A Scandal By Any Other Name-Chapter 192 - Hundred And Ninety Two

Delaney walked over to the large window that overlooked the back gardens. She sat down on the soft, cushioned window seat. Her hands were actually trembling as she looked down at the letter.

She slid her thumbnail under the flap and broke the red seal with a sharp snap.

She pulled out a single sheet of expensive parchment. The handwriting was bold, strong, and elegant. It was Rowan’s handwriting.

She took a deep breath and began to read.

My Dearest...

He started.

Delaney stopped reading immediately. She gasped softly. A sudden, bright flush of heat completely covered her pale face.

"Who is he calling his dearest?" she said aloud to the empty room. Her cheeks were burning a brilliant, fiery red.

She had been his employee. She had been the strict matchmaker who organized his lists and scolded his manners. She had never, in all her life, been addressed with such raw, open, romantic affection. The word Dearest written in his bold handwriting made her heart flutter wildly against her ribs, exactly like a trapped bird.

She bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the massive, foolish smile spreading across her face, and forced her eyes to return to the parchment.

The letter continued, the words filled with the deep, protective yearning of a man trapped far away from the woman he loved.

I pray to God this letter finds you well. I hope you are fine and perfectly safe. By the time you are reading this letter, I am sure Hamish is already there, standing guard as I commanded. If Cole Kingsley has spoken a single harsh word to you, tell Hamish, and I will have him drag your uncle into the mud.

Delaney let out a soft, watery laugh. It was so entirely like Rowan to threaten violence in the middle of a romantic letter.

My head hurts sometimes, the letter continued, the ink slightly heavier on the paper, but it is mostly whenever I think of you being under that terrible roof without me. The doctor visited this morning, and he said I am healing fast. He said I will be able to leave this bed in a few days. I intend to hold him to that promise.

Delaney traced her fingertips lightly over the words, wishing she could soothe the ache in his head.

I miss you, Del.

The simple, four-word sentence completely broke her heart.

It is incredibly hard to cope when you are not near. The house is far too quiet. I find myself staring at the chair you sat in, wishing you were still here to scold me for being stubborn.

I cannot help but dream about our future. I think of the day I will finally ride up to that estate, not as a secret, but as the Duke of Ford, demanding his bride. That day will happen soon. I swear it upon my life. I will clear your father’s honorable name, and I will bring you home.

I promise you, Delaney. I love you entirely.

Stay safe.

Yours forever,

Your Golden Puppy.

Delaney stared at the final signature.

Her face was incredibly hot. Suddenly, the large, airy bedchamber felt completely suffocating. She was actually sweating beneath the collar of her dark green morning dress.

"When did he become a sweet talker?" Delaney whispered, her voice completely breathless.

She dropped the letter into her lap and quickly raised both of her hands. She fanned her hot face rapidly with her fingers, trying to cool the furious blush burning her cheeks.

Your Golden Puppy.

He remembered the teasing nickname she had secretly given him in her mind when they first met in the library. He had taken her playful insult and turned it into a completely devastating declaration of his absolute surrender. He was openly comparing himself to a devoted, lovesick dog waiting for her return.

It was completely unfair. He was thousands of miles away, trapped in a bed, and he still managed to completely undo her with a single piece of paper.

Delaney picked the letter up again. She read it a second time, and then a third time, memorizing every single curve of his ink. She pressed the parchment gently to her chest, right over her rapidly beating heart.

"I miss you too," Delaney whispered to the quiet room, closing her eyes and picturing his bright brown eyes.

She sat by the window for a long time, allowing herself to simply feel the profound, overwhelming joy of being completely loved.

For twenty years, she had been entirely alone in the world. Now, she had a fierce protector standing in her hallway, another hiding in the trees, and her love waiting for her in London.

Finally, the grand grandfather clock in the hallway chimed the hour, breaking her romantic daze.

Delaney slowly opened her eyes. The soft, dreamy expression on her face hardened back into a look of cold, sharp determination. She had received her strength.

She carefully folded the beautiful letter. She walked over to her small travel bag resting on the bed. She tucked the parchment safely inside, hiding it beneath her folded nightgown where her snooping aunt would never find it.

She walked over to the large mirror hanging on the wall. She checked her appearance, making sure her hair was neat and her dress was perfectly straight.

It was time to begin the search.

Delaney unlocked her bedroom door and stepped back out into the quiet hallway.

She walked slowly toward the grand staircase. The house was very still. Cole Kingsley was likely locked in his own sitting room, nursing the headache he had complained about earlier, or counting the money he expected from Lord Hawksley. Aunt Eunice was probably sulking in her chambers, nursing her bruised cheek and her bruised pride. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

It was the perfect opportunity.

Delaney descended the stairs and walked quietly down the ground-floor hallway. She stopped in front of the doors of her late father’s private study.

The brass doorknob was cold to the touch. She knew it was locked. Cole had carried the key on his person for three years.

She reached out and jiggled the handle slightly, just to confirm. The heavy door did not budge an inch. It was locked tight.

"I need that key," Delaney thought to herself, her hazel eyes narrowing in deep concentration.

She turned away from the study doors and began to walk toward the kitchens. She needed to observe her uncle’s routine. She needed to know exactly where he kept the key when he slept, or if he ever left it unattended when he bathed.

As she walked past the kitchen, she heard the sound of hushed voices coming from inside.

Delaney stopped. She pressed her back against the wall, hiding in the shadows just outside the door. She held her breath and listened carefully.

"I am telling you, Mrs Blinda, I couldn’t believe it when I heard it too," the kitchen maid gossiped to the cook.