Page 28 of The Duke and the Wrong Bride

“I wasn’t following you,” she said again, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “This morning, after you left, word came from my parents concerning my sister.” She paused long enough for this to sink in.

Henry frowned and seemed to calm down, if only slightly.

“She wasn’t with my aunt, nor has my aunt seen her. Nobody knows where she is, in fact.”

“And this has to do with you putting on men’s clothes and following me how?”

“Again, I wasn’t following you,” she said rightly. “My sister… she used to enjoy dressing up as a man and frequenting bars. The first night you saw me, I was doing the same, hoping I might find her at one she was known to go to often. Today…” She clicked her tongue. “I thought that I might try to find her. It was stupid of me, I know. And in hindsight, it had little real chance of working but, well, I had to do something.” She looked pleadingly at him. “So, I thought I’d visit the taverns she used to go to and see if anyone had seen her. That’s all.” She widened her eyes at him.

Henry’s expression was impossible to read. There was still anger behind his eyes. He was still furious, that was clear. But she got the sense it was fading, that he was trying to determine whether or not to believe what she said. And whether or not he cared.

“I would never follow you,” she added, her voice softening. This time, she went to him, reaching out and touching him lightly on the arm. “And you’re right. After last night…” She swallowed and dared to look at his lips. “I was hoping that we might… might start over. I didn’t mean to upset you, and I promise that I won’t do it again.”

“You were really just looking for your sister?” he growled. He looked at her hand on his arm and then back into her eyes.

“That is all. I swear it.”

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. “What am I going to do with you, Charlotte?”

“Nothing! I told you, I know this was silly. And I won’t?—”

“I know you won’t,” he cut her off with a growl. But he wasn’t angry like before. “I will help you find your sister.”

She blinked. “You will?”

“Of course, I will. But you have to promise me, Charlotte.Promise methat you won’t do anything like this again. Like following me?—”

“I wasn’t?—”

“—and dressing up as a man. This ends now. Understand?”

He met her eyes, and she could see that he was through with playing games. This wasn’t about power. This wasn’t a test. This was a command, one she had no choice but to say yes to.

“When I tell you to do something, you do it. No question.”

“I promise,” she said, meeting his eyes, so he could see she meant it. Which she did. “You have my word.”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous what you did was?” he pressed.

Charlotte blinked. “Oh, no, I didn’t think?—”

“I know you didn’t,” he snapped, his anger spiking again. “You think this is all in good fun. But all it would take is one scoundrel, one drunk, to realize who you really are, and…. and…” His body shook, which she thought initially to be anger but then realized it was something else.

Henry was worried about her. He was actuallyconcerned. This wasn’t about her breaking the rule and going against him, but rather her putting herself in a position where she might have been hurt. For all their fighting and arguing and bickering, she’d never considered that deep down he might care for her like that.

“I am sorry,” she said, meaning it. “Truly. And I promise you that this will never happen again.”

“Good.” He looked her over, his expression still stern, contemplative, and curious. His eyes seemed to undress her, making her feel slightly nervous. She tugged awkwardly on her coat, very aware now of how she was dressed. A smirk worked its way up the side of his face, a look appeared in his eyes, and again Charlotte felt her cheeks flush.

Suddenly, he took her by the hand and pulled her into the stables.

“What are you doing?” she gasped as he dragged her deeper inside, toward one of the stalls.

“Those clothes,” Henry responded, “look ridiculous on you.”

“I know, but?—”

“You’re to take them off.” He pulled her into the stall and then pushed her back against the wall. “And you’re to never wear them again. Is that understood?”

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