Page 27 of Her Wolf of a Duke

“No, I– Miss Kendall, I am trying to prove that I am not the man that you think I am. What would it take to do that?”

“Why does it matter to you? You shall only know me for the duration of this party, and then we shall go our separate ways and you will never see me again. Why do you care whether or not I forgive you, or like you?”

He was quiet for a moment. Emma wondered what he would say in response, and the longer he said nothing the more she wanted to know. However, he simply laughed and at once his seriousness was gone again.

“That is an excellent question,” he nodded, remnants of laughter on his lips. “I shall bid you goodbye. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

He left before she could say another word.

She watched him leave, wondering who the real Duke was, and whether the one she saw was the false Duke, or the true.

She did not know, and against all odds she did not like that she didn’t.

CHAPTER 9

“Are you suggesting that I change the rules for you?” Leonard asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Not exactly,” Levi said in response, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

Levi had wandered the village alone for the rest of the day, looking for something to occupy his mind with until they all returned. He didn’t want to spend all day thinking about Miss Kendall again, and this time he was at least half-successful. He only thought about her upon their return to the estate, when he caught sight of her leaving for the gardens with her friend (Miss Godwin, if he recalled correctly) and he wondered what she had thought when he left them.

He had met with Leonard that evening in his study again. He liked the time away from all the other guests and their watchful eyes, and so he welcomed the break, but that evening he had other reasons for their meeting, too.

There was to be a treasure hunt the following day, scheduled for the afternoon. The guests would be in pairs, and the winner would receive what Leonard described as a very illustrious and important prize, not that he dared say what it was. Levi did not care much for winning, but he did have a partner in mind that he wished to be with.

“Does Miss Kendall even want to be partnered with you? She does not seem very fond of you at all.”

“Which is precisely why I wish to spend the afternoon with her. I want her to see me differently. I want her to think that I am helpful. I tried this afternoon in the village but she treated me as a nuisance instead.”

“It is entirely possible that you were being a nuisance. Have you considered that?”

“I may or may not have. I am aware that they were going into shops of the feminine variety, but something in me keeps pulling me toward her. She doesn’t hate me, I can see that, but she doesn’t like me either. It is fascinating.”

“So you want me to pair the two of you together tomorrow so that you can make her like you completely?”

“In all honesty, I want to be paired with her tomorrow because getting the truth out of her sounds fun. Would that be alright?”

Leonard laughed at him kindly, taking a piece of paper out of a drawer and handing it to him. Levi scanned it and quickly realized what it was. It was the list of pairings for the treasure hunt, and among all of the names was his own.

He was already paired with Miss Kendall.

He narrowed his eyes at Leonard, wondering what his motives had been.

“I must say,” Leonard said, “I was wondering if you might come and ask this of me, but in any case I have taken the decision out of your hands. I think she will be good for you.”

It was exactly what he wanted; a chance to prove that he was not the villain she thought, but he hadn’t thought that such a desire had been apparent to anyone else.

“So you would have forced me into her proximity?”

“Is it force if you are asking me to do it? I do not believe so. I believe I am actually doing what you want, not that you are thanking me for it.”

“I– very well. Thank you.”

“Good,” Leonard grinned. “You are most welcome.”

Levi left soon after, but Leonard’s words stayed with him. He knew that he did not have any real feelings for Miss Kendall, but he had to admit there was an attraction there and there always had been. He had never intended on taking a wife, but he supposed if he had to, she wouldn’t be the worst possible option. She was good to those she loved, and fiercely loyal, but she did not hesitate to put him in his place. That was to say that she was not a complete wallflower that would bend to his every will, which was far more interesting than a lady that would.

Perhaps that was why he was so intrigued by her.

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