The Devil Duke Takes a Bride (14 page)

****

Dinner started pleasantly. Benedict and
Paisley
sat across from one another at the head of the table, near Lord Mar
ks,
and Katherine and Lady Anastasia were across each man respectively.

After the first two courses, Katherine began to wonder if Benedict had lost his nerve.

And then, he leaned in toward Lady Anastasia and mumbled something that made her blush so brightly Katherine was ready to throw wine in the woman’s face. Benedict pulled back
,
looking more pleased than he ought, then nodded to Katherine.

Clearing he
r
throat, she leaned over and whispered nonsense about the weather into
Paisley
’s ear, but at the last moment when his eyes turned to gaze into hers, she very gently placed a note in his hand.

He looked down, then up
.
S
he shook her head and reached for her wine.

The bait was set, now it was up to her to see if both parties would take it.

Once dinner was finished, Katherine kept a close eye on
Paisley
. He retired with the rest of the gentlem
e
n, but as planned
,
within minutes he was walking down the hallway toward the far end of the study.

Perfect.

Katherine went in search of Benedict who was at that very moment walking down the same
corridor
with Lady Anastasia.

“You see, I cannot find the button
,
and it means the world to me!” Benedict pleaded with her. Though Katherine thought he was
laying
it
on
a little thick.

Most likely Lady Anastasia
th
ought the only way to escape his presence was to actually go into the study and look for the blasted button.

“I’ll just be here waiting, shouldn’t follow you in, isn’t proper and all that.” Benedict coughed.

Katherine rolled her eyes from her hiding spot in the hall.

Once the door clicked shut, Katherine hurried to his side. “Tell me you have the key.”

“Oh, I have the key
.
D
id you know
…
” Benedict turned the lock
.
“
T
hat Lord Marks is quite the fellow. He offered to pay me to get those two together in such circumstances. Jolly fellow, should probably send him a Christmas ham.”

Katherine stifled a laugh when she heard
Paisley
’s voice begin to rise.

“How much port did he drink?” Katherine asked.

“Enough to hold her hand, possibly enough to be tempted to kiss her.”

“What’s wrong with you!” Katherine pinched him in the arm. “You had one job, well two. Get him foxed and find the key.”

“Listen,” Benedict pushed her against the wall playfully, his hands resting on her hips. “I did the best I could. What were you thinking wearing a dress like this
?
” He seemed mesmerized as his hands slowly caressed the satin.

“What?” Utterly confused and a bit tipsy from the many glasses of wine she drank at dinner, Katherine could do nothing but stare at him in disbelief
.
”What the devil does my dress have to do with anything?”

“Heavens, I love your dirty mouth.” He winked, his hands still playing with the fabric, twisting the ribbon around her middle with his fingers. “Your dress, my lady, is distracting. You’re lucky I was able to concentrate on the mission, let alone not drink myself into oblivion without touching you.”

“Oh.” She wished in that moment that she would have thought of a better response, but she was yet again dumbstruck by his dark sensual looks, his hooded eyes, and full lips.

“Shall we?” His voice was husky as he offered his arm.

Telling herself it was silly to shake or be nervous around someone she was marrying so soon, she nodded and gave him her arm.

Thinking he would lead her back to the party, she began to get somewhat alarmed when he escorted her outside.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” he mumbled in her hair before bestowing a kiss on her temple.

Far be it for her to argue a surprise.

Such a stark contrast between the glowing white snow and the dark sky. The moon hung in the sky like a picture. Benedict led her around to the front of the house, where
a
carriage was waiting.

“What’s this?”

“Your Christmas surprise,” he answered sweeping her into his arms and placing her in the seat. Fur blankets were stacked to the right, a bottle of wine and glasses in a basket to the left.

Grinning from ear to ear like a small child, Katherine managed not to throw her arms around his neck and laugh.

He remembered.

She had no idea he had listened that night when she was but seven years of age.

“I want my own Christmas carriage!” She wailed and wailed until her father announced he was going to sell all the carriages if she kept complaining.

“Silly goose.” Benedict sat next to her. At fourteen, he seemed so much older, darker, and of course wiser.

“I’m not silly.” Katherine crossed her arms and lifted her chin into the air, trying to prove to him that she was absolutely an adult who could make her own decisions
,
and at that point
in her
short
life
,
she wanted her own Christmas carriage. “It just isn’t fair.” She sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

Benedict laughed then, a boy laugh that was more amused than mocking. “Then we shall just have to get you one, but not now, for your father looks ready to shoot anything that speaks.”

Katherine giggled. “When, Ben? When can I have my own Christmas carriage?”

He pulled her to his side, she tucked her feet underneath her and sighed as the weight of his arm held her in a warm embrace. “How about I tell you a story, and in that story you’ll see. Hmm?”

“Oh yes!” She clapped her hands
with
glee.

“One day when you are all grown up and going to lovely parties with sparkling ball gowns and handsome men…”

“Like you?” she asked, for she thought him quite handsome.

“Yes, like me.” He blushed. “One of th
e
se days, you will catch the eye of one of those men,
and
he will proclaim his undying love to you. He’ll offer to buy you any dress in the world if only you will love him
.
He’ll offer to sail to the moon.”

“That’s silly!” Katherine covered her laughter with her hand. “One cannot sail to the moon!”

“Exactly my point, Kate, one cannot sail there, but his love will be so deep, that in his mind, he has already decided that if it is within your desires, he will find a way to do it.”

Katherine sighed then, for she did not know that type of love existed.

Benedict had coughed and cleared his throat. “So, when that moment happens, when you see the stars shine in his eyes, when you see his eyes reflect the same feelings you have inside here
,
”
h
e tapped his own chest, “
t
hen you shall ask him for your Christmas carriage
.
B
ecause you waited, it will be even more specia
l.
Y
ou will
al
s
o
be sharing it with the person who cares the most for you in the world.”

Katherine sighed. “I like that story. Is it true, Ben? Oh, tell me it is true!”

“I promise.” He ruffled her hair and kissed her on the cheek and she hopped up to bed, with dreams of Christmas carriages dancing in her head.

Benedict
’
s weight made the carriage tip, just slightly. “Do you like it?”

Katherine wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Instead she just stared at him, his face a mixture of apprehension and…
love.

“Your eyes,” she said.

“My eyes?”

“They reflect the stars.” Katherine moved to sit near him, placing the blanket over both of their bodies. Benedict tapped the roof and they were off, in their Christmas carriage for a ride through the snow.

He kissed her, a feather
-
light kiss across the forehead. “Yes, love, yes they do.”