Page 59 of The Runaway Duchess
Finding nothing, she turned with a sigh and left her room. With sure, steady steps, she went to the dining room, but the moment she saw Damien already there, she felt her shakiness from last night return with a vengeance. She had not expected him to be there, thinking that he would take his breakfast as he usually did in his study. From the startled look on his face, it was clear that he had not been expecting to see her either.
“Good morning,” his deep voice rumbled through the room after a moment of silence.
Caroline ignored the wave of pleasure that swept through her as she heard his voice and raised her chin.
“I want you to know that last night changes nothing,” she stated, bypassing returning his greeting. “Our contract still stands and last night was simply…”
Damien raised a single brow as her mind raced to find the appropriate wording.
“A mistake.” The two words came out far less forceful than she had hoped, sounding more like a whispered question than a strict statement. “I still wish to leave as soon as George’s parents are found.”
Damien pressed his lips together as he put down his fork. He looked at her with a studious expression for a long minute, then rose silently from his chair.
“As you wish, wife,” he finally murmured.
Caroline waited, expecting him to say more. To disagree or try to seduce her again. Instead, he walked past her, his shoulder nearly brushing hers as he did so, and did not even turn his head to give her a parting glance.
To her surprise, guilt washed over her as she watched his back grow smaller as he continued walking away. She did not have time to dwell on it, though, for as Damien turned the corner and disappeared down the hall where his study was, George came walking down the stairs.
Caroline put a smile on her face and walked toward him, offering her hand as he reached the bottom.
“Good morning, Georgie,” she greeted warmly.
“Good morning, Cece,” George replied cheerily. If he was still tired from his late-night play, he showed no signs of it. Instead, his brown eyes were bright and alert, and he walked with a pep in his step as they headed back toward the dining room.
“Are we going to start having every meal down here now?” George asked as she helped him into his chair.
“Yes, I believe we shall,” Caroline agreed. “We have started on our other lessons, such as reading, but now we must add others.Such as dining etiquette and polite conversation. This room will give us great practice.”
“Is Jeremy going to join us?” George asked as Caroline took her seat beside him.
She laughed as the servants came forward to fill their plates.
“Jeremy stayed up even later than you did, my darling,” Caroline replied, choosing to leave out the fact that he no doubt had drunk too much. “I suspect that he may not wake up until the afternoon. Do not worry, though, we can have our reading lessons outside until he is ready for our help again.”
“I like Jeremy,” George stated as he stabbed his fork into his eggs. “I think I want to be like him when I grow up.”
Caroline’s brows rose curiously as she waited for him to swallow his bite of eggs.
“Oh? Why is that?” she asked, carving up her sausage link.
“I think he is quite funny,” George said matter-of-factly. “And happy. And he has many friends. I should like to be funny and happy.”
Caroline gave him a serene smile.
“I should like that for you as well, darling,” she replied, reaching over to pat his little hand.
She watched him as he took another look around the table.
“Are you missing something?” Caroline asked.
“Well…” George murmured. “I was wondering if Damien was going to join us.”
Caroline’s brows drew up in surprise as her heartbeat picked up speed.
“Did you… want him to join us?” she asked tentatively.
George turned to her with a half-smile and shrugged.
