Page 76 of Trapped with her Cruel Duke

Louise watched their exchange in surprise. Her father did not seem pleased. In fact, his expression was almost angry as the two men stared at one another. Marcus drew back his hand with a tight smile.

Christian’s suspicions are rubbing off on me, it would seem, but why is Father looking at Marcus like that?

“Thank you, My Lord,” Marcus returned as her mother stepped toward him and curtsied. “I am recovering, as you can see.”

“Well, we must all count our blessings for that,” her father muttered.

The kitten, held loosely in Marcus’s other hand, mewed again, and Lord Northbridge eyed it suspiciously.

“And who is this?” Lady Northbridge asked.

Marcus gently handed Jack to Louise, and she held him up for her mother to see. Lady Northbridge adored cats, and her face broke into a happy smile at the sight.

“This is Jack, Papa,” Louise said. “Jack Frost.”

Her father harrumphed irritably as the kitten mewed at him, and they all went to sit on the settees in the center of the room as a tray of tea was brought in.

Louise tried to get Jack to settle as he always did when Marcus held him, but the kitten was quite determined to return to its previous owner.

Marcus chuckled as Louise sighed exaggeratedly and handed the kitten back to him, where he padded up his thighs and lay down.

“It is as though he does not knowIam the one who rescued him,” she muttered, a touch of hurt in her voice.

“Cats will do as they please, I think,” Lady Northbridge commented.

Marcus laughed at Louise’s hurt expression.

“He seems to like everyone else more than me,” she protested.

“I doubt that,” came a voice from the doorway.

Louise stiffened as Christian entered the room, having not anticipated his arrival and feeling strangely on edge in his presence.

However, when he came to sit beside her, the odd sensation faded into acute embarrassment as she remembered how they had spent the previous night. She stared at the carpet, wiling her blush away as her father and mother greeted him.

Christian’s sharp gaze was fixed on the Earl. “I rather hoped I would not see you again so soon, Lord Northbridge. Especially not without an invitation.”

Despite her father’s unpleasantness a few days ago, Louise found herself surprised by Christian’s stern words.

The Earl seemed just as taken aback, glaring at his wife as though it were her fault that Christian disliked him.

“I am only here, Your Grace, to speak with my daughter. Once that is done, I will happily remove myself from your sight.” He stood up, and all eyes in the room turned to him. “Louise, I need a moment of your time.”

With that, the Earl stalked to the doors that looked out over the small terrace outside the drawing room and opened one without asking for permission. He walked outside, leaving Louise in the uncomfortable position of either ignoring him—as she would much rather do—or following him like a servant.

She sighed and glanced at Christian, who was aiming a withering glare in the Earl’s direction, and then excused herself, going outside to see what her father could possibly need from her now.

CHAPTER 30

It was chilly on the terrace. The Earl was standing with his back to Louise, staring out at the garden.

He did not look around as she stepped out of the house, as though he had known she would follow him—or simply expected it. She stood back, waiting for him to speak.

He finally turned around, his eyes narrowing as he looked over her shoulder. “Close the door please, Louise. I wish to speak with you in private.”

Louise flexed her fingers, but she did as he asked, nonetheless. Her mind whirled as she tried to figure out what he could possibly want from her.

When she was facing him again, he cleared his throat, a peevish expression crossing his face as he stared her down.

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