, turning back to Lenore.

“I understand why you were mean to me,” she whispered. “And I do not blame you for it. Sometimes, it is hard to know what the truth is, and it is hard to know who to trust.”

The little girl nodded. “Yes, it is.” She gazed at Selene shyly. “All I ever wanted for Christmas was a mother like you.”

Selene was so moved by the girl’s declaration she was momentarily lost for words. She glanced at the duke, who looked a bit embarrassed. He extracted Lenore’s grip on Selene, his eyes softening with love as he pushed the girl’s hair out of her face, kissing her on the forehead.

“I love you, my lady,” said Selene, her heart twisting. “Whatever happens, remember that.”

The little girl nodded, her eyes shining. “I love you too, Miss Bomind.”

“I am going to call for the maid to take you to the kitchen for milk and buns,” said the duke. “I need to talk to Miss Bomind alone.”

Lenore clapped her hands together with glee. “Thank you, Papa.”

After the maid took Lenore, the duke turned to Selene. A silence descended upon the room. Selene’s heart started to pound uncomfortably.

“Are you well enough to take a walk in the grounds?” he asked abruptly, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Y…Yes,” she stammered. “I think so.”

“Good,” he said, with a small smile. Their eyes met and locked. Her heart started fluttering wildly.

Stop it. It is only a walk. He probably just wishes to make sure I am fully recovered before I return to my duties. Do not read anything more into it than that.

***

The snow was falling around them as they walked side by side through the grounds. Selene took a deep breath of the cold air, filling her lungs. It was the first time she had been outside since the terrible ordeal.

Her eyes slid to the duke. His expression was inscrutable—she couldn’t read him at all. But then, she never could. He was always so enigmatic.

“I should be well enough to return to my duties now,” she said abruptly, in a breathless voice. “That is if you want me to remain here as Lady Lenore’s governess, of course.”

He stopped walking, turning to her, frowning slightly. There was a tense silence. She felt the tension within him, as taut as the bow of an arrow. His eyes were glistening like dark diamonds, boring into her own eyes.

“Of course I want you to remain at Trenton House,” he growled. “But I do not want you here in the position of governess any longer. That would not do at all.”

She could barely breathe. “You do not?”

He swore beneath his breath, his eyes flickering toward the sky, as if seeking guidance there.

Her eyes fastened on the tiny white snowflakes on the shoulders of his dark cape, resisting the urge to reach out a hand and touch one of them. Resisting the urge to touch him and run her hands along the breadth of his shoulders, just breathing him in.

Oh, how she loved him. Even now, she was drowning in it, could not climb her way out of it, could find no way to halt the flow of it. It was filling her heart, like a huge waterfall crashing and bursting over rocks, and there was no dam she could find to stop such a powerful force.

He swore again, reaching out and pulling her into his arms, taking her face between his hands, gazing at her beseechingly.

“Do you know how bereft I was as I was riding to that lodge to rescue you?” he whispered, his eyes glittering fiercely. “All I could think about was how my whole world was going to end if I was too late. Every beat of the horse’s hooves on the ground was insisting the truth to me that I was trying so hard to deny—that I would surely die without you.”

She whimpered, her eyes filling with tears. Her heart was so tight with emotion she couldn’t breathe.

“I was a broken man,” he continued, his eyes misting with tears. “I thought I could never put myself together again. I did not even want to. I thought I was happy enough in my icy world—at least it was safe. Nothing could ever harm me again.”

He gave a short laugh. “But it was a prison of my own making. I was not truly living until you came into my life, with all your fieriness bringing me to life again, melting my defenses.” He paused, his face quivering with emotion. “You were like a lantern shining in the darkness, beckoning me back from the brink.”

He drew her closer. “I love you with my whole body and soul,” he whispered fiercely. “I love you more than life itself.”

A tear trickled down Selene’s cheek. She gripped his hands on her face, trembling with emotion. This was more than she ever hoped for. More than she had ever dreamed.

He loves me. He truly loves me!

