When Kate and Agnes entered the drawing room, Leopold was at the
piano playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Kate had never heard him play,
and she thought it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever heard.
She wasn't really surprised, Everything Leopold did, he seemed to do well.
And she smiled to herself, thinking…I am marrying the most perfect man in
this universe, how incredible is that. Leopold stopped playing and stood
up and Kate went to his side. He put his arm around her and kissed her
cheek, "I have missed you." Kate could not recall having anyone ever
saying those words to her after only being absent from the room for a short
while, but they sounded wonderful coming from Leopold.
He whispered in her ear, "Everything alright?"
She nodded, "Fine. Everything's fine."
Leopold's expression was that of concern and Agnes picked up on it, "I have brought your lovely Kate back to you all in one piece, Leopold. I find her charming and unique, and I am pleased you have made such a choice for your future bride. She will make a fine duchess."
Leopold seemed a bit disgusted. He was tired of everyone making judgments. He could care less if anyone approved of his choice of a wife, and put up with it because it was what was expected of him. Agnes noticed his facial expression and moved closer to him, "Leopold, you are tired from your journey. Maybe it would be best if you retired for the evening. You have a long trip to Balinor in the morning."
"I am not tired, I am irritated by all of you and your insistence on judging myself and my future wife. You brush me aside, Aunt Agnes, to interrogate Kate, telling me to go entertain my uncle and aunt, like I am some child. I am a grown man and I don't have to answer to any of you."
Kate squeezed his arm, "Leopold, I think you are overreacting?"
"I see your tune has changed, Kate."
Kate looked over at Agnes and they exchanged glances, which Leopold noticed.
"What did you and my aunt discuss in there?"
Agnes walked over to him and patted his cheek, which irritated him even more and he turned his head away from her, "Leopold, I assure you, Kate and I spoke of nothing that what cause you embarrassment. We spoke of your father, and the background of the family. Nothing more."
"I am not a fool, Aunt. I know this family well enough, to know when they are keeping something from me." He looked over at Millard who shrugged and looked back down at the hand of cards he was holding. Margaret, too, kept silent and returned to the card game.
Kate knew he was ready to blow, so she took his arm, "Leopold, I would like some fresh air."
"It's half past nine, Kate. Not the most congenial time to partake in a constitutional."
She gave him a nudge and she gave him a look, "What are you doing?"
Frustrated with him, she whispered in his ear a bit irritatingly, "A walk isn't what I had in mind."
He then looked at her face and she was smiling. "Oh, I see. Yes, of course, fresh air sounds like a splendid idea. If you will excuse us, I think the night air would do just the trick to clear my head. You are possibly right, Aunt, I am tired from the journey. I am truly apologetic if I was out of hand in my outburst."
Agnes kissed his cheek, "You two young people go out and enjoy the evening." She winked at Kate.
Once outside, Leopold escorted Kate to the side of the house where he knew no one would disturb them and he took her in his arm and began kissing her. He was more aggressive then usual and this behavior startled her, as she pushed him away. "What is with that kiss? If I didn't know better I would assume you have more than just kissing in mind. What happened in there, Leopold? I really don't know. All I did was talk to your aunt, like you wanted me to. And then you go and have a fit. I brought you out here so that you wouldn't cause a scene. Things are going well. Tomorrow you will be home. Isn't that what you want?"
He turned away from her, frustrated and upset, "This life isn't easy, Kate."
"You don't think I don't know that."
"They expect too much from me. I will never live up to their expectations of what the Duke of Albany should be. My family will never leave me alone."
"And I don't think you want them to leave you alone. Yes, they can be irritating, and judgmental and pompous but they are your family. They love you. And you mean everything to them. Your Aunt Agnes, wants you to be happy more than anything else."
"They have no idea what will make me happy."
"I think they know I will make you happy."
He turned and looked at Kate who was smiling at him. He managed a smile back, "This time you are right, Kate."
"Of course I am right, and it won't be the first time."
He moved back over to her and kissed her gently.
She sighed, "Now that is more like the Leopold I know and love."
"You didn't like the aggressive, man taking control kiss? Some women find that very attractive."
"I might have found it tempting at one point of my life, but not now. Not from you. Leopold, I want you the way you are. I even like when you are stubborn and willful and I can take your bursts of anger in small doses. Because these are things that make you…you. And you won't ever be the Duke that your father was, but you are the best Duke you can be. That is all your family wants from you."
"And what do you want from me, Kate McKay?" He raised his eyebrows and it was incredibly cute.
She smiled at him, "Do you want me to say I want to have my way with you?"
"Is that what you want?"
"Well, yes, but…" She felt tongue tied and didn't know what else to say.
"So that is all you want from me?" He teased.
And she was at a lose for words,
"And what if that is what I wanted to? Of course it is not all I want."
