Twelve
“Mama’s gonna love him! She likes birds!”
Austin glanced sideways at Deena. She was walking close enough that her shoulder brushed his arm every few steps, and he could smell the faint rosewater clinging to her hair. The memory of their kiss flared back to life without warning, but he had promised her that they would never bring it up again.
He swallowed, forcing his attention back to the path. Deena made a fine point before Percy pleasantly surprised them. It would be useless if they went ahead with their deal without either of them having a clue about each other’s consequences, but as he watched her, laughing and struggling to walk up the hill with her nephew beside her, his mind wrestled against his rejection.
“You’re very quiet,” Deena said, voice low so Percy wouldn’t overhear. “Still brooding over our little disagreement?”
Austin’s jaw tightened. “I am not brooding. I’m thinking.”
“About whether you can trust me?” she asked, too perceptive for comfort.
He didn’t answer right away. He’d meant every word: if it came down to her friend’s safety or his secret, she would sacrifice him. He was certain of it.
“I just believe that we are good people, Deena. And neither of us planned to harm anyone, but somehow, we still managed to get embroiled in scandals.”
She looked away, towards the house rising ahead of them. “You don’t know what I’d do.”
“I know what I’d do,” he said. “And I know you’re more like me than you want to admit.”
The silence between them thickened with everything they were not saying. Austin was beginning to understand Deena’s loyalty to her friend; he felt the same towards Dominic, who was like a brother to him. He took a moment to admire Deena’s strength, stubbornness, and her ability to put others first. If the tables were turned, Austin would have betrayed anyone just to protect his family.
Percy, innocently oblivious, ran ahead. “Faster, Uncle Austin and Aunt Dee! Sir Quackers wants to meet Mama!”
Austin obliged, lengthening his stride. “Hold on, little man. We’re not as fast as you.”
Deena tried to keep pace. “Selina is going to kill us.”
“I’ll leave her to you. That woman will skin me alive,” Austin muttered.
She huffed a small laugh, and the sound went straight through him. He wanted to hear it again. He wanted to be the reason for it. Wanted to pull her behind the nearest hedge, press her against the ivy, and kiss her again until that laugh turned into something breathier, needier?—
He cut the thought off sharply.
“Mama! Look!” Percy shouted as they entered the warm, lamplit hall. “We caught a duck! His name is Sir Quackers!”
Selina appeared from the morning room. Her gaze went first to her son, then to the furious mallard, and slowly, appraisingly, to the two adults flanking him.
“A duck,” she repeated, her voice carefully neutral.
“Oh no, we’re in trouble.” Austin whistled.
“You’rein trouble. Percy was under your care, remember?” Deena shot back, and Austin chuckled under his breath.
“I’m a dead man,” he said humorously.
“He’s my friend!” Percy declared, holding the bird out towards Selina like evidence. “Can we keep him? Please, Mama?”
Selina’s brows lifted. She looked at Deena, then at Austin, who suddenly found the pattern on the wallpaper fascinating.
“My son is holding aduck,” she said again. “In the dowager’s house.”
Not even the blackmailer struck fear in Austin as much as Selina did. Now he understood why Dominic was so engrossed with her. It wasn’t fondness…it was fear.
“He likes me!” Percy insisted. “He only tried to bite me twice!”
Deena stepped forward, trying to sound helpful. “Perhaps… we could find someone who knows how to care for ducks? A farmer, or?—”
