Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

A Declared Lie And A Declared Truth

S olomon looked quickly around the room, and it felt as if he were putting out multiple small fires. He caught the eye of each member of her family and then raised a hand to inform them he would take care of it. He had not ever seen Leah like that before.

He rushed through the room, needing to be the one to talk with her first. He smiled as he strode through the room—assuring everyone that he knew his wife best and could deal with the situation when he didn't know what had come over her.

It is the pretending. It makes her feel dirty to have to do this again.

Solomon ran outside into the cool air and found Leah in a state. She moved erratically, and Solomon became concerned for her. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder before she ran off again.

"Oh!" Leah gasped as she spun around. "Oh, no! I made a fool of myself in there, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't," Solomon told her. "And even if you did, we can deal with it."

"I'm sorry! I couldn't do it anymore."

"I know," Solomon soothed. "I know how much you dislike this, but it is only for one more time."

"Yes, one more time." Leah looked at him like a lost animal.

He wanted to help her but was not sure he could anymore. She needed to be set free to live her life, but he wanted to keep her caged up all for himself. He knew what he wanted, but to obtain it would be selfish on his part.

"We can go if you like," Solomon said.

"And they will only talk about me more. And then I will become a recluse, and they will talk about me forever."

"They shan't. I will make sure they won't."

"And I will grow old with our children around me. I will paint and do needlepoint, and that will be fine. And mother and father will be happy. And everyone else."

"Hey, hey," the Duke said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Solomon heard a noise to his right.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to run out or act like this. I need to know how you feel about me," Leah said quietly.

"My dear," Solomon said warmly. "You know exactly how I feel about you, and I have said as much a hundred times. You are the light of my life, and I love you dearly."

Leah's face lit up as he spoke.

"I would very much appreciate it if you would come back in with me, and we can dance together again," the Duke added. "Besides, you never know who is eavesdropping on you out here."

"Ah, my apologies, Your Grace," James Stephens, the Viscount Northwood, said, stepping out from behind the large manicured tree in the stone pot. "I only came out here to smoke a cigar. With Grace being with child, I don't get as much of an opportunity anymore. I am not bothering you or Her Grace with the smoke, am I?"

"Oh," was all Leah managed.

"Not at all," the Duke replied. "I know you were not eavesdropping on us, but I could not resist stating it. Congratulations again on your announcement."

"It is quite the time for your family, Your Grace," the Viscount said to Leah. "Two marriages, a child on the way, and another marriage announcement. You must be filled with happiness."

"Yes, I am," Leah stated solemnly.

"Well, I should go back inside to be with Grace. I shall eavesdrop no more," the Viscount said.

Solomon nodded and watched the man go back inside.

"I thought…" Leah said.

"What is it? What is truly troubling you?" Solomon asked.

The sky was full of stars, each one a possibility, but as Solomon looked at his wife, he only saw disappointment.

"No, it is nothing," she replied. "I did not see the Viscount there or I would have put on our act just as you did. It is a good thing you are around, or I would ruin this entire thing. It is a good thing this is the last public event, or I might not be able to hold my tongue and lie about it all. I am being foolish."

"You are not." Solomon took his wife's hand. "This is extremely difficult, but you have risen to the occasion." There was a lump in his throat. He gazed at Leah, but not with lust—there was something equally as strong, waiting to break free.

"What happens next?" Leah asked. "What do we do when we return home from the party?"

"Well…" Solomon thought about it. "I have the business to attend to in London, so I shall be gone for some time. I will try to return as promptly as I can."

"You don't need to on my account. We will live separately, and what does it matter if it is a hallway away or fifty miles away?" Leah asked.

"I suppose you are right. We will live apart."

Solomon felt the lump in his heart grow. The stars shone down upon him from above as if highlighting the possibilities that would never come to pass. His future was mapped out in multiple ways, but he couldn't have it all.

What is it I truly want?

"I want you," Solomon said.

"What?" Leah asked.

"I don't want to live apart from you for that long. I don't want to live apart from you at all. I can't spend a minute of my life without you, Leah."

"Oh," Leah said, looking around. "Yes, it will be hard to be apart from you, my love, but we must do what is best for our future. You will secure the deal, and we will be united again."

"No, I mean it," Solomon said.

"As do I, my love," Leah said, really trying.

"There is no one around. This is not an act," Solomon said.

Leah looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. "What are you saying?"

"I know you don't like this pretending, and I don't either, but as we were speaking just now, I realized that it is not pretending. I am not pretending anymore. I feel these things toward you, and I don't want to spend another minute without you. I know it is not fair for me to put this on you when you have been forced into this marriage, but I have to tell you how I feel." The Duke took Leah's hand. "I love you."

