Page 66 of Love, the Duke
“For gentlemen or ladies, boys or girls, I do know thatit is always best to be honorable. I need to tell you something I should have told you before we married. When it first happened.”
Her tone was serious and caused a shrug of worry to pass through him. “What’s that?”
“I’m sorry I slapped you that day at my house.”
Was that all that was bothering her? He didn’t regret being so close to her that day, helping her, and touching her.
Hurst gave a curious expression and placed his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back. “When was that? I don’t remember it.”
She smiled at him. “You are deliberately not being truthful. There was no cause for it other than my own frustration with myself. I regret that I never properly apologized. I should have and wanted you to know.”
With short kisses, he teased her lips lightly. Speaking in a ragged voice, he answered, “I am being truthful.” Or maybe it was a justified fib. It really didn’t matter. Why should she worry about that when he had enjoyed every moment of helping her wiggle out of the chest?
“Listen to me,” he said while he continued to rain kisses on her face. “A gentleman always forgives and forgets when it comes to a lady—especially his lady wife.”
She looked sweetly into his eyes. “Thank you for being so kind to me, Hurst. About everything.”
He shrugged. “What else were you thinking about while you were looking at the lovely wall?”
“The chalice and where it could be is always on my mind, but I promised not to talk about that until morning.”
A deep and masculine chuckle rose from his throat as he kissed the top of her nose. “It is morning, my darling.”
She quickly looked around. “Oh. It would be dark in here if not for the lamps burning.”
“We were busy last night, and I failed to get up to put them out as I should have. There is a slice of daylight right there.” He pointed to the offending drapery that had awakened him.
Ophelia moved as if she planned to scramble off the bed, but he circled her in his arms.
“Wait, wait.” Being in bed with her was too sweet to abandon so soon. “What are you doing?”
“I need to wash, dress, and get downstairs. We may already have a note from the dowager with an answer from her friend about who the man is that collects religious things.”
Hurst glanced at the clock on the dressing table. “It is not past noonday. There hasn’t been time for her to have an answer from anyone.”
Ophelia moistened her lips and in a voice that was almost a whisper said, “But I want to be ready when we do hear from her.”
“So do I.” He pulled her closer and kissed her on the mouth, brushing her hair away from her cheek. “We will both be ready. But we must do this the dowager’s way. If the man is a possible suspect, we don’t want to scare him into hiding it.”
“I know, but I’m anxious to hear from her.”
“We, Ophelia.Weare in this together. When we get belowstairs, if there is no answer, we’ll go for a walk in the park to help pass the time.”
She pursed her lips for a moment. “I really don’t think we should leave the house today but wait here.”
“And I heard there was going to be a fair in Hyde Park. I think you will enjoy the sights, and it will give you something to do while you wait.”
“That sounds lovely on any day but today.”
“You know we may not hear until tomorrow. Or thenext day. Her friend with the Insightful Ladies of London Society may not answer right away. A thousand different things could happen. Waiting around the house will be torture for you. We need to do something.”
Hurst thought about telling Ophelia everything he was doing to search for the vessel but decided to wait. Right now, he wanted her thinking about him. “Come closer and let me hold you,” he said gently. “Don’t give me that look that means you don’t agree with me.” His eyes swept softly up and down her face.
She nestled into the crook of his neck, and he felt the fringe of her lashes batting against his skin. He stroked her back and the sides of her breasts while she cupped his nape, letting her fingers play in his hair. They lay snuggled together, relaxed and enjoying the languorous warmth and pleasure of being in each other’s arms.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you,” he said, and then kissed the top of her head.
Curiosity settled on her delicate features as she skimmed her hand along his chest and shoulders. “What’s that?”
