Capítulo 9: The Book
As the carriage rolled out of the city, Delaney watched out the window with a little smile on her face. If she didn't break her marriage contract her life would be like this forever. She glanced over and saw Vincent was watching out his window as well.
He had grown taller and muscles filled out where he had previously been a lean young man. She barely remembered what his father had looked like but she felt sure Vincent looked very much like him. He turned, catching her eye, and smiled.
"Does your Mother know you stopped to escort us home?" She didn't know why she'd asked the question but now wanted to know.
"Well she suggests we make the trip to visit you in almost every letter she sends my brother and me," he smirked, rolling his eyes, "But I've always assumed you probably enjoyed the freedom here. We did when we were in school and away from our mother. I always just thought us showing up might ruin that for you. Your betrothed showing up like I was spying."
Delaney considered this. If he had come to visit her she might have been warier of breaking rules and sneaking out at night afraid to run into him. She wouldn't have found the club and her place there.
Of course, she wouldn't have had that taste of freedom that she was about to lose either.
She pushed the thought from her mind as he asked her what her studies were like at her school, knowing they would be the opposite of his. Delaney answered and that sparked a conversation between them that they managed to keep up as they rolled towards their homes.
Vincent told her of his training and seeing men fight dragons. He hadn't faced one himself and Delaney said she hoped he never had to. He told her of meeting a witch in the woods and their captain having been so afraid she'd curse them, had given her all their food for the day.
Delaney hesitated but decided to tell him of her encounter with the witch the night before.
"And what is your future to be then?" he asked, eyes bright with mischief.
"I suppose you'll have to wait and see," she teased, making him laugh. She didn't want to tell him what she'd learned but that was because of the message. Also, she didn't want to burden him with the constant wondering she'd now placed upon herself.
They hadn't made it overly far when Vincent suggested they stop and eat along a river. He knocked on the top of the carriage to signal the men to stop.
Outside, they walked around arm in arm to stretch their legs while the men laid out a blanket and the lunch that had been packed. When everything was set Vincent and Delaney sat and ate, laughing as Vincent told her about some of his more comical experiences with fishing in a river like the one they sat by.
When they finished they again stepped into the carriage and to Delaney's surprise, this time Vincent sat on the bench beside her. She felt her heartbeat quickly and remembered Selina's worried words about him being forward. Instead though, as the carriage started moving again, he leaned forward and lifted the seat where he had been sitting before.
Delaney was surprised to find it opened like something of a chest revealing its treasures. He pulled out a lovely bound book first and set it on his lap. "I thought you might like to read some of this. You don't have to read all of it just as far as you'd like," he looked almost nervous as he handed it to her. "It's a history of all of the Dukes and Duchesses before me..."
Delaney ran her hands over the worn red leather and traced the Adair crest. She felt as if he'd just handed her his most prized possession.
"I had mother send it," he continued, "It starts with the most recent duke and duchess, my parents, and as you read it's sort of like you're traveling back through time. When a new Duke is named the book is rebound with the chapter or chapters of the duke before him, added to the start."
Feeling how heavy the book was Delaney was astounded. She must be holding hundreds of years of history. "This is amazing," she whispered in awe, "Thank you so much for letting me see it."
He looked down at the book, eyes full of pride, "I'm glad you like it. It tells everything about how we acquired lands and why. Duchesses have had things changed in some of the estate houses and it will explain their reasoning. Really most anything you'd want to know."
"Have you read it all?"
"My mother gave it to me when my father passed away and I became the Duke. My father hadn't had a chance to teach me much and always assumed he'd have more time. So this was one of the only ways I had to learn things. I read it all in a few weeks."
Delaney noticed the sadness in his voice when he talked about his father and couldn't stop herself from taking his hand in hers. He was surprised when he met her gaze but relief filled his face. "I will read it all too," she smiled, "I promise."
Vincent's eyes lit up as he looked at her and she knew he was happy to hear that. Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed her on her lips. For a moment she was too surprised to react but then Delaney moved to kiss him back. The whole thing lasted only a few seconds but it had felt like much longer.
When he moved away he looked down at her smiling but with nervousness behind his eyes. When she smiled, blushed, and looked away he relaxed beside her. He lightly squeezed her hand and she giggled, making him chuckle.
"Why don't you read some," he suggested, "I have to look over some of the accounts and decide a few things for the men before we get home. We can talk more after a while."
Delaney agreed and excitedly opened the book. She only managed a few pages before the exhaustion from the night before caught up to her. She nodded off and slid down the seat until her head came to rest on Vincent's shoulder. He smiled and eased the book from her lap before it fell. They rode on like this until eventually even Vincent was lulled to sleep by the steady rocking of the carriage.
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