The Duke’s Christmas Miracle (Isle of Synne) by Christina Britton

Author:Christina Britton [Britton, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2022-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Poppy considered leaving Hollyton Manor that very night. For one horrible moment after they’d returned from their outing and she’d found herself alone in her room, she had planned it all out in her head, the packing, the fleeing in the night, how she might afford the fare needed to return to London with the little coin she had. And no matter the uncertainty, or fear, or inconvenience and hardship, it had seemed preferable to facing Marcus after the spectacle she’d made of herself in returning his kiss with so much enthusiasm.

Thankfully, however, that moment of panic had been short-lived. The kiss had been nothing. They were merely two close friends who had gotten carried away. It could have happened to anyone. And so she’d changed out of her damp clothes, straightened her shoulders, and marched below stairs to join the rest of the party for whatever festivities Lady Tesh and the dowager duchess had concocted. Surely Marcus would feel the same and would wish to forget the entire debacle.

Marcus, however, was not done surprising her today.

He intercepted her the moment she crossed the threshold, his large body blocking her path. “Poppy, we need to talk.”

She blanched, refusing to meet his eyes even as she tried to step around him. “There’s nothing to say.”

“But there is.”

She shook her head and would have continued her course to avoid him had he not said, in a rough whisper, “Please.”

Swallowing hard, she reluctantly turned to the dowager duchess. “Your Grace, the duke has requested a word with me. Unless you require my assistance?” she asked, not bothering to hide the desperation in her voice.

But the dowager merely smiled. “Not at all. Please, take all the time you need, my dear.”

Giving the woman a sickly smile, she turned to Marcus and nodded jerkily, then followed him to a pair of chairs beside the window, near enough to the others to be proper, yet far enough that they could talk without being overheard.

She did not wait for him to speak, however; she needed to be in control here. “We need to forget it ever happened, Marcus.”

“You know I can’t, Poppy. And I’m willing to bet you can’t, either.”

“We have to.”

He blew out a frustrated breath and gave her a cautious look, as if sizing her up. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to determine the best way to scale her defenses. They had always been adept at such things, finding ways to bring comfort to one another though they would try to pretend everything was well.

And so he must also know that she would not give ground. “It was a silly mistake. We were simply caught up in the moment.”

“Perhaps,” he said, carefully. “And perhaps it merely uncovered something already there.”

Joy surged in her chest. It was as good as a declaration that he felt more than friendship for her, that he wanted her as she wanted him.

Along with the happiness, however, was unimaginable grief. If only they were not who

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