“You,” he said, voice unwavering. “You’re breathtaking.”
Her eyes widened, surprise mingling with something deeper. “Was Mr. Trent right to believe that my death would hurt you so much?”
William stepped closer, the roar of the waterfall dimming to a murmur compared to the pounding of his heart. “Yes,” he confessed. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met. I’ve been fighting my feelings for you from the very beginning. You deserve so much more than a broken, scarred duke, but even despite this knowledge I couldn’t force my heart not to think about you, not to have its fill of you every night when I went to sleep and dreamed of nothing else but you.”
He could see disbelief in her eyes, as she gazed at him. Had he crossed the line? He convinced himself that even if he had, he needed to tell her everything. He could not hide his emotionsany longer. He didn’t want to. He neared her, taking her hands into his own. Was that a spark of hope in her gaze he could see?
Buoyed by that glimmer, he pressed on. “I don’t want to fight my feelings anymore, Rose. It is too difficult to do so. Too difficult. Everything that has happened has assured me that I have been fooling myself into thinking that I have no feelings for you, that your presence does not affect me, when the truth is exactly the opposite.”
There were a million other words he could tell her, a million other ways in which he might explain to her how he felt about her and what she meant to him. But words betrayed him. His heart was beating wildly, and he knew that it would not allow him to say anything other than the only three words that mattered.
“I… I love you,” he heard himself say softly, tenderly.
For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. He didn’t know what she would say to that. After all, what could she say? How could anyone so tender, so kind, so beautiful, love someone like him? To even hope so was preposterous, and yet, hope did not choose whom it graced with its presence. Hope favored the poor man as much as it favored a king, and it seemed at that moment, it favored him more than anyone else.
Then, with a soft, almost disbelieving laugh, Rose pulled him closer. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, as their lipsmet in a kiss that spoke of all the words left unsaid and the longing that had built between them. He knew that they were not alone, but he couldn’t help but pull her even closer and kiss her with all the love he had in him. He felt as if his heart would burst at the seams.
As they parted, they remained in each other’s arms, the rain a forgotten whisper around them. William felt a sense of peace he had never known before. The storm within him had calmed, leaving only the gentle sound of the waterfall and the steady beat of their hearts as they stood together, finally united in their love.
Chapter 24
Rose stood by the crackling fireplace in William’s study, her shivering form huddled close to the warmth emanating from the flames. The firelight danced across her damp hair and soaked dress, casting flickering shadows on the walls. She rubbed her hands together, trying to bring some warmth back to her chilled fingers. Yet, despite her state, she couldn’t help but smile the entire time, remembering what William told her.
He himself stood nearby, equally drenched. His once crisp attire now clung to him, dark and heavy with rain. “We should get out of these wet clothes,” he said, eyeing her, his own once crisp attire now clinging to him, dark and heavy with rain. “I could call for a maid to help you disrobe in the guestroom and you can—”
“I… I would like to stay here, with you,” she said shyly, her cheeks flushing a beautiful, deep red.
“With me?” he asked, sounding as if he were, just like her, still in a haze after what had happened. “Of course,” he nodded, looking around. He began to peel off his sodden garments, as she watched him. His coat and waistcoat hit the floor with a heavy thud, followed by his shirt. He tossed the wet fabric aside, focusing on the task of getting dry.
Rose turned away slightly, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of her dress. The thick, wet material resisted her efforts, and shebit her lip in frustration. Seeing her struggle, William stepped closer, his presence both comforting and commanding.
“May I?” she heard him ask.
“Mhm,” she nodded.
Rose felt a shiver run through her, not from the cold, but from his proximity. His fingers worked deftly, and soon her dress slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet. She wrapped a blanket from a nearby chair around herself, feeling a mix of relief and vulnerability.
William moved back to the fire, adding another log to the flames. The fire flared up, casting a warm glow over the room. He grabbed another blanket and draped it around his shoulders, then turned to face Rose. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the intensity of their earlier confession lingering in the air.
“You know, you were right,” she heard his voice again.
She raised an eyebrow, watching him take a seat in the armchair opposite her. “About what?” she wondered.
“That I shouldn’t remain alone here, hiding myself away from the rest of the world, and especially from the villagers,” he explained. “This is all my fault.”
“No,” she told him, repeating herself because she felt she needed to hear those words again. “You are not responsible for what other people do or how they feel.”
He didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he continued to muse aloud. “I can’t help but wonder if I could have changed something. If I had gone into the village and spoken with the people there, these boys would have gotten to know me better, and they might not have listened to Stephen. I would also have had the chance to listen to the villagers, to understand why they hated me so. I could have made things right with them, Rose. And if I had done all of that, you never would have been in any danger, none of this would have happened.”
She hastily got up and walked over to him. Her hand was clutching at the blanket draped around her shoulders, while her other hand rested on his shoulder.
“Everything turned out fine, Your Grace,” she reminded him.
He frowned. “But it could have ended horribly. And… Your Grace. Can you just call me William?” He smiled. “After all, I did bear my emotions to you. Your Gracing me now seems… too much.”
His words made her laugh. “Of course… William.” She then continued a little more seriously. “You are right. Things could have ended horribly… for all of us. But we were fortunate thatthey did not. We should learn from such lessons, make sure that they never happen again.”
“You’re right,” he nodded.
