* * *
The wedding breakfast was still not close to ending, but Deborah found herself growing distracted. She got up from her place on the table, excusing herself politely from all conversation, and made her way out to the garden of Hopestyn Estate. Tucking a small piece of paper in her hands, she had a look of determination across her face.
The large expanse of trees was an immediate relief to her vision, and she found herself venturing deeper into their depth until she felt a pair of strong hands pull her back.
But instead of yelping in shock, a knowing smile settled on her face. “Henry,” she breathed.
The Duke emerged out of the shadow of the trees, spinning Deborah around so that she was facing him.
“I have been waiting for you most ardently.”
“I apologize.” Deborah mustered a sheepish smile. “One of the guests struck up a conversation with me, and it delayed my arrival. However, I must say that I was quite shocked when I read the note that you slipped over to me.”
Discreetly, when no one had been watching, the Duke had slipped a small note to her with the words:My Lady, meet me in the garden in ten minutes.
“What can I say? The idea of speaking with you in private was too tempting to pass up,” he replied, gazing at her intently. He brushed away a strand of hair from her face, and she instinctively leaned into his touch.
“Which is why I never expected to receive such a note from you,” Deborah continued. “After all, it is not very appropriate to do so, and it goes against all the rules of proper behavior that you hold so dear.”
“My love, what can I say? Before you walked into my life, I would have never imagined myself having a secret rendezvous in the garden. But you make me act in ways I never thought myself capable of.”
“Shall I take that as a compliment?” Deborah knitted her eyebrows, a hint of amusement shining in her eyes.
“It is a flattery of the highest order,” the Duke admitted. “However, I also called you here so that we may be able to discuss in private the results of your meeting.”
Deborah’s face lit up with recognition, and she nodded. “Oh, of course. Well, first of all, it was a wonder that the editor even agreed to meet me.”
“Did he give you any trouble?” Henry asked, immediately concerned. “I made sure to reach him from the most influential of contacts.”
Deborah cracked a smile at his protectiveness. “No, no, he did not cause me any trouble. If anything, it was a miracle that he even had the time to see me, considering he is the best editor in town.”
“Your work deserves only the best.”
“Henry, I know that without your assistance, I would have never been able to secure the meeting on my own.”
The Duke smiled. “Please, with how determined you are, you would have found one way or another. But let’s not get into that. You must tell me what he thought of your writing!”
Deborah gave him a coy look, teasing him ever so slightly. “Well…”
“I am afraid that I will be losing sleep over it if you do not let me know,” the Duke said in a dramatic fashion.
Deborah found it very adorable how involved he was in her passion. When she had seen him take such a strong interest in her writing, she had thanked God, for she had gotten the partner whom she had only dreamed about in passing.
“Well, unfortunately, I have some less-than-ideal news,” she added, a mischievous expression on her face.
“Did he not want to work with you?” the Duke asked, getting offended on her behalf. “Oh, he might have just made the worst mistake of his career. Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure he lives to regret his decision.”
Finally, Deborah could not take it anymore. “I was only playing with you, Henry. The reality is that the meeting went swimmingly well, and he liked my writing. Furthermore, he has agreed to help me to publish my works.”
A flood of relief washed over the Duke, and he leaned forward to wrap Deborah in an embrace.
“Must you play with me like this?” he chided softly, kissing the top of her head. “You know how invested I am in your writing, and how dearly I want you to get published.”
“I know, Henry. Please, accept my apology,” she said, looking up at him.
The two locked gazes, and it was as though both had been knocked breathless at the same time. Carefully, the Duke leaned over to capture her lips with his own.
A thrill washed over Deborah. Even though they were in the privacy of the garden, kissing in the daytime seemed more exciting than any of the previous kisses they had shared.
