Return of the Duke by Monroe Jennifer

Author:Monroe, Jennifer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The sun shone in a bright blue sky as Marianne sat with Julia in the back garden. She could not contain her excitement, and she twisted the silk handkerchief in her fingers until the tips turned white. Would they not finish with their talk?

William had arrived an hour earlier, and after some polite discussion, he and her father had sequestered themselves in her father’s study, leaving Marianne with Julia to wait in agonizing disquiet. Julia had tried numerous times to ease Marianne’s anxiety, but nothing she said helped, and the woman had finally gone quiet.

Marianne had been sharing with Julia what had happened while she was in residence at Silver Birch Estates, and her friend had become more astonished with each event.

“Let me see if I have this straight,” she said, the shock clear in her tone. “Not only did you dress as a man, but before you returned home, you allowed him to kiss you? I am afraid I do not know you anymore.” She stared at Marianne but followed with a burst of laughter that caused Marianne to laugh, as well.

“I am the same woman,” Marianne assured her friend. “Although, you must promise that what I have told you remains between us. It would hurt him if word got out.”

“You know you can trust me,” Julia replied. “So, when he kissed you, did you feel as if you were being lifted off the ground?”

Marianne’s jaw dropped. “Yes. How did you know?”

Julia leaned in closer. “I allowed Mr. Ambrose to kiss me last weekend,” she said in a secretive tone. “And not just once, but twice.” She giggled as her cheeks reddened. “My mother was chaperoning us, and when she left to check on the tea, I must admit…” Her words trailed off.

“Yes?” Marianne asked, the excitement too much to bear. “And? What happened?”

The woman was a crimson as a tomato as she replied, “I kissed him first!”

Marianne gasped. “You did not!”

“I did. I know it is far from the lady I am, but I grew tired of wondering what it would be like to kiss a man. And poor Mr. Ambrose…” She giggled. “When the kiss broke, he began mumbling about being caught and my father taking his head off with a sword. So, I kissed him again!”

Both women set into a fit of giggles and were in tears by the time either were able to speak again.

“My friend,” Marianne said when she caught her breath, “we are both quite happy, are we not? To be courted by men for whom we care deeply makes it all the sweeter.”

“So, you do care for him deeply?” Julia asked. “I thought you said you were only fond of him.” The grin she wore was unmistakable.

Marianne shook her head. “Indeed, it is deeply that I care for him. I know it is not more than that, for now, at least not yet. Although, I can imagine being married to him.” She leaned back into the bench and gazed up at the sky without looking at it.

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