“I look forward to it, Your Grace.”
“Duncan,” he corrected her softly. “Did we not already decide that we shall do away with these formalities? You are my wife now.”
Sophia’s blush deepened, and she nodded timidly.
“Duncan, I shall see you in the evening for some tea.” She savored the way his name sounded in her mouth.
“Thank you, Sophia,” he replied and then got up. “I shall take my leave now. See you very soon.”
“Take care,” she said, getting up after him. As she watched him leave, butterflies began to erupt inside of her stomach once again.
She had fallen for the Duke, irrevocably. And now being away from him even for a few hours seemed too much.
Jacob joined her for breakfast, just as Duncan was leaving.
“Busy man,” he teased his brother when he saw him leaving in a rush.
“Duty calls, dear brother. I must go even when I wish to stay.” Duncan patted his brother on the back before disappearing into the hallway.
CHAPTER 21
Sophia had been waiting for the Duke to arrive all day. When she finally heard him arrive, she could barely contain her excitement.
Sofia greeted him with a silver tray with a porcelain tea set resting delicately on top of it.
“I hope your workday was fruitful,” she noted with a smile on her face.
“Indeed, it was, my flower. What is it that you have prepared for me?” The Duke eyed her tray with curiosity.
“Oh, I prepared you some tea,” she explained. “I was hoping that we could enjoy it together.”
“Of course, is it a special blend?”
“It’s a calming blend. I’m not sure what the exact herbs are but I have been drinking it recently and enjoy it.”
“Well, if it is good enough for you, then I would love to have a taste,” the Duke noted with a smile. “After all, it is the first time that my wife has prepared a cup of tea for me.”
“The first of many, Your Grace.” Sophia poured the liquid into his cup, and it steamed as it flowed.
As the fragrant steam arose from the teacup, Sophia caught the Duke’s gaze with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Your Grace,” she said with a teasing smile, “do you take your tea with sugar?”
“I believe that just a dash would suffice,” the Duke declared.
Sophia added the sugar into the tea and handed the cup over to the Duke.
“You will have to excuse me; I do not know your preferences just yet. I prefer mine without sugar.”
“Oh, what’s the hurry?” the Duke asked, taking a sip. “We have ample time to get to know each other’s preferences.”
“Indeed,” Sophia replied.
She realized that she felt quite nervous, eager to win the approval of the Duke. She wanted him to appreciate her.
“Oh, it is quite exquisite,” the Duke complimented in encouragement. “You are quite the skilled tea brewer.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I was worried it was too over-brewed.”
“Certainly not. You must be confident in your abilities.”