Leah took her hand from the Duke and immediately turned from him. Solomon took her shoulder and spun her around to face him—her eyes were filled with tears.

"I love you," the Duke said.

Leah slapped her hands into the Duke's chest a couple of times before letting her hands rest there. She looked down before looking up and into the Duke's eyes.

"Please don't tease me. Please don't say such things if you don't mean them. Please, I am begging you!" Leah stated.

The Duke placed his hands over Leah's on his chest. "I tell no lies, and I am not trying to tease you. I wish for you to feel the same, but I can't demand that from you. Perhaps it is selfish of me to speak like this, but you have to know how I feel. I won't hide it any longer. I love you."

Leah looked around again, a fear creeping into her eyes. The Duke knew what it was. She still thought he was pretending.

"Look at me," he said, lifting her hands to bring her closer to him. "Come to me." He pulled her in and pressed his lips to hers.

They kissed each other slowly and passionately. The Duke held her hands and his between them both as they kissed, and he felt Leah's grip tightened as she fell into the kiss.

When they came apart, Leah still stared at the Duke with some hesitation. "You love me?"

"I do," the Duke replied. "I love you."

"Please don't hurt me," she begged.

"I won't ever hurt you," he replied. "I know this must be a shock, and I don't expect anything in return, but perhaps in time?—"

"I love you, too," Leah blurted.

Solomon breathed out heavily through his nose. His heart pounded like a drum. The lump in his throat became so big that he could not speak. He swallowed hard as Leah continued to look up at him, her fear mixed with hope.

"We love each other," Solomon said with a smirk.

"We love each other," Leah said. She said it again before laughing. "Is this really happening? Are we in love?"

"It would seem we are," the Duke told her. "I mean, it was inevitable with how amazing we both are."

"Yes, it was inevitable," Leah said. She leaned forward, placing her head against the Duke's chest.

Solomon let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her. He felt his heart thudding in his chest, and a high-pitched sound rang in his ears, blocking everything else out. For a few seconds, he closed his eyes and could not hear or see anything around.

When he opened his eyes, everything felt new. It all felt right.

"I have a burning desire in my heart for you, Leah," the Duke informed her. "You don't belong to me or any other man, but I want you to be mine. I lay no claim over you, but I wish to claim your heart. You drive me wild with urges that I didn't fully know I had until this moment. You make me happier than anyone ever has. I need you, Leah. You are my wife, and we shan't live apart. I will not go to London for business. Not now. I can have an associate deal with it or pursue it another time. For now, all I want is to be with you."

Leah gasped, and her knees weakened. She grabbed onto Solomon to steady herself.

"You have my heart," Leah told him. "You have had it for a long time, but I caged my heart because I did not believe you felt the same way I did. My love has grown for you these past weeks, and my heart is now yours. Oh, Solomon, you have no idea what you have done to me! I am floating amongst the stars, hearing those words come from your lips. You have captured me, and you will have me forever."

Leah pushed herself up onto her tiptoes to kiss the Duke again. He obliged her by cupping his hands around her rear and lifting her off her feet to kiss her properly. Leah wrapped her arms around his neck and hung onto him.

Their lips pressed together so they both could not breathe, and they held the position for the longest time before their lips moved and their heads turned to the side. Then his tongue slipped into her mouth, and she tangled hers with him, moving her tongue in serpentine motions.

Solomon grabbed onto her plump rear, taking two meaty handfuls, and pulled her up into him to kiss her fully. He breathed out through his nose, thinking only of her body and what he would do to her.

She ran her fingers through his hair, moaning as they kissed. Her breathing became labored, too, her chest heaving and pressing against him, her large mounds like blancmange under her gown.

Leah pulled herself away first, her face bright red.

"I got caught up," she said. "I want this more than I have ever wanted anything else, but we can't do this out here, can we? Can we?"

Solomon laughed. "We can do whatever we please, but you might be right. I want far more than to kiss you, but that might have people talking about the engagement party in a very different way than what is intended."

Leah giggled. "You are right about that. I am torn, but being ladylike only just tops having my clothes ripped off by you and then you taking me in the gardens of my family's house. It is very close."

"My dear, I have never heard you talk like this, but I must admit that I enjoy it."

Leah laughed again. "Perhaps I am being too crass."

"In my company, you can say whatever you want, but when we go back inside, perhaps keep those sentiments to yourself."

Leah smirked at the Duke. "Is that what we must do? We must go back inside and not be by ourselves?"

"For now," the Duke told her. "I must assure everyone that you are fine, and then we can leave."

"What must they think?" Leah asked. "What will we tell them?"

"We don't need to tell them anything, my dear. We will go in there and show them we are fine and happy and in love," Solomon told her.

"And this time, we do not need to pretend," Leah added.