“They were my mother’s,” he explained. “And before her, my grandmother’s. At least three Duchesses of Stone wore them before you.”
April reached out, fingertips grazing the cold stones. “They are beautiful,” she whispered. “Far too fine for me.”
Theo met her gaze in the mirror. “They are yours.”
She couldn’t look away. Not from the sapphires and not from the way he looked at her.
He lifted the necklace and stepped behind her, brushing the pearls from her hair before fastening the clasp. His fingers grazed her skin, and her eyelids fluttered before she caught herself.
This man is far too practiced at disarming me.
His hands lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary. Their eyes met again in the mirror.
“I doubt I’ll be able to dazzle anyone,” she said lightly, “not when you’re the one they’ll all be staring at.”
He removed the pearl earrings she wore and replaced them with the sapphires. “You’ll manage well enough.”
She touched the necklace once more. “It feels… significant.”
“It is.”
He offered his arm. “Shall we go and dazzle the ton, Your Grace?”
She picked up her beaded reticule and let him lead her from the room. The ride into the city was quiet at first, broken only bythe clatter of hooves and occasional glances exchanged between them.
“I still don’t understand,” she said at last. “Why did we return to London so suddenly? I thought we were going back to Stone Hall.”
He turned his head slightly, one corner of his mouth lifting. “There you are again, questioning everything.”
“And you refusing to answer.”
“A perfect match,” he said.
April narrowed her eyes. “You can’t distract me with compliments.”
“I thought to bring you nearer to your family,” he said finally. “Was I wrong?”
Her fingers tightened around the reticule. “No. I’m glad. It feels… easier here. Familiar. Safer.”
He nodded once. The shadows in the carriage disguised his expression, but she felt him watching her.
He brought me back because he thought it would ease my mind. That I would feel less afraid.He was right.
They arrived at the ball just after the hour. When the majordomo called out, “The Duke and Duchess of Stone,” heads began turning, and a hush settled over the crowded ballroom. April’s fingers instinctively curled tighter around Theo’s arm.
“They’re staring,” she whispered.
“Let them. You look beautiful, and you are my duchess.” He smiled down at her, and both the gesture and his words melted her from within.
A lady nearby gasped. “The Duke of Stone smiles!”
Another voice followed. “He truly is in love!”
April laughed under her breath while Theo only shook his head.They were met halfway by May and June, both beaming. August came behind them, and their mother trailed in with barely concealed triumph.
“My darling,” Dorothy said as she embraced April, “you look a vision.”
April smiled. “It is lovely to be here.”
