Rain picked up a strawberry from the spread on their picnic blanket and took a bite as she thoughtfully stared out over the garden. Marcus tried very hard not to look at her mouth as her lips closed around the ripe berry. He failed.

"Poor Nora," she said. "It must have been awful to be forced to do something like that. I can only imagine how she must have felt."

After returning from the agency, Marcus had filled in both Rain and Mr Russell on his findings and his wife had taken it more or less how he had expected. Shock and dismay, quickly followed by concern for the young maid. It warmed his heart to know she cared for servants the same way he did. Too many of their peers were only too happy to dismiss their staff for any minor wrongdoing. While poisoning your mistress could not be described as minor, the circumstances were extraordinary and Nora had suffered enough.

"At least going forward, she knows she can come to me should anyone approach her again," he said.

He was lying on the blanket, propped up on one arm, while Rain sat cross-legged with a few plates between them. The staff had done a wonderful job, setting up below the branches of an apple tree, allowing them shade while still enjoying the balmy summer afternoon. Everything seemed perfect. A beautiful wife who was actually talking to him. Good food. An excellent bottle of wine. It was difficult to imagine that there was a dark shadow looming over their future. More than one. The figurative one of whether they had a future together, but also the literal shadow of whoever had repeatedly attacked Rain. He very much hoped Winter or one of their agents would solve the case of the missing list soon because this was untenable.

"Let us speak of less dreadful things," he suggested. The whole idea behind this picnic was to woo his wife, and he could not do so if she was preoccupied worrying about the maid, no matter how sweet her concern was.

Rain took a sip of her wine and smiled. "Certainly. What would you like to talk about?"

What did he want to talk about? He took a piece of chicken and nibbled on it, giving himself time to think. Planning topics for conversation had not been on his list of tasks before this picnic. It probably should have been. Small talk was definitely not one of his fortes.

As if she sensed his hesitation, Rain winked. "I have a suggestion. How about we each get to ask a question, and the other has to answer with the truth? For each truthful answer, you get to ask the next question. Once someone refuses to answer, the game ends."

He frowned, not sure he would enjoy this game, but he would be a good sport. "Who will start?"

Reaching out to grab another strawberry, she smiled. "Since I came up with the game, you may."

"Right." He thought for a moment. "Which is your favourite animal? You care for so many, but do you prefer one?"

"Hmm." She pursed her lips as she considered his question. He enjoyed just watching her. Even if he wasn't the best at deciphering emotions, she had a very expressive face, and he could still see every nuance moving across her face as she debated her options. "I love most animals. If I had to pick a favourite, though, it might be cats. I like how independent they are."

He smiled. "I can believe that, considering we have around eight at the moment. It is your turn to ask a question."

"Did you truly not have a mistress or meet up with another woman during our marriage?"

Putting down the strawberry he had been about to eat, he fought a smile. "Going straight for the jugular, I see."

She shrugged, her posture relaxed, but he got the impression that she cared about his answer. "Remember, you must tell the truth or forfeit."

"I did not," he confirmed. This was not the first time she had asked this, but he supposed it was the only time he was under an oath—of sorts—to answer truthfully.

"Were you ever tempted?"

"Not once." He raised an eyebrow. "That was two questions. As I told you before, I stopped seeing my mistress the moment I decided to look for a wife."

"You did. I suppose I needed to hear it again." Looking down at her glass of wine, her cheeks stained pink. Was she jealous of the possibility he might have seen others? If so, was that a good sign? He hoped so.

"What of you?" he asked. "I made an assumption based on your wish not to consummate the marriage that you are still an innocent, but it is only an assumption."

She glanced up to meet his eyes. "Your assumption is correct. Before you courted me, I had only been kissed once. A boy from the village where I grew up when we were both fifteen and curious one summer. It was only ever a quick, chaste kiss. Nothing like..." Her voice trailed off and the blush on her cheeks deepened.

"Nothing like our kisses," he filled in. It was silly, but he liked that she enjoyed their kisses. He certainly did. Smiling, he ate a strawberry. "Your turn."

"Did you work on my cases with the Rose Agency?"

"No. I rarely work directly on cases unless they need help to decipher code or reading through documents." He hesitated as a question popped into his head and he wondered if he should really ask something he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to. The last time he asked, she had never answered. Would she answer tonight? "Why did you marry me?"

Her head snapped up and her eyes widened as she stared at him. Her mouth opened, then closed again. She shook her head. "That is an unfair question."

Sitting up, he watched her as she fidgeted beneath his gaze. "Is it?" he asked. "It seems rather straightforward to me."

A quiet huff escaped her lips. "If it is so straightforward; why did you marry me?" Lifting her chin, she met his eyes, her cornflower-blue eyes challenging.

"You know the reasons I pursued you," he said slowly. "They are not flattering. But I have also told you they were not why I married you."

"So, why did you marry me? Why do you want us to stay married? Is it only because of your pride?"

