Page 44 of Fortune’s Final Folly

Her hands grasped at his shoulders, her nails biting through the thin fabric of her gloves and into his coat. The undeniable draw between them only intensified when Kate adjusted until she sat on his lap, their lips never separating as she drew in the courage to slip her hands from his shoulders and into his hair.

A growl rumbled from his parted lips as if he very much liked the feel of her fingers in his strands.

Her mind—and her heart—thrummed with a new heat that seemed to coil tightly in the pit of her stomach.

All those parts of her that had been slowly crumbling from the moment Joshua rescued her from the fire began to meld back together, fusing so surely Kate suspected that no matter what came tomorrow, she’d never find herself weak to the point of falling apart again.

This man, this gloriously handsome and kind man in her arms, would make certain to hold her together through anything.

It was only when she’d literally questioned her entire existence that everything became clear to her.

The clock chimed on the mantel, and Joshua stiffened, his hands falling away from her as he drew back.

Kate stared up into his deep brown eyes. Shining back at her was a reflection of what she felt for him: love, adoration, longing, and, most of all…acceptance.

Without a single spoken word, Kate knew Joshua accepted her regardless of whether she was the daughter of a penniless vicar or a lord most foul. She wasn’t certain who she was or who she wanted to be, and that was fine. It was more than fine because he would be with her while she figured it all out.

“Kate,” Joshua whispered, shifting her on his lap as she rested her head against his shoulder. “You are the bravest, kindest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I understand you have much to learn, a lot to sort through, and it will take time. But—”

“We have much to learn,” Kate said, the hint of a smile touching her lips. “And it can take all the time in the world as long as we do it together, you and I.”

When he didn’t immediately respond, Kate sat up straighter, her head leaving his shoulder. Not for a second did she fear he would shy away from her assertion.

And she was correct.

In answer to her proclamation, Joshua pulled her close again, his kiss an unspoken agreement. A promise that needed no words.

Chapter 16

Joshua waved to Kate and her mother as they paused outside the schoolroom to look back at him before entering the building. It continued to take him by surprise each time the women stood close to each other. The resemblance was unmistakable even with the years separating the pair. The last thing Joshua wanted was to spend even a minute without Kate by his side; however, there was work to be done, and he would join the two women as quickly as his day allowed.

The newly acquainted pair also needed time together. They’d lost nearly twenty years, and it would be no small feat to overcome the time and distance between them to forge a genuine familial bond. The immense level of joy he felt for Kate and all she’d discovered brimmed inside him. She was happy, too. Joshua knew it. However, there was still much confusion for her to work through.

The why of it all had been answered, but so many questions remained.

And it would likely take time to uncover it all.

Thankfully, with the letter from Walter, the Duke of Shrewbury, written before his passing, Kate had all the time and funds needed to set her own pace with the discovery. Joshua was content and more than willing to let Kate guide them through the new revelations.

Joshua smiled, taking in the bustling street around him where men and women hurried down the walkways, rode horses down the lane, and went about their days.

Looking forward once more, he noted that Kate and the countess had disappeared into the schoolroom.

The quicker Joshua handled the matter of the old duke’s letter, the swifter he could rejoin Kate.

He’d never been one to succumb to such all-encompassing feelings for a woman. But Kate made Joshua want to throw caution to the wind and embrace wherever their attraction might take them. She’d fit perfectly in his arms the previous night, and he hadn’t wanted to let her go. But he knew that if Dolly or another servant happened upon them in such a situation, the gossip would spread quickly, and Joshua did not want that for Kate.

Joshua turned and entered his office, greeting Henry with a bit more enthusiasm than was typical. “Good morning, Henry. I do hope your evening was satisfactory.”

His assistant stood, gave Joshua a curt bow, and then glanced over his shoulder to Joshua’s office.

Light shone from the partially open door.

“My lord,” Henry’s voice was a tentative whisper. “You have a visitor in your office.”

“A visitor?” Joshua stared past Henry, ignoring the young man’s unease. Unfortunately, whoever awaited him was out of sight. “My first client isn’t expected for another hour, and I have some work to do…”

Henry cleared his throat, his voice dropping lower than before. “He insisted it is a matter of great import.”