Page 114 of Duke with a Deception
She reached for her locket. “Will you put the forget-me-not inside for me?”
“Of course.” He took the flower, and she pried open the golden locket, holding it out for him.
With a trembling hand, he laid the delicate bloom inside before snapping it closed.
“I have something else for you,” he said then. “Two somethings, actually, although one is for Emma as well. Where is she?”
“Waiting in the carriage with her nursemaid. I didn’t know why we were stopping, so I asked her to stay within.”
He extracted a bundle of letters, neatly tied with a ribbon, from his coat and held them out for her to take. “This is the first, for you alone. They are letters I wrote you whilst you were gone.”
He had written her letters after all. She took them, her hands also shaking from the overwhelming emotion coursing through her. So much happiness, so much joy. And love, above all.
“Now for the next something,” he said, “which I had better fetch before he eats the inside of my carriage.”
“He?”
King winked. “Come and you shall see.”
He held out his hand, and she took it, her fingers lacing through his. They walked to his stopped conveyance before he turned to her. “Wait here.”
Verity watched as he opened the carriage door and reached inside, calling, “Come out, you scamp.”
A ball of tawny fur rushed into his arms, and he scooped up the puppy before turning to her, smiling. “His name is Samuel, and he has a penchant for eating things he ought not. He also dearly loves licking ears.”
“Emma will love him,” she said, smiling at the squirming pup, who was undeniably adorable.
A new rush of love swept over her. King had come for them, and he had brought a forget-me-not for her and a puppy for Emma. How could she have ever doubted this man? He was perfectly imperfect just as she was and scarred by the past but loyal and true.
“Let’s take him to Emma and see what she thinks of him, shall we?” he suggested.
“Oh yes.”
But Emma was already leaping out of the carriage and running toward them. “Duke!” she called, grinning.
The pup barked and squirmed before licking King’s throat.
“Emma,” he greeted, sinking low on his haunches as the child rushed up to him in a most unladylike swirl of skirts and petticoats, just narrowly avoiding tripping and falling. “I have missed you so, sweet girl. And look at who I have brought to meet you.”
“A puppy!” Emma cried with equal delight, reaching for the dog.
“His name is Samuel,” King added. “Would you like to hold him?”
“Oh yes, Duke,” Emma answered, eyes wide. “Please.”
Verity smiled, though tears of happiness cascaded down her cheeks, hot and wet. Emma had even remembered her manners again.
“Here you are,” King said, settling the puppy in Emma’s outstretched arms with great care.
“I loves him, I do,” Emma said, staring down at the pup, who promptly licked her on the mouth.
She giggled and Samuel licked her again.
Verity turned back to King, bursting with the news she had for him and unable to wait a moment more. “I also have a gift for you, my love.”
He cocked his head at her, his expression curious, and that was when she noticed that his coat and waistcoat didn’t complement one another, the waistcoat missing a button.
“Samuel,” he explained, tapping the loose thread where the button had been. “He tried to eat it, but I managed to thieve it from his jaws before the little scoundrel swallowed.”