Her clear gaze was unnerving, but he refused to look away. He wanted to say that he loved her, but the words lodged in his throat. The first—and last—time he had told his father he loved him flashed before his eyes. The proclamation had been met with a slap and a scolding about how such sentimental drivel was not appropriate for a duke. A peer of the realm. A man above most others. Such bullshit. He was no better than any other man. But it was difficult to get past the ingrained behaviour of keeping every emotion to himself.

"No," he finally said. "It is not because of pride. I... I care for you, Rain. And I don't want to lose you."

If she had hoped for a different answer, she hid it well. He could not read the look on her face any more than he could have read a text in Sanskrit. Standing, he cursed his inability to get past the mental block keeping him from confessing exactly how he felt about her. His inability to leave himself vulnerable to rejection.

Why could he not simply man up and say it? If she did not want him, he would surely be equally shattered whether she knew of his feelings or not. Running a hand through his hair, he watched as Rain stood as well. A small line had appeared between her brows.

"Rain, I—"

"One last question," she interrupted him.

He made a wry face. "I am fairly certain it is my turn, as you never answered mine, but go on."

She took a step towards him, taking care not to step on the plates of leftover food. A whiff of violets carried on the breeze, instantly reminding him of the way her hair smelled after a bath. Craning her neck to meet his eyes, she took one more step. "Would you like to kiss me?"

"Always."

Not waiting for another question, he grabbed her and pulled her close, capturing her lips in an ardent kiss. This was something he could do. This required no challenging display of emotion or words of eloquence. He could kiss her. Trying to put some of the words and feelings he could not voice aloud in his touch, in his kisses, he focused on the feel of her against him. Her soft body against his hard frame as he held her close. Her silky hair between his fingers as he dug his hands into the thick mass at the back of her head. Her welcoming lips under his as he lavished her with kisses.

He did not know how long they kissed, but nothing would ever be long enough, when Rain leaned back and smiled up at him. "I think we should go inside before the servants come looking for us and see a little more than they bargained for."

With a nod, he let her go, his hands instantly feeling empty. She turned around and walked to the house, but before she could get more than a few steps, she yelped and did an awkward sidestep, which made her lose her balance. Marcus didn't have time to catch her but saw something moving on the blanket where she'd been walking. With a squelching sound, Rain landed with her bottom in a bowl of strawberries.

"What the...?"

"Malvern!" Rain called out accusingly.

Looking down, Marcus caught sight of the small hedgehog availing himself to some leftover pieces of fruit. Holding his hand out to Rain, he helped her back on her feet, but there was a large, red stain on her dress where she'd sat in the strawberries. He chuckled.

"It's not funny," she muttered, but the corners of her mouth were twitching. "I didn't see him in time and had to avoid stepping on him."

"It's a little funny." Marcus grinned.

She huffed, and bending down, she picked up a fistful of crushed strawberries and mashed it against his chest. "Oh?" she said, her chin raised. "How funny is it now?"

"Still pretty funny." He laughed at her feigned look of disgruntlement. Oh, how he had missed laughing with her during their two years apart. In an unusual moment of mischievousness, he dragged his index finger through the mess on his shirt, then rubbed it across Rain's nose.

Her nose twitched. "Well, dear Sir. This means war." With that declaration, she dived for the bowl and with it in her arms, she ran away as she began pelting him with pieces of crushed strawberries. "Victory will be mine!"

Marcus shifted from one foot to the other, a little uncertain of what to do. He had never played games as a child. This was something he could easily imagine Rain and her siblings doing when they were growing up, but he had never had the chance to indulge in what his father had dubbed frivolous activities. An extra mushy strawberry landed on his cheek and he could hear Rain giggling a little further away.

He waited another moment. When she approached for another round, he dashed towards her. She shrieked and turned on her heel, laughing loudly as he chased her through the garden.

They were nearly at the terrace doors when he caught up with her and could grab her arm. Pulling her close, he pushed her up against the house wall and placed a hand on either side of her head, trapping her. She stared up at him, her eyes glittering merrily and her mouth open, slightly out of breath from the running. The force of how much he loved her hit him like a punch in the gut. He could never allow her to leave. They had to find a way forward. He had to stop being a coward.

"Marcus?" Her soft voice focused his mind again.

"Yes?" He leaned a little closer, close enough that he could feel her hot breath on his chin.

"I win." She dumped the remaining contents of the bowl over his head with a wild laugh.

Raising an eyebrow, he made a wry grimace as he felt the juices of the berries trickle down his face. His tongue darted out to taste a drop gathering in the corner of his mouth. "At least they still taste good," he mumbled.

Rain giggled. Lifting her hand, she wiped away another drop from his mouth. She gasped as he captured her finger between his lips and sucked the juice off it.

"You taste better." He smiled at her wide-eyed stare. "I believe we could both do with a bath."

"I will call for one."

He stepped away to let her pass, but before she could move away, he gently grabbed her elbow, making her turn back to give him a quizzical look. "Take a bath with me." His hand slid down to her hand and his thumb rubbed her palm. "Ask them to use my tub. It's bigger."

She blinked, then nodded. "I... All right."

Marcus watched as she hurried inside, the red strawberry stain on her bottom swaying as she moved. This might have been a terrible mistake. A terrible, wonderful mistake.

~~~~~~