Caught in the Storm of a Duke's - Abby Ayles Page 0,69
at some point … I fear soon.”
“Hogwash! You can always return, as his bride!”
Judith’s eyes widened. “Aunt Tia!”
“What is it, dear child? Do you not want to marry him?”
“I do,” she heard herself say, before taking the time to give it ant serious thought.
Her eyes widened as she realized the implication of her answer.
It was the first time she had let herself admit that she wanted to be Stephen’s wife. She had not even dared let herself entertain such a thought.
I am far gone now. There is no longer hope for me.
“Ah … I reckoned as much. So, what is the matter? Is there something about the duke that worries you? Is that it?”
Judith pondered that question. Was there? Of course, there was.
“You say you are certain he feels the same. However, he has never implied it,” she grumbled.
Aunt Tia did not miss a beat. “Not with his words, perhaps, but he has plenty of times with his actions.”
“His actions?” Judith asked, her brows furrowed.
Aunt Tia nodded as she patted Judith’s hair, finally finishing the styling.
“Think carefully. Surely, there must be things he has done or said that you could not quite explain or understand the reason for. Things that could well be considered strange for his character. Say, like following you all the way down here …” she paused to murmur into Judith.
“Do you really think it was simply because of a sense of responsibility that a duke would leave his seat? If he worried so much about your safety, he could have easily sent a servant along to serve as escort.”
“You are saying that was not the reason?”
Aunt Tia rolled her eyes, pulling away. She turned Judith’s chair around to face her.
“Oh Judith! I admit you take after me in many aspects, but it appears you are not quite as discerning, yet. Of course, it was not! He came because he could not bear to be without you, don’t you see?”
Judith’s head spun.
Her aunt had said so many things that morning that she was afraid to let herself believe, lest she began to hope, only to have her heart broken.
Yet how could she not believe it? How could she not dare to hope Aunt Tia was right and that she was not alone in sharing these feelings of … love?
She started to remember incidents, like the time when he had become furious after finding she had ridden out to the fields, the very first time.
How he had come after her the second time. His sudden interest in joining them at dinner more frequently. The way he had feared for her safety when they had all thought her missing.
How he had begun to smile again.
And, of course, the sudden decision to come all the way to Earlshire with her. The way he looked at her when he thought she was not looking, and how he looked at her when he knew she was.
Could it be possible that he, too, bore feelings for her? She decided it very well could.
She sincerely hoped her aunt was right.
“You finally see it, do you not?” Aunt Tia asked, eyes wide with excitement.
Judith tried to respond but ended up stammering. “I… It… I…” she closed her mouth and took a deep breath.
“I think I do. Still, I may be utterly wrong.”
Aunt Tia was shaking her head before Judith had finished speaking. “I think not. Nevertheless, we shall not burden ourselves with his feelings. The only thing we are certain of are your own feelings. Have you decided what you will do about them?”
Judith was instantly alarmed. “Do? Why do I have to do anything?”
“Hmm. So, you plan not to tell him?”
Judith’s heart thrummed wildly in her chest.
“Should I? Goodness! I most certainly cannot!”
Aunt Tia broke into laughter again. “You sound as though it is abominable; unheard of! There were few things I did not do in my youth, my dear. Telling a man of my feelings was not one of them.”
“You told Uncle Dalton first?”
“No, not Dalton. My first love, Henry. I was no more than seventeen at the time. Dalton was head over heels in love with me, but I only had eyes for another man. Unfortunately, Henry’s heart belonged to another. It was after his marriage that I left London to tour the world. When I returned, Dalton was still waiting. I thought it would not hurt to give him a chance. I did and came to love him. The rest, as they say, is history.”