Page 32 of Her Infuriating Duke

Seconds ticked by, but Amber was still sitting there. She knew she needed to move. He wouldn’t wait forever, and if she wanted this to work, she needed his help.

So, taking a shaky breath, Amber forced herself to her feet and made her way to the study.

But before she could make it from the room, she came face to face with Mary. The woman had a strained smile on her face as she took a step closer.

“Amber, I was hoping you would have a moment to speak with me,” she said.

Amber hesitated. “Now isn’t really a good time.”

“Why? Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Well, I?—”

“Of course, you don’t. After all, the only people who have any business requesting your presence are still people you would prefer not to see if I understand correctly.”

Amber forced herself to nod. The statement was true enough, and she was rather keen to avoid her cousin and that man. Besides, if she didn’t look eager enough, Mary would get suspicious. She couldn’t risk Mary figuring out the plan.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“So what did you want to talk about?”

She hesitated. “It’s rather delicate.”

Amber frowned. “I see. Should we go somewhere more private?”

“I just wanted to start by asking how you were feeling?”

“I’m all right. Why do you ask?”

“That’s rather good to hear. It’s only… well, I heard from one of the maids that your lady’s maid requested to have your bedding changed. I wanted to see if you were feeling all right.”

Amber suppressed a groan. She should have known word of that would work its way back to the lady of the house. “I see. Well, you don’t need to worry. As I said, I am perfectly all right.”

“So you have said, and I am glad to hear that.”

Then there was a pause long enough to leave Amber wondering why they were still there.

Of course, Mary soon spoke again. “If this is about your future prospects?—”

“Please,” Amber cut her off, shaking her head.

“Amber, I know it’s hard, but you need to talk about this.”

“No, I don’t think I do.”

“Trust me, you do. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

“It might. After all, it hasn’t been announced yet,” Amber said before she could think better of it.

The second the words left her lips, she froze. Had she just given away the plan?

But then Mary sighed. “Oh, you poor girl. I know you are worried about what your future looks like, but denial won’t help. It will only make it that much harder when the time finally comes because it will.”

She shook her head. “You don’t know that.”

“But I do,” Mary insisted. “I just don’t want to see you make this any harder on yourself than it already is.”

Amber took a deep breath, meeting Mary’s eyes. “So what would you have me do?”

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