Chapter Seven

He gave her a moment or two and then followed her through the crowd, careful to keep himself distracted enough that no one could grab his attention and stop him from pursuing Madeline. She quickly made her way outside and down to the winding garden paths. She walked through along quickly, moving deeper and deeper into the gardens, and farther away from the manor. She finally stopped beside a soft trickling fountain where she sat heavily on a bench and buried her face into her palms. Alexander stood still on the path and watched as her shoulders trembled. A moment later she touched her lips and then her teeth.

He moved forward, his boots scraping the path bringing her attention to him.

“Shall I never have peace when you are around Alexander?”

“You will never cry when I’m around,” he sat down beside her. He wanted to put this business behind them once and for all and he knew exactly how to do that. “Come, let me see then.”

“See what?” she asked with confusion.

“Have I not always been honest with you, Madeline? Let me see your teeth.”

“You saw them the other night—you were staring at my mouth intently. Please don’t make me show you.”

He covered her hands with his and cocked his head to the side until her eyes found his. “Show me.”

She smiled with her teeth and rolled her eyes at his close inspection. He even touched her lips with his fingers to get a better look.

“Well, I can’t tell in this light, Madeline,” he sighed heavily. “I suppose there is a better way to do this.”

“By leaving me alone?” she inquired.

“No, of course not,” he answered. “I want to be at your side for the rest of my life.”

“W-what?” she stammered. “What did you say?”

“That there is a better way of looking at your teeth, shall I show you?”

She shook her head with slight confusion and swallowed hard, her throat tight, her body feeling anxious. “No… after that… after you—”

Alexander didn’t give her time to finish, his mouth moved over hers in a slow steady kiss—Madeline’s first. It left her breathless, numb, and eager for a second, third, and fourth kiss. Leaning into him, meeting his mouth again she sighed and touched his chest with a tentative hand. His arms pulled her tightly against his hard body and his mouth moved warm over hers. He tasted of wine and sugar; his tongue tentatively explored her mouth, touching hers slowly and then deeply. When he drew back from the kiss, he sighed and cupped her jaw with his hand.

“Perfect teeth,” he whispered.

“Alex—”

Not wishing her a moment to refuse him or reject him, he hurried on and refused to release her completely though she wiggled away from him. “I love you, Bunny.” He said huskily. “I am madly and truly in love with you. I could only want you, never Emily, never any of the others silly little girls who look at me now when they wouldn’t before. I’ve always known it was you—and… we’ve always been betrothed.”

“What?” Madeline laughed at this. “Of course we haven’t.”

“Before I left for University, I spoke with your father—I told him I intended to receive my education, ready myself to manage my family’s estate and other business ventures, and when I was ready for a wife, I would come and ask for your hand.”

“What?”

“I asked him this afternoon, just a few hour ago.” Alexander laughed lightly and cupped her cheeks. He gazed into her eyes. “He gave me his blessing. He gave us his blessing.” He brought his mouth back to hers, this time wantonly pulling her onto his lap; his arms moved around her little body, holding her tightly to his body. He kissed her jaw first and then let his lips carefully seek hers, groaning when she leaned into him and moved her mouth imploringly against his. “Tell me you love me; tell you you’ll marry me.”

Realizing she was sitting on his lap, she wiggled to get away. He trapped her to his chest and nuzzled her throat with his lips. She was shocked at his behavior and even more shocked that she desired the feelings he was creating deep within her. “Alex!”

“Please—Madeline.”

“I love you,” she responded after a moment of though. “I think I always have.” She reached up and touched his hair and the cupped his cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch and sighed. As she ran her palm against his chin he turned his head and began kissing her fingers. “You have always been so tender with me, Alex—you’ve always loved me haven’t you?”

“Always,” he nodded. “You will marry me?”

Madeline looked at her hands, which were trembling. “I am not well liked in the ton, Alexander—we will only be invited to parties because you are a Duke.”

“And you a Duchess,” he whispered. “I am sure the new title would privy you to many superficial friends who desire to know you to elevate their own position. But you need not worry about that—we shall spend our time in the country, walking in the fields and riding our horses. We can accept visitors who are our friends, and shun those who have shunned us. We will live a happy life together.”

“If we were to shun people then we’d be no better than those who hurt us in the past!”

He laughed and kissed her. “You are priceless, Madeline.”

“Bunny,” she whispered. “I like it when you call me Bunny.”

