Page 68 of Deviant Duchess
Cedric chuckled.
“Well, that may be true,” he conceded, then let Adeline take over the conversation. She asked both of them what animal they would want as a pet and why. He had chosen a wolf as well, as he’d always been fascinated by the lore of the majestic creatures. When it was Deborah’s turn, she pretended to ponder for a long moment before she grinned and replied, “I believe I should like one of those little monkeys.”
Cedric chuckled as Adeline burst into a fit of giggles, and his heart ebbed with joy as he watched Deborah smile sheepishly. Time became lost to all three of them as one topic of conversation led to another. They finished their tea, then, a few hours later, had supper together on the patio as the warm summer sun began to sink and cool the air. Then they walked through their garden as a family; Adeline leading the way as she rambled excitedly about the type of flowers she’d seen at the conservatory and how she wanted to start growing some of her own, both there and at their estate in Calder.
Cedric listened intently to all she had to say and had barely noticed that he had reached for and held Deborah’s hand through the entire walk. When he did notice, he startled for the briefest of moments. He’d never strolled hand in hand with a woman before, and it took him aback that it felt so natural and calming. However, he quickly got over it and leaned into the peace of the evening.
As the sky began to shift to purple and light gray, Adeline paused her excited chatter to yawn. Barely a moment later, she yawned again and began to rub her eyes.
“Someone is sleepy,” Deborah mused, giving Adeline a soft smile.
Adeline pouted.
“I am not sl-” Her words were cut off by another long, drawn-out yawn that had Adeline stretching up on her toes. When she finished, she let out a sad sigh and drooped her shoulders. “Maybe I am a little sleepy,” she murmured.
“Mhmm,” Deborah hummed, pulling her hand out of Cedric’s so she could place both on Adeline’s shoulders and give her a gentle squeeze. “Come, little lamb. Let us get you ready for bed.”
Cedric noticed the emptiness of his hand at once; he immediately missed the warmth that had radiated from Deborah’s palm. He flexed his fingers, trying to make the sense of yearning go away, but it did not work, so he fisted his hand and drove it into his pocket.
“Goodnight, Uncle,” Adeline said, pulling him from his thoughts.
“Goodnight, darling,” Cedric replied, opening up his other arm to embrace her.
Their familiarity with one another had grown quite a bit thanks to Deborah, and now, as Adeline kissed his cheek, he in turn brushed one against hers as if it were something he’d always done.
“Sleep well,” he told her as she pulled away.
Adeline nodded and started walking toward the house. Deborah moved to follow her, but as she stepped away, he gently caught her wrist. His heart fluttered as her vivid green eyes met his, and she smiled.
“Do you have any plans tonight?” He asked, nodding toward his niece, “After putting Adeline to bed I mean.”
Cedric reveled in the way her cheeks flushed pink, and she bashfully lowered her eyes.
“I had no particular schedule,” she answered, her voice soft and sweet.
“Would you come to my quarters after she put to bed? Share a drink with me?” He asked, wanting the decision to be entirely hers. It was a bold question, and he knew it. While they hadexpressed their desires in the parlor twice and in the carriage once, he understood that inviting her to his private rooms was a step above those places.
He waited, holding his breath and trying not to panic as doubt flittered through Deborah’s eyes.
“I suppose a glass of red wine would be lovely,” she said after a moment as she offered him an apologetic smile. “However, I must warn you, I am not sure how good a conversation partner I might be. Adeline has me quite worn out from that.”
Cedric chuckled, hope blooming in his chest.
“I understand. However, we do not have to talk if you do not want to. We can simply share a drink and comforting silence,” he offered.
He smirked but quickly added, “Not that I do not enjoy conversing with Adeline, but sometimes keeping up with the various shifts in topics requires quite an effort.”
To his relief, Deborah let out a soft laugh as her smile widened.
“That sounds lovely,” Deborah agreed, shifting her hand so she could give him a squeeze. He practically preened at the touch.
“Allow me to get her settled,” she said as her hand drifted away from him, “And I shall see you anon.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“It is just a drink,” Deborah told herself as she drew the belt of her robe over her nightgown, “Just a drink and some relaxation with another adult.”
Even as she said the words aloud, though, Deborah felt a tremor of excitement move through her. A few weeks ago, she would have berated Cedric for asking her to come to his rooms, but now, she was looking forward to it. Even as she had tried to keep her mind on Adeline as she helped her get ready for bed, her thoughts kept wandering back to the possibility of a peaceful- perhaps even a pleasurable evening with Cedric.