"Leopold, no."
"My aunt Agnes would be thrilled actually. She would not look down on either one of us for wanting to be together in the biblical sense. My aunt has had her share of affairs, and has never been one to hide any of them. The sacrament of marriage means nothing to her."
"You are not your aunt."
"So if I invited you into my bed this evening…"
She didn't let him finish, "I would refuse."
"Why pray tell, when it is what you want?" He was enjoying this game. He could see she was flustered and blushing.
"I am protecting your honor, Leopold."
He laughed out loud, "That is a good one, Kate."
"You are teasing, and it's cruel."
He squeezed her tightly, "I would love to invite you into my bed this evening, I want you desperately. Every time I touch you…" he sighed and took a deep breath.
"I want more."
"We will wait."
"But it's not what you want."
"I want it be right. For you, it will be right on our wedding night. That is when it will be right for me to."
"And what if I change my mind?"
"I will know that something else has had an influence on you, something called lust…and I want to experience love. You promised me love."
"I do love you."
"I love you too" They started kissing, and then Leopold stopped and looked at her seriously, something on his mind. "You and my aunt, those glances."
She playfully hit him, "You were thinking of your aunt when we were just kissing, that is encouraging, Leopold."
"No, I was not thinking of my aunt, I was thinking of you, but those glances you exchanged inside."
"You are paranoid."
"You are not going to tell me anything about the conversation that the two of you had are you? We aren't even married and you are already keeping secrets from me."
"She told you, we were talking about your father. She told me a lot about raising Millard and your father. And about your upbringing, she asked me about my family." Kate was now lying, and she hopped she could do this. Maybe she was making a mistake getting involved. But she too was concerned about Leopold's financial situation. It would soon be hers as well. "You said I would like her and I do. I am looking forward to her visit to Balinor. She is an interesting character. She is non judgmental. I felt I could be myself with her."
"I suppose that is what I am worried about."
"That I might slip up and say something that will connect me to the time I am from?"
"Precisely. She is quick and smart. She doesn't miss much."
"I will be careful."
"I know you will, I am just concerned."
"Are you concerned about going home?"
"I am very anxious about arriving at Balinor, but I also have misgivings concerning various issues. But I will not dwell on those matters until after we are married. The wedding will be first priority. There will be a lot of preparations."
"I don't want anyone to make a fuss."
"It isn't often that a Duke takes a wife, and I am afraid a fuss will be made in my household, this is one matter that I cannot have much say in. But I promise you, it will be a day you will never forget."
Kate had always thought about planning her own wedding and now it seemed it was out of her hands. She decided to let it go. It didn't really matter. She was marrying Leopold and that was what was important.
He whispered in her ear, "Everything alright?"
She nodded, "Fine. Everything's fine."
Leopold's expression was that of concern and Agnes picked up on it, "I have brought your lovely Kate back to you all in one piece, Leopold. I find her charming and unique, and I am pleased you have made such a choice for your future bride. She will make a fine duchess."
Leopold seemed a bit disgusted. He was tired of everyone making judgments. He could care less if anyone approved of his choice of a wife, and put up with it because it was what was expected of him. Agnes noticed his facial expression and moved closer to him, "Leopold, you are tired from your journey. Maybe it would be best if you retired for the evening. You have a long trip to Balinor in the morning."
"I am not tired, I am irritated by all of you and your insistence on judging myself and my future wife. You brush me aside, Aunt Agnes, to interrogate Kate, telling me to go entertain my uncle and aunt, like I am some child. I am a grown man and I don't have to answer to any of you."
Kate squeezed his arm, "Leopold, I think you are overreacting?"
"I see your tune has changed, Kate."
Kate looked over at Agnes and they exchanged glances, which Leopold noticed.
"What did you and my aunt discuss in there?"
Agnes walked over to him and patted his cheek, which irritated him even more and he turned his head away from her, "Leopold, I assure you, Kate and I spoke of nothing that what cause you embarrassment. We spoke of your father, and the background of the family. Nothing more."
"I am not a fool, Aunt. I know this family well enough, to know when they are keeping something from me." He looked over at Millard who shrugged and looked back down at the hand of cards he was holding. Margaret, too, kept silent and returned to the card game.
Kate knew he was ready to blow, so she took his arm, "Leopold, I would like some fresh air."
"It's half past nine, Kate. Not the most congenial time to partake in a constitutional."
She gave him a nudge and she gave him a look, "What are you doing?"
Frustrated with him, she whispered in his ear a bit irritatingly, "A walk isn't what I had in mind."
He then looked at her face and she was smiling. "Oh, I see. Yes, of course, fresh air sounds like a splendid idea. If you will excuse us, I think the night air would do just the trick to clear my head. You are possibly right, Aunt, I am tired from the journey. I am truly apologetic if I was out of hand in my outburst."
