A Duke Like No Other (The Dukes' Club Book 12)
Page 10
“You can still travel the world,” Lady Beatrix scoffed, clearly not bothered by such a concern. “Look at Adam and I.”
Cleo gave thought to that.
It was true. Adam and Beatrix had a very successful marriage, and she didn’t think Andrew would ever try to tame her, truly.
No. He would be happy for them to continue on an adventure together. For that was what had drawn him to her. . . her love of adventure and his desire for it.
All she knew was she could not face the idea of being without him, not for the rest of her life. He filled her with such joy and such hope and so much love, and he made every day better than the last.
Now, she never wanted that to end, but she had truly ruined it. With one thoughtless look. She could still recall his face after he asked her to marry him and she’d clearly been out of sorts.
Still, one didn’t expect to be asked in a curricle, out of hand, quite like that. Did one? Especially not someone like herself. He’d never ask her again, not when she’d looked upon him as if he were a lunatic.
She hesitated.
What if, perchance. . .
Did she dare? Could she do it?
Lady Beatrix beamed, her smile wider and brighter than ever before. “You’re going to ask him, aren’t you?”
Cleo laughed. “Am I so very obvious?”
“You are, in this,” declared Beatrix triumphantly. “And I think it’s absolutely wonderful. Now you go off and do it before you can change your mind.”
“I’m not going to change my mind,” Cleo declared. “He’s the one who’s going to change his mind. He might think to himself, never in a month of Sundays could I marry someone as mad as Cleo Duke.”
Beatrix gave her a merry look before laughing. She reached across the table and took her hand. “That is exactly why he wants to marry you, my dear. Because you’re absolutely mad, just like he is.”
Cleo could only hope it was true.
Chapter 19
Cleo Duke stormed his house.
That was the only way that one could put it.
Andrew was standing in his chamber, preparing to go in search of her.
Having gone over a proposal over and over again, he was ready to make his case for their future together, but before he could depart, the door to his chamber burst open and she’d strode in, long blond hair flying about her face, her coat flapping.
“Andrew,” she began boldly. “I have come—”
“Wait,” he cut in, desperate not to let this chance pass. He had to ask right away, or it might never transpire. “I have something to say to you.”
She stopped, her face paling. “You do? I have something to say to you too, and it’s most important.” She frowned. “Are you ending our affair?”
He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit off foot. Where had his plan gone? Out of the window. That was where. “Well, in a way,” he said.
“Oh dear,” she said, her brow furrowing.
Suddenly, he flinched, wary. “Are you ending our affair?”
“Not exactly,” she ventured “But—”
“Please, Cleo. Let me speak. If I do not—”
“What I have to say is most important,” she cut in, both of them rushing in their speech, their words tumbling over each other.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
“I can see it must be most important,” he said at last, his insides humming with anticipation. “You must’ve given the butler an absolute fright.”
She laughed nervously. “Well, no, he knows me now, and he’s not surprised by much these days. He happily let me in.”
Andrew laughed at that despite the fact he was suddenly, deeply unsure of what was going to happen next. “We’ve all grown used to you and your ways. I shan’t stop you, Cleo. Speak first. . . and then, I shall.”
Giving a nod which seemed more to fortify herself than acknowledge him, she strode forward, and all of a sudden, much to his amazement, she went down upon one knee.
“Andrew,” she began, gazing up at him with shining eyes, “will you do the honor of being my husband?”
The room swung about him, and his heart began to thunder as her words drown out all reason within his head. He gaped down at her. “I beg your pardon?”
Her lips parted in a smile, and she asked boldly, “Will you do me the honor of living the rest of your life with me?”
He could hardly believe what was transpiring. Joy coursed through him. What more could he ask for than this? There was one thing. . . He wanted her to know he desired her as much as she seemed to want him.
Suddenly, he found himself down on one knee, taking her hands in his. “Cleo,” he said. “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Is that what you were going to ask me?” she asked, her voice breathy and full of amazement.
