Page 29 of When the Duke Met His Match

Theophilus closed his eyes and pushed the enticing thoughts away.

He needed his sleep before their journey to France began. There, the unknown awaited them.

Chapter Seventeen

ODETTE

Slow, peaceful breaths came from Theophilus’ side of the bed, tucked away behind the border of pillows. Complete darkness washed over the bedroom, and silence filled the house. Odette was still wide awake while she stared at the ceiling.

She listened to his breathing and wondered if he was asleep. That was one thing she needed the most, but it seemed like the least of her worries. It evaded her easily, for she wasn’t exactly giving it her best effort.

Many questions moved through her head while she blinked through the darkness, all that she wished to ask the man next to her.

She wanted to know just how he planned to sneak them to France without being detected. How would they ever live comfortably again, knowing they were traitors to the English crown? She wondered if he was just as afraid as she was.

With a sigh, she couldn’t take the silence any longer.

“Are you asleep?”

A moment later, his groggy voice came to her. “I’m awake. But we should be asleep.”

Knowing he was unable to doze off, much like herself, brought her a glimmer of comfort. She was glad to know she wasn’t the only one mulling over it all.

Odette turned over onto her side and dropped a hand against the pillows between them, seeking him through the dim moonlight. Uncertainty gripped her heart. “We shouldn’t do this.”

A gentle pressure filled her palm as Theophilus slid his hand into hers and laced their fingers. Pink spread through her cheeks as they heated, and she was glad the room was dark enough to hide it.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and found his inky eyes looking back at her, shadowed by the night.

“Nothing you say will change my mind,” he murmured, unwavering in his conviction. “We are doing this for us.”

“You’ll be throwing your life away for a stranger, everything you have worked so hard for. I can’t let you do that, Theophilus.”

A bitter laugh came from his chest, quiet enough to keep it between them. “Nothing I’ve built was ever mine. That’s the problem. I’ve made many mistakes along the way, and this is my chance to get something right.”

Her face softened at his words, but a flare of stubbornness came through her voice. “Now isn’t the time for pride. I’m not sure if aiding a criminal will fix your past mistakes.”

He let go of an even breath and squeezed her hand. “That’s where you’re wrong, Odette.” Sadness lingered between his words. “Let me do this one thing right. That is all I ask of you.”

Her heart raced, and she couldn’t come up with the right words to say. Nothing felt suitable, and she could hardly grasp the idea that he was willing to give everything up for her sake. Aside from her parents, no one had ever volunteered to help her. It conflicted with her desire to be independent, but she wasn’t in a position to deny him.

Odette forced herself to focus more on his hand's pressure than her lifted breathing due to his proximity. She sighed and tried to sound determined. “Why can’t you just forget about this and send me on my way? Nothing in your life needs to change.”

“And why can’t you simply let me offer you kindness?” he returned with a playful edge in his voice.

She couldn’t stop the pleasant smile from crawling across her lips.

“Besides, my life already has changed,” he murmured, closing his eyes. “The moment I stepped into that prison cell, there was no turning back. I have no choice but to move forward, and I’d prefer it if it happened with you.”

Her skin burned at the confession, dazed by how easily he could fill her mind with a daydream-like fog and send her heart reeling.

She considered how serious he had to be if sacrificing his life for her was no difficult decision to make. It seemed he had decided to help her on a whim, and while that was noble of him, it made her stomach squeeze into knots.

The thought of being the reason someone left their family and dukedom behind brought immense guilt over her, even if Theophilus reassured her it was his wish.

Steadying her breathing, she stared up at the ceiling and let conviction fill her. “I don’t know how or when, but I will repay this kindness you have shown me. I will never forget it.”

As her heart pounded in her chest, she waited for his dismissive response, citing how it was his choice or a playful jest, but an answer never came. Instead, his breathing slowed and relaxed, giving away that he had fallen asleep peacefully.