The Duke who caught my eye

Chapter 17

Clara woke up in her husband's arms the next morning, feeling content and just a little tired.

After all, they hadn't even tried to sleep last night.

She giggled, unable to fight the bubble of joy forming in her.

She took in his dark, soft hair poking in different directions thanks to her. His unfairly long lashes rested on his cheeks. He looked so young because it seemed like with him, the cynic in him also slept.

Her husband stirred, his warm arms tightening around her and pulling her closer to him before he pried his eyes open and squinted.

"Good morning, Duke." She said, a touch too breathlessly for her taste.

"Good morning, Duchess," he murmured, trying to fight the smile pulling on his lips.

He puckered his lips and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for her to kiss him. He looked so silly, Clara laughed as he obliged him. But before she could pull back, the kiss turned into something else.

The Duke and Duchess did not go down for breakfast or luncheon that day.

The next day.

Leo was walking around his town house whistling, looking for his wife.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd whistled. Clara did this to him, he realised, a reluctant smile touching his face.

He was smiling a lot more too.

She made him so happy and the last two days had been amazing. He couldn't get enough of her, enough of her innate passion. His blood heated just at the thought of her and he swore at his lack of control. It was a good thing he was finding her anyway.

But Isabelle intercepted him in the hallway.

"Grandpa is here to see you, Leo," she said, skipping past him.

Grandpa? She must be referring to the Earl, he thought happily and made his way to the sitting room.

"I had not expected you to behave so callously with my daughter, Duke," the Earl said by a way of greeting.

Before Leo could say anything, he spoke again, "I had every intention to dragging Clara away from here but my wife stopped me. While I'm happy that Clara's happy, make sure you don't repeat this again," he finished gruffly.

"I apologise, my Lord. But I love her and I'll make sure I remind her of that everyday."

The Earl just nodded.

"What brings you here? Not that you're not welcome here anytime."

"It has reached my ears that Clara is that infamous and scandalous Christen Florey, the novelist. Well, if I had to be honest, I already knew Clara was up to something and I'd often find her with her fingers covered in ink. And I don't really have an issue with this, I always knew that my daughter was special. But I would've preferred to hear this from her mouth. Then again, no point crying over spilt milk. While it does not bother me in the least that Clara has been writing books where she's made fun of almost every single member of the ton, the others seem to mind. I am quite concerned about the impact this would have on Isabelle. I don't want the reputation of my granddaughter to be tarnished because of Clara's thoughtless actions."

Leo was gaping. He never gaped.

"So what do you suggest we do?" The Earl prompted, his bushy brows rising up.

Leo cleared his throat, "I think the best course of action would be to host a ball and announce it ourselves rather than hiding."

"I agree with you. So I shall schedule the ball for next week, we have to send out a lot of invitations after all."