“I love you, too,” she whispered, almost choking on the words. “I did not mean to fall in love with you… I knew it was wrong… but I could not help it.” She shuddered. “What are we to do? For you are a royal duke and I am but a governess.”

He swore softly, his face solemn. “I will find a way,” he vowed. “It is true that a royal duke needs permission to marry a commoner, but I am sure it is possible, and I will discover the way.” He hesitated, his face full of agony. “I cannot believe you would find your way to me, only for me to have to let you go.”

His lips descended upon her own, claiming them, with a fierceness that shocked her. It was a kiss of possession—he was making her his own, his lips raging over hers.

She was melting with desire, consumed with fire, so strong that it was overpowering her entirely. He tilted her back in his arms, the kiss deepening, as snowflakes fell on her face, melting into nothing.

A deep sorrow fought with her desire and love. For how could they ever be together? Would they still have to let each other go… despite it all? Could he keep his vow and find a way for them to finally be together… forever?

***

Ian tethered the horse, entering the small cottage. His heart quivered. This was Selene’s home, and he was meeting her parents, for the very first time.

They had returned from their extended journey yesterday, and he needed to speak to them about his love for their daughter immediately, and the steps he was taking to try to marry her. Selene had no idea he was there.

Mr. and Mrs. Bomind looked shocked at receiving him into their home, but gathered their wits quickly, inviting him to sit down. Mrs. Bomind bustled about, making tea. Ian took a deep breath, trying to quell his nerves.

“I will get straight to the point,” he said, his stomach flipping. “I have fallen in love with your daughter and want to marry her.” He paused. “I will need permission of course, to marry a commoner, but I have applied for the license, and I have come here to gain your blessing.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bomind exchanged glances.

“Tell him,” said Mrs. Bomind, her lips thinning. “Tell His Grace the truth about Selene, husband. We know that she loves him, as well. She was glowing with it when she called on us yesterday.”

Ian gaped at them. “What truth?”

Mr. Bomind sighed heavily. There was an uncomfortable silence. Then the man seemed to make up his mind.

“Selene is not our natural daughter,” he said, his eyes flickering. “We were asked to care for her by her real father… the late Marquess of Garton.”

Ian gasped. “What?”

“It is true,” asserted Mrs. Bomind, her eyes filling with tears. “Selene is the illegitimate daughter of the late marquess, and a kitchen maid.” She swallowed visibly. “We were working for the marquess at the time it happened. Jeanie, her mother—God rest her sweet soul—died giving birth to her. But the marquess acknowledged the babe. He set us up to look after Selene, sending us money each month to support her.”

“The money stopped when the marquess died,” continued Mr. Bomind, looking pained. “We have suffered hardship ever since. We think the marquess’s solicitor simply stopped sending it to us. He was the only one who knew about the arrangement.”

Ian was so floored he couldn’t speak for a moment. His mind was racing. “And you can prove this?”

“Oh, yes,” said Mr. Bomind, nodding. “We have Selene’s birth certificate with the marquess named as her father.” He looked sad. “Selene doesn’t know. We never told her. We thought it would only cause her pain, but now, well, things are different, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” said Ian, his throat almost closing over with emotion. “They most certainly are different.” Slowly, he smiled. “It means that I can marry her freely for if the late marquess was her natural father, then Selene has noble blood, even if she was born illegitimate, and her mother a commoner.”

He stared at them, overwhelmed with emotion. “Thank you. You are wonderful people.” His face contorted. “Thank you for raising Selene to be the woman she is.”

“She is our daughter,” said Mrs. Bomind softly. “We have always loved her as our own and always will.”

Half an hour later, Ian strode out of the house, clutching the birth certificate in his hand, feeling exultant. He was going to head straight to the solicitor’s office now to verify the document.

His heart expanded with joy as he gazed out at the wintry landscape. Christmas was mere days away. He had just invited the Bomind family to come to Trenton House to celebrate with them all.

His heart trembled. It was going to be the first Christmas he would celebrate since Mary’s passing. It was well past time to do so.

A slow smile spread over his face. And now, he was able to give Selene a Christmas gift that both of them would never forget. The very best Christmas gift of them all.