Page 76 of The Duchess’ Second Chance

“Maybe. I think it was fair,” she said. “And I think that you’re right to believe George would have wanted me happy. But Sampson…he would not be hurt to think that I found love with someone else. George and I were never in love. We were friends, at best, and not for very long. We liked each other. But he wouldn’t be heartbroken to know that I was in love now.”

“Are you?” Sampson asked quietly. “Are you in love now?”

Instead of answering, she leaned in and kissed him again.

It was the first time she had taken the initiative, and it made her happy to do it. No, not just happy. A feeling of power had swept through her the moment they had touched. He pulled her close, responding to what she had begun, and she was giddy with it.

After a moment, he pulled back again. “What I said about the annulment,” he said, slightly breathless. “I didn’t mean that, Amanda. I don’t want that. We’re not going to do that, are we?”

“I never wanted it,” she assured him. “I actually like being married to you.”

“Wonders never cease.” He kissed her again, gently this time, and then the carriage began to slow. They were home.

“What happens now?” she asked him. “How is this going to change things between us?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “We don’t need to have all those answers right now. For now, I just want to take my wife inside and sit by the fire…and you know what sounds really nice to me?”

“What?” More kissing?

“I’d like to talk.” He smiled at her. “I’d like to get some coffee from the kitchen and stay up very late and just talk to you. I’d like to really get to know each other. To be open and honest with each other in all the ways we never have. What would you say to that? Would you like it?”

Amanda couldn’t hide the smile that spread over her face. “I couldn’t think of anything I’d like better,” she said.

And it was true. Kissing held appeal, and she would want more of that later. But to spend the rest of this evening in a conversation with the man she had married, the man she was beginning to realize she loved, finally confessing everything they had hoped for and dreamed of, finally being themselves…

The truth was, Amanda couldn’t imagine anything better.

EPILOGUE

TWO MONTHS LATER

“And where do you think you’re going, little miss?”

Rose jumped as Sampson caught her by the shoulder and looked up guiltily. “I just wanted to go in for a little while,” she said, clearly abashed. “I know Amanda said I wasn’t to go to the ball, but I want to see it. All the fine dresses and the lovely ladies dancing, all the decorations…this will be my very first ball, you know.”

“Is it really?” Sampson hadn’t considered that.

“We never had them in my life before I came to live with Amanda,” she said. “And before she married you…well, she went out with friends a few times, but she didn’t host any balls, so I didn’t get to see them. I just thought I’d go in and watch for a while. I promise not to do any harm!”

“Oh, of course, you wouldn’t.” Sampson smiled at her fondly. “But parties like these are not for little girls. I’ll tell you what, though. Why don’t you and I walk once around the ballroom together so that you can get a look at everything? And then, when we make it back to this point, will you go off to your room? I’m sure Mrs. Linden wonders where you’ve gone, and we wouldn’t want her to come looking, would we?”

“No,” Rose admitted. “She would probably be angry if she had to come and find me.”

“Much better that you should go and find her,” Sampson said.

“Oh, very well. As long as you really will walk me around the place first. Do you promise?”

“No need for a promise.” He smiled and offered her his arm like she was a grown lady. “We’ll go right now.”

Rose beamed as he led her back into the room and they began to make their way around. “Do you really know who all these people are?”

“Oh, no,” Sampson laughed. “We had to solicit the help of some of our friends to fill out the invitations. But I do know many of them. Ah, here’s my friend Oliver, the Duke of Grantfield. Oliver, this is Miss Rose, the girl I’ve told you so much about.”

“Ah!” Oliver bowed low. “Are you the new Duchess of Mortridge, then, Your Grace?”

“No, silly!” Rose burst out laughing. “I’m not old enough to be a duchess! Amanda’s the duchess, not me. She’s there!”

Sure enough, Amanda had found her way over. “What’s happening here?” she asked with a wry smile. “Rose, I thought we had agreed you’d be in the nursery during the party. Wasn’t that what we talked about?”