“She loves you,” Thalia said, her smile still soft and warm. “And no matter what happens, that will never change. She knows what you are, as do I.”
“And… and what am I?”
Thalia took a chance then. Ronan’s hand was resting on the top of the pianoforte and she reached for it, resting her hand on it gently. Then, she met and held his eyes, needing him to see the truth. “You are her protector. Now, tomorrow, always.”
She felt it then.
Touching his hand, where she expected him to stiffen and pull away, he relaxed. His expression, previously hard and removed, softened. He stared at her hand on his and then looked right at her, the slightest smile reaching his lips in a way that told her the words she spoke were exactly what he needed to hear.
For a moment, Thalia thought to push.
Now that she had told Ronan about herself, she wondered if he might be willing to do the same for her. To open up and reveal what it was that caused him to live as he did. Why he did not trust. The reason he was so scared of growing close to others.
It is right there too. He wants to tell me. He needs to tell me…
But she didn’t do that. Partly because she did not want to scare him off, and partly because she wanted him to want to tell her.When he was ready, she was certain that he would. But only then.
“Will you be joining us for supper?” Thalia asked him.
“I am afraid not,” he said. She grimaced, not expecting that answer. And he noticed… “Not because I do not wish to,” he said. “I… I have not meant to avoid you these past few days.”
“It is fine,” she said. “You don’t have to?—”
“Another time,” he spoke over her. “I would very much like to. I promise.”
She smiled and squeezed his hand. “I am sure Olivia would like that. I know that I would.”
A silence settled between them. One that was reminiscent of the other evening. Thalia’s hand on his. Their stares, holding as an understanding passed between them. A tension building, eyes flicking to lips, heart beats joined, both seeming to know that if they dared…
And Thalia very nearly made the same mistake. She wanted to. To stand up and step into Ronan, to take his hands and pull her in, to find his lips and kiss them because he needed to know how she felt. And she wanted to prove to herself that he felt the same way.
Only this time, she forced that urge away. This moment was so important, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it. Another would come soon, she was sure. And as they were married and living together, they had nothing but time.
“I should go…” Ronan pulled his hand free and stepped back.
“Yes…” She laughed awkwardly. “I best wake Olivia and ready her for supper.”
“I will…” He hesitated but then firmed himself. “I will see you tomorrow.”
“I really hope so.”
He smiled at that, relieved it looked like to her. A final moment of them meeting one another’s eyes, and he turned and stalked from the room.
Thalia breathed out once he had gone feeling that she had not taken a single breath since Ronan entered the room. Her body was trembling, and she suspected that if she tried to stand, her legs might collapse from under her.
“Well… that was something.”
She shook her head and finally rose from behind the pianoforte. There was a smile on her lips as she picked up the lantern and went to wake Olivia. She walked alone, but for the first time in days, she did not feel as if she was.
This was her home. This was her family. And this was a future that she had not known she wanted but now could not wait to see where it might go.
Nineteen
Thalia woke the following morning to the sounds of thunder and the heavy patter of rain. She thought it was still night, for her room was dark and the house sat quiet and still.
Despite the dreadful weather, Thalia found herself smiling because she sensed that today was going to be one worth remembering. Memories of the previous evening still sat fresh in her mind, and she was all but certain that the duke had been as affected by the moment as she had. More than that, she was certain that he was finally willing to show it.
Thus, she dressed quickly and woke Olivia so the two could break their fast together. She took her time with Olivia, realizing that there was no need to rush and that perhaps it would benefit them to be late. She knew little of the duke’s sleeping patterns, but she did not want to arrive so early that they had finished eating before he had the chance to.
