Chapter 22 #4
“I do care,” Duncan said. “That is why I was walking away, since if you stayed only out of duty, I would hate myself for it, and you would hate me later.”
“I’m not staying out of duty,” she said. “I’m staying because I want you, and because I’m tired of pretending I don’t, and because I’m tired of living a life where I only survive and never choose.”
Duncan’s gaze sharpened. “If you choose me,” he said, and his voice lowered further, “then you choose fully, and you don’t keep one foot out the door, since I won’t live like that, and I won’t let you live like that either.”
Charity lifted her chin. “Is that a warning?” she asked, and the words came out like a challenge.
Duncan’s mouth shifted, and a low sound escaped him, half breath, half laugh, and it surprised Charity that he could make that sound at all in a moment like this.
“Yes,” Duncan said, and his eyes stayed dark and steady. “It is.”
Charity’s cheeks heated, and she did not look away. “Fine,” she said. “Then I’m choosing you.”
Duncan’s hands came to her waist, firm and possessive now that he had stopped pretending he could be distant, and he kissed her again, deeper this time, and Charity kissed him back without hesitation.
When they finally broke apart, Charity was breathing hard, and her fingers were no longer on her necklace, since she did not need it while he was holding her like this.
Duncan stared at her for a moment, then spoke with blunt certainty. “Marry me,” he said.
Charity blinked, still catching her breath. “We were already meant to,” she said, and her voice sounded unsteady. “And then you changed your mind.”
“I never changed my mind,” he chided. “I only wanted to give you an option. I don’t want anyone else, and now that I know that you don’t either… marry me. I’m not letting you slip away from me anymore.”
Charity swallowed, and tears were already forming in her eyes.
“And this time, if you agree to it, it will be out of love,” he said. “It’ll be your choice. Do you want to marry me?”
She felt as though her greatest nightmare had just turned into the best dream.
“Do you even have to ask?” She jumped into his arms. “Yes, yes I want to marry you.”
Duncan embraced her. She could feel that his heart was beating just as fast as her own.
When he finally set her down, he helped wipe some of her tears away.
“I don’t like to see you cry,” he said.
“They are tears of happiness.”
“Come,” Duncan said, shaking his head, but there was a smile on his face, too, now.
They walked back together, and Charity’s heart was still pounding, though now it felt like relief rather than panic.
When they reached the hall, Augusta was standing near the carriage door with an expression full of suspicion.
“What…” she looked between the two of them. “What exactly happened? Why do the both of you look so happy?”
Matilda was still sitting inside the carriage and peered her head out of the window.
“Charity, can you tell me what is going on? Are we leaving?”
Charity looked at Duncan with a smile before answering.
“No, we’re not leaving anymore. I’m sorry for putting you all through this earlier. But we’re staying now.”
Matilda’s face lit up instantly, and she practically jumped out of the carriage.
“Really? Are you sure? Oh, are you really, really sure?”
“Yes,” Charity said, chuckling softly.
Augusta stared at Duncan, then at Charity.
“What happened?” she asked again.
Duncan answered before Charity could.
“No one is leaving now. You all get to call this place home forever,” he said.
Augusta’s shoulders dropped, and for a second she looked younger than she liked to appear. Then she recovered and lifted her chin again.
“Good,” she said, and the single word carried more feeling than a speech would have from her.
Matilda ran straight into Charity, arms tight around her waist.
“I knew it,” Matilda said into Charity’s skirt. “I knew you wouldn’t go. It just didn’t make any sense.”
Charity held her, and she looked up at Duncan over Matilda’s head, and Duncan’s gaze stayed on her as if he had decided he would not let her out of his sight again.
“Does this mean that the wedding is back on?” Augusta asked after a moment. She was trying really hard not to look curious about the whole thing, but failing.
“The duke and I are to marry,” Charity replied with the biggest smile on her face.
“Are you sure you’re not going to call it off again a second time?” August said, still looking fully convinced.
“There is nothing that will prevent our wedding from happening this time,” Duncan stepped in. He said the words with such certainty that it made Charity’s heart leap into her throat.
Oh. How good it felt to be with someone who was sure about you.
“Well, then. I suppose we should get to preparing again,” Augusta said. “I’m happy that both of you have finally stopped pretending you don’t love each other. It was pretty obvious to the rest of us.”
Charity smiled and blushed, while Duncan only laughed.
Around them, the staff pretended not to watch too closely, but Charity could feel the lift in the air anyway, the sense of relief spreading through the hall in small.
Things had finally fallen into place.