“I suppose it does not matter to you, then,” he said. “So, it was true what you said that night, that you truly have no intention to marry anyone? You were sincere about that?”
Deborah did not answer immediately. Instead, she stared at the ground. But the Duke saw it as further confirmation.
“I believe I had a duty here today, and that was to chaperone my little sister and her fiancé,” the Duke said. “I shall go find them. Good day to you, My Lady.”
As he walked away, he could not push away the crushing disappointment he felt. His feelings were certainly one-sided. In his mind, he thought that there was something exceptional about the two of them, such that they kept attracting each other like a moth to a flame, but now he knew the truth. He was just a pawn in her game.
* * *
Deborah was left staring at the Duke’s retreating figure, confused about what had just taken place.
Had she said anything to upset him? Their connection did not make sense to her. At one moment they were quarreling, and then the next moment, they were kissing, and then the next, they were ignoring each other like nothing had ever happened between them.
She touched the top of her lip with her hands, all thoughts of chaperoning Emma and her brother now forgotten.
She began to question herself. Was she really sincere about never wanting to marry? Two weeks ago, she had been certain that she would never marry.
But somehow, since meeting the Duke, a new fire had ignited inside of her. Before, she had thought nothing would ever feel as good as writing did for her. However, now with the scent of the Duke still lingering in her mind, she wondered if there was more to life.
After all, Emma and Peter seemed to be happy with each other. They had discovered love, and Deborah started wondering for the first time in her life if the same was possible for her. But more importantly, she began to wonder if the same thing was possible for herandthe Duke together.
Had she just discovered the joys of kissing? Or was there something deeper at play here?
She knew that she could no longer solve this on her own, and that needed someone to confide in.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
The Duke avoided Deborah for the rest of the walk. Even if she tried to get his attention, he simply looked the other way and pretended as if he did not hear her.
She was left confused, wondering if she had upset him somehow. When they finally reached the estate, Deborah breathed a sigh of relief and ran over to their chambers in search of her brother, Nicholas.
But instead, she found Tabitha relaxing at the edge of the bed.
“My dear Deborah,” she called out, “is that you?”
“Yes, Grandmother.” Deborah nodded. “How was your walk?”
“My walk?” Her grandmother blinked, seeming to forget that she had gone on any walk in the first place.
“Yes, remember? The walk into town that you took today with the Dowager Duchess and Lord Jonathan,” Deborah said gently.
“Oh, of course.” Tabitha’s face lit up as the memories came rushing back to her. “Her Grace and I walked together for a long time. She is quite a lovely woman.”
Deborah raised an eyebrow, confused. “I thought you did not like her very much.”
“Oh, did I?” her grandmother asked. “I do not recall.”
As stressed out as Deborah was, she could not help but chuckle at her grandmother’s antics. “Yes, Grandmother. You shared it with Nicholas and me just this morning, remember?”
“Well, I spoke about my youth with Her Grace,” her grandmother recounted with a wistful expression, “and it was a great time.”
Deborah had to smile at that. It seemed whatever differences her grandmother had had with Modesty had now been resolved.
“Well, I am glad to hear that,” she said. “I am glad that you took our advice.”
“Your advice?”
“Never mind.” Deborah chuckled. “I came in here looking for Nicholas. Have you seen him anywhere, by any chance?”