Agnes kissed his cheek, "You two young people go out and enjoy the evening." She winked at Kate.
Once outside, Leopold escorted Kate to the side of the house where he knew no one would disturb them and he took her in his arm and began kissing her. He was more aggressive then usual and this behavior startled her, as she pushed him away. "What is with that kiss? If I didn't know better I would assume you have more than just kissing in mind. What happened in there, Leopold? I really don't know. All I did was talk to your aunt, like you wanted me to. And then you go and have a fit. I brought you out here so that you wouldn't cause a scene. Things are going well. Tomorrow you will be home. Isn't that what you want?"
He turned away from her, frustrated and upset, "This life isn't easy, Kate."
"You don't think I don't know that."
"They expect too much from me. I will never live up to their expectations of what the Duke of Albany should be. My family will never leave me alone."
"And I don't think you want them to leave you alone. Yes, they can be irritating, and judgmental and pompous but they are your family. They love you. And you mean everything to them. Your Aunt Agnes, wants you to be happy more than anything else."
"They have no idea what will make me happy."
"I think they know I will make you happy."
He turned and looked at Kate who was smiling at him. He managed a smile back, "This time you are right, Kate."
"Of course I am right, and it won't be the first time."
He moved back over to her and kissed her gently.
She sighed, "Now that is more like the Leopold I know and love."
"You didn't like the aggressive, man taking control kiss? Some women find that very attractive."
"I might have found it tempting at one point of my life, but not now. Not from you. Leopold, I want you the way you are. I even like when you are stubborn and willful and I can take your bursts of anger in small doses. Because these are things that make you…you. And you won't ever be the Duke that your father was, but you are the best Duke you can be. That is all your family wants from you."
"And what do you want from me, Kate McKay?" He raised his eyebrows and it was incredibly cute.
She smiled at him, "Do you want me to say I want to have my way with you?"
"Is that what you want?"
"Well, yes, but…" She felt tongue tied and didn't know what else to say.
"So that is all you want from me?" He teased.
And she was at a lose for words,
"And what if that is what I wanted to? Of course it is not all I want."
"Leopold, no."
"My aunt Agnes would be thrilled actually. She would not look down on either one of us for wanting to be together in the biblical sense. My aunt has had her share of affairs, and has never been one to hide any of them. The sacrament of marriage means nothing to her."
"You are not your aunt."
"So if I invited you into my bed this evening…"
She didn't let him finish, "I would refuse."
"Why pray tell, when it is what you want?" He was enjoying this game. He could see she was flustered and blushing.
"I am protecting your honor, Leopold."
He laughed out loud, "That is a good one, Kate."
"You are teasing, and it's cruel."
He squeezed her tightly, "I would love to invite you into my bed this evening, I want you desperately. Every time I touch you…" he sighed and took a deep breath.
"I want more."
"We will wait."
"But it's not what you want."
"I want it be right. For you, it will be right on our wedding night. That is when it will be right for me to."
"And what if I change my mind?"
"I will know that something else has had an influence on you, something called lust…and I want to experience love. You promised me love."
"I do love you."
"I love you too" They started kissing, and then Leopold stopped and looked at her seriously, something on his mind. "You and my aunt, those glances."
She playfully hit him, "You were thinking of your aunt when we were just kissing, that is encouraging, Leopold."
"No, I was not thinking of my aunt, I was thinking of you, but those glances you exchanged inside."
"You are paranoid."
"You are not going to tell me anything about the conversation that the two of you had are you? We aren't even married and you are already keeping secrets from me."
"She told you, we were talking about your father. She told me a lot about raising Millard and your father. And about your upbringing, she asked me about my family." Kate was now lying, and she hopped she could do this. Maybe she was making a mistake getting involved. But she too was concerned about Leopold's financial situation. It would soon be hers as well. "You said I would like her and I do. I am looking forward to her visit to Balinor. She is an interesting character. She is non judgmental. I felt I could be myself with her."
"I suppose that is what I am worried about."
"That I might slip up and say something that will connect me to the time I am from?"
"Precisely. She is quick and smart. She doesn't miss much."
"I will be careful."
"I know you will, I am just concerned."
"Are you concerned about going home?"
"I am very anxious about arriving at Balinor, but I also have misgivings concerning various issues. But I will not dwell on those matters until after we are married. The wedding will be first priority. There will be a lot of preparations."
"I don't want anyone to make a fuss."
"It isn't often that a Duke takes a wife, and I am afraid a fuss will be made in my household, this is one matter that I cannot have much say in. But I promise you, it will be a day you will never forget."
Kate had always thought about planning her own wedding and now it seemed it was out of her hands. She decided to let it go. It didn't really matter. She was marrying Leopold and that was what was important.