“It is,” he said, holding her hands as if he would never let her go.
“We are asking each other!” she crowed as tears of joy turned her blue gaze a shimmering aquamarine.
“Yes,” he breathed, his heart full. “I knew I had to ask you one more time. I couldn’t let it go as I had in the park. I knew that if I didn’t ask you truly, all out, full of passion, that I would regret it for the rest of my life. I couldn’t just let you go.”
“That’s how I felt too,” she rushed, leaning towards him. “It was such a mistake, my response to your proposal. I didn’t mean to make you feel as if I couldn’t love you, because I do, Andrew. I love you wildly, unexpectedly, fully. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. You fill my life with so much happiness.”
“And you me, Cleo,” he agreed, folding her into his embrace. “You’ve awakened me. I thought. . . You see, I had no idea I was asleep in this life, but I was, and you’ve woken me to all of the marvels around me, and you’ve made every day full of wonder, and I wish to have you in my life always.”
“And I you, but, Andrew,” she grew serious as she warned. “I shall never wish to stop having adventures.”
He laughed happily. “I should not love you if you did. We will find a way to make those adventures part of our life. I promise you that. That is what life is. Is it not? Overcoming difficulties and coming up with solutions to our problems?”
“Yes,” she agreed heartily, tilting her head back so she could meet his gaze. “Because I’m sure there will be many of them, but luckily, we are two such people that shall never let those things stand in our way.”
“So you’ll marry me, then?” he queried, his voice quiet, reverent.
“Today, tomorrow, forever,” she declared without reservation.
Joy, so pure, rushed through him. He did not know if he could bear it. He’d never thought to know such happiness. “A special license, then?”
“I think that sounds wonderful,” she agreed. “I have no wish to wait! And besides, I must stay, mustn’t I? I promised your friend I’d help him find a wife.”
Andrew seized her against him, unable to contain his happiness and his wonder at her. “Indeed. Ellesmere shall be most relieved you have not forgotten.” He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Another American in London,” he teased, kissing her lightly.
“It does seem that London is going to be full of them,” she said before she kissed him back then asked, “Do you think it will survive?”
“Oh, it will,” he assured, holding her tightly, knowing he would never have to let go. “It will be far better for it, just like I will be. I love you, Cleo.”
“And I love you, Andrew, you mad Englishman, you.” She circled her hands up to his neck. “Just think, if I hadn’t kidnapped Lockhart Eversleigh, none of this would have happened.”
“And just to think,” he looked down, studying the face he adored so well as he teased, “if I hadn’t let him go, this wouldn’t have happened either.”
“We are both right,” she declared, winking at him.
“Yes,” he said. “We are. And we are right for each other.”
Epilogue
The world was a remarkable place with the two of them happy in it together. Wherever they went, everyone was touched by their joy. Quite simply, Cleo and Andrew were a perfect match.
They filled each other’s days and nights with so much pleasure and passion and purpose.
Now, Andrew was full of passion for life. And he loved seeing his wife every day and their infant son, a son that had not slowed down his wife one jot.
No, she took the growing babe everywhere she went, and they often went on adventures into the country. They’d purchased a small vessel, perfect for the river, spending slow, winding days upon its waves.
He loved going with them, and they made a regular habit of going all over the country together. As the boy got bigger, they would take an even bigger adventure.
They would set sail upon the new ship Andrew had bought for Cleo.
Her sister, Calliope, was now the full captain of The Wasp with her husband, Lock.
It was one of the greatest moments of his life when he had presented Cleo with The Adventurer, a stunning cutter, which was sleek and fast, just like she was.
It was a beautiful ship, waiting to be taken out of port and to travel the world. They would go together.
Their lives would always be full of intrigue, just as it had been the day they met, and nothing was ever going to change that.
And as he watched his wife sit with their newborn son in the garden of their London townhouse, he felt his heart swell with love.
He was a lucky man, and life was very good, indeed.
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