Page 67 of Trapped with her Cruel Duke

“The same way he can do many foolish things—desperation and the belief that he will win at all costs. My father is a stubborn man. No matter what Christian says, I do not believe he would have made the bet if he thought he would lose.”

“I would have called the man out if he had attempted it.”

Louise heaved out a sigh. “Anyway, that is all in the past now. Let us not speak about such unpleasant things on such a beautiful day. What about you? How are you feeling?”

“Stronger than I have in an age if I am being honest. Six months felt like years. I have never been bedridden before—it is not an experience I intend to repeat.”

“Were you badly injured?”

“I took a rather nasty blow to the head. The village nearby was very small, and they did not have a doctor on hand who could attend to me. I remained in bed for almost two months without moving a great deal. Thankfully, the cuts and bruises I sustained did not become infected, and after a while, I was able to sit by the fire. I have been reminded of how special the small comforts of life can be.”

“And you did not lose your heart to a young woman who came to attend to you in the village?” Louise asked teasingly.

She expected Marcus to smile, but his face twisted slightly, a hint of disgust passing over it briefly before it settled into a more neutral mask.

“Nothing of the kind, I assure you. The lady of the house was a widow with three young boys. None of them were able to read, and once they found out that I could, I was charged with reading them stories night after night. It was a very pleasant pastime.” He turned, looking down at her fondly. “But I confess I was very eager to come back home. I have missed you.”

“And I you.” Louise grinned. “I was sure something terrible had happened to you. I woke up this morning forgetting that you had returned, and felt a deep sorrow in my heart—then I remembered, and I have never felt so happy.”

“I do not know what I have done to deserve you, but I am glad you are part of my family now,” Marcus said sincerely. “The thought of you marrying another man and moving away had not occurred to me until now, but I will forever be related to youbecause of my brother. You are truly my sister, and that is a comforting thought.”

Louise blinked up at him. “I suppose I am. Well, that is a reason to be happy about the marriage if nothing else.”

Marcus frowned at that, but Louise did not wish to talk about Christian any longer. It already felt as though she spent all of her time trying to push thoughts of him away, and now she was reconnecting with her best friend.

“When do you expect your encyclopedia to be finished?” Marcus asked, sounding genuinely interested.

“I imagine several months from now. Christian and I have agreed that I can take a year before… before I finish it,” she finished lamely. “I have much to do.”

“You will finish it in good time, I have no doubt. You are tenacious when it comes to such things.”

“And just as I promised,” she added happily, “you shall be the first person to see it.”

Marcus grinned. “I am truly privileged, in that case.”

“Indeed,” came a voice from behind them. “You arevery muchprivileged, it would seem.”

Louise turned around to see Christian and the Duke of Stonewell standing before them, and Christian’s expression was one of carefully suppressed rage.

CHAPTER 27

After Louise and Marcus had left for their promenade, Christian sat in his study and seethed. Every thought in his head drifted to them walking hand in hand around the park, the whole of London laughing at him because she had so fooled him when, in truth, she was in love with his brother.

He was pulled out of his thoughts, however, when something fell from his desk. Turning away from the window, he saw Jack lying on his desk, pawing at his quill and trying to push the inkwell over the edge.

“Would youdesist!” Christian said with exasperation, picking the kitten up from his desk and looking at the devastation in his wake.

Jack had chewed on a bundle of parchment, tiny teeth marks now showing on the edges of the document the solicitor had sent Christian.

Christian glowered down at the kitten, who looked up at him balefully and mewed loudly.

“Why are you eating paper?” he asked reluctantly. The kitten was far more adorable than he had initially given it credit for. “Are you hungry?”

To prevent Jack from destroying any more of his affairs, he left his study and headed to the library, where he rang the bell. He placed the kitten on the rug beside the fire, where he proceeded to leap on a spider that was scurrying for cover under a chair.

A footman soon arrived, and he looked down at the kitten in an arch manner that Christian could wholly sympathize with.

“Could you please have some food brought for this creature?” Christian asked irritably. “It is driving me to distraction.”

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