Emily took a step away, triumph in her eyes. In her hand, she held his treasure purse. He gaped at her.
“How on earth did you do that?” he asked.
“I may not have been able to teach myself how to read, but I taught myself a great many skills.” She grinned at him. “I was rather a keen trickster as a child, and rather enjoyed removing things from someone’s pockets and replacing them with something unexpected.”
“Was all that just a distraction? Were you trying to keep me from seeing your true intent?” he laughed, though a stab of disappointment ran through him as well.
A look flashed across Emily’s face that he could not quite make out, but it was replaced by the same mischievous smile he had seen so often.
“My intent does not really matter, dear Duke. I have your treasure, and there is very little you can do about it.” She held the pouch aloft, teasing him with her ill-gotten gains.
“Are you so sure about that?” he asked, taking a step towards her. “After all, it is a poor show of gratitude to steal a man’s winnings.”
“And you said I should celebrate my success.” She took a step away from him.
He canted his head towards her. “Then you will not give me the purse of your own volition?”
“No. It is mine.” She held it further out of his grasp.
“For now.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Forever. I am not going to give it to you, and I know that you are far too proper a gentleman to take it from me.”
“Am I indeed?”I will show you how improper I can be.He took a step towards her, watching as she backed away from him. “I think, you will find, that I am rather full of surprises.”
He lunged towards her, laughing. She let out a shriek and danced out of the way. Her laughter mingled with his, echoing around them.
“You will find, dear Duke. That I am as well.” And she began to run.
He leapt to his feet, and chased after her. Thundering through the underbrush, he pushed aside branches and leapt over roots.
“Thief!” he yelled after her. “Give me back that pouch!”
“As my friend, you really should let me keep it.” She called back, darting behind a tree.
He made a grab for the pouch, but she was already gone. “And as my friend, you should give it back to me.”
“I am not known for doing what I should.” She threw the pouch between her hands, her hair mussed from her exertion.
“No, indeed you are not.” Luke agreed.
“Do you give up?” she was still backing away from him.
“I do not give up.” He moved towards her.
“Nor do I.” she replied.
“Give me the purse, Emily.” He said, holding out his hand.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment he thought she would drop the purse, and then she shook her head, wagging a finger at him in admonishment. “If you think you are going to distract me with such a breach in propriety, you are wrong.”
“Is it a breach if we have already called one another by our names?” he said.
Her eyes widened.She remembers, then. Or at least now she will.His heart sped up. He took a step towards her, but she was already running, hurtling away from him.
He launched himself after her, and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her to him, triumph flooding through him as he felt the warmth of her spread through him.
“Put me down!” she laughed.