He touched her nose delicately. “You have not answered my question.” Moving her to sit on the bench beside him, he reached into his jacket and took out a little velvet bag. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring. He slipped it onto her finger and kissed her mouth again, so hard and passionately that she felt light headed when their mouths parted. Breathless he demanded, “Say yes.”

“Alex—what about my teeth?”

He kissed her again—hard. His fingers moved against her throat and down her shoulder. “Please say yes, my darling Bunny.”

“But.., what if our children have—”

“Say yes, you silly girl!”

Madeline and Alexander turned to see Duchess B and Sir Archer standing behind a large bush a few feet away. Duchess B yelped with shock at being discovered and ducked behind the bush. Sir Archer grinned and openly watched the couple on the bench.

“Madeline?” Alexander cupped her hand with his, and kissed her jaw. “You have made me immensely happy even in times of great sadness in my life. I always felt like an honorable knight in your eyes—and I went away and I completely felt lost and lonely without you. I need you in my life and I want to be a solid immovable figure in yours. Please, be my wife.”

She stared into his blue eyes, touched his lips with her finger tips and smiled. Alexander kissed her thumb and sighed. The sadness in his eyes made her heart hurt.

“Wouldn’t you like me to feed you carrots for the rest of your life?”

Madeline burst into laughter and buried her face against his shoulder. He chuckled and cupped the back of her nape with his strong hand. When she looked up again, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and unwrapped three pieces of carrot. She blushed as he held a piece to her lips and touched his knuckle delicately against her skin as he fed her the little bit of carrot. Laughing, she chewed the sweet vegetable slowly and met his eyes.

“How can I deny a man who has always been willing to feed this little rabbit her carrots?” she asked.

Alexander beamed and placed the handkerchief in her hand. “Is that a yes?”

“I would be honored,” Madeline answered as tears filled her eyes. “I have… unknowingly wanted this for so long. I have loved you unconditionally from the first moment I saw you hanging by your breeches in the apple tree. You were crying and I knew I wanted to clean your face and your cuts. I knew I wanted you to hold me in your little thin arms. I knew we would be best friends and only hoped that you would love me and desire me.

“Alex, I have—” he rose to his feet and held out his hands, she took them “—where are we going?”

“Come,” he took her hands and pulled her up. “Come, my darling—we have an announcement to make.”

“H-here?” Madeline stammered as they hurried along the path, joined by his mother and her father. “B-but, it doesn’t seem that we should—it doesn’t seem the place. I mean, I’ve only just said yes!”

“Do you plan to change your mind, Madeline?” Alexander kissed her knuckles. “You may if you choose, but I will not stop until you are mine. Even if that means I must ruin your reputation in a public place—forever. I can be done you know.”

“Alexander!” Duchess B exclaimed. Madeline’s father only chuckled. She sucked in a sharp breath as they rejoined the throng and went in search of Lady Witford. Within moments the orchestra had stopped and Sir Archer was standing on a chair. In a booming voice he announced the engagement of his youngest daughter, Madeline, to the future Duke of Roaning, Alexander Black. Everyone cheered, because it was proper to do so; wine was served and congratulations were given, because it was proper to do those things as well, and try as she might, Madeline couldn’t help but smile at the look of dismay on her sister’s face.

She didn’t want to be rude, but it felt joyously wonderful to have her sister say congratulations and return to the side of the pudgy Barron of Ritchester, taking his arm while the older man glowered and scolded her for straying. As the well wishers moved away and they became very much alone and very much unremarkable, Alexander bent his head and kissed Madeline’s lips.

“Carrot, my love?” Alexander whispered. He touched a soft tendril of her hair and eased her against his side. “I wish to ravish you now, do you realize this?” Madeline’s face became very warm. She ducked her head as he kissed her ear.

“We are in public,” she scolded.

“Quite,” he nodded. “But you are mine now—it’s been announced.” She held off his advances with a stern look. “You are no fun, wife.”

Laughing, Madeline nodded to two passing ladies and sighed heavily. She was quite bored with town now. “Do you think your mother would wish to return to the country now that we are engaged?”

“I’m sure she could be persuaded,” Alexander nodded. “Why?” He smiled and leaned down, inching slowly to kiss her, waiting for her to rebuff him and scold him for his public displays of affection. She did not.

“I have a sudden desire to be home—with you,” she whispered.

“Then, my darling, it shall be so,” he kissed her knuckles and then bent his head to steal a kiss—a highly improper, and yet highly satisfying kiss.

The End