Page 111 of Dukes for Dessert

He loved her. He’d behaved like an ass last night, and if he let her go without telling her both those things, he’d regret it to the end of his days. And he’d already decided he wasn’t going to suffer regret.

Pivoting, he stalked to the house and went in search of his goddess. Would she be in her room? He heard voices from the drawing room and went there instead. It was a good place to start.

“Here is the duke!” Lady Cosford said warmly as he paused just inside the threshold. She was perched on a settee and was speaking with Lady Bentham and Mrs. Hadley. Both ladies perused him, and he realized he was still in his outdoor clothing. He probably should have gone to change.

He scanned the room in search of Juno. Most of the guests were present. But not her. Damn.

Moving another few steps into the room, he fixed his attention on Lady Cosford. “Might I speak with you a moment?” he asked quietly but loud enough for her to hear.

“Of course.” She rose from the settee and joined him. Then they moved back toward the doorway.

Dare got right to the point. “I wonder if you could tell me where I might find Mrs. Langton?”

Lady Cosford’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, but she’s gone.”

The world seemed to fade around Dare. His lungs squeezed and his appendages felt odd, as if they weren’t even there. She was gone. It was over.

No, it’s not, you idiot. Go after her.

He twitched, rolling his shoulders. “Where did she go?”

“She went to Bath.”

“When?”

“An hour ago?” Lady Cosford looked uncertain.

“How can you not know?” His voice began to rise as all the wonderful emotions he’d just fucking recognized begin to melt away.

None of this was supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to have fallen in love or have been stupid enough to let her go.

“We can ask the stable when she left. She took one of our coaches.” Lady Cosford spoke in a calm, helpful manner, but it did nothing to alleviate his agitation.

“Is there something amiss?” Lady Bentham called from somewhere. Dare had tunnel vision at the moment and could only see his hostess. Truthfully, he couldn’t even really see her. He saw Juno, but she was so terribly far away. Could he ever get to her? Was he too late?

Dare’s heart pounded a harsh, staccato rhythm. Cold sweat dappled the back of his neck.

“Are you all right?” Lady Cosford asked, sounding as if she were down a hole.

“He doesn’t look all right.” Lady Bentham again, closer than before, but still as if she were behind something.

He felt a touch on his arm and instantly jerked away, stepping to the side. He blinked, and the room came into focus. What the hell had just happened to him?

Looking about wildly, he found Lady Cosford. “I need to go after her. Immediately.” He wasn’t even going to change clothes.

“I’ll have your coach prepared,” Lady Cosford said.

“What a magnificent surprise this is,” Lady Bentham murmured. “And how titillated the ton will be.”

Lady Cosford turned on the older woman, her eyes narrowed. “Have you no shame?”

“I have plenty, but not about this,” she said with a laugh. She looked to Dare. “The duke knows how the world works. He knew the minute he declared his intent to pursue Mrs. Langton that his secret—whatever the specifics are—is out in the world. To think those present in this room wouldn’t share such delightful information is beneath his intelligence.”

She was right. But he hadn’t considered it before he’d spoken. He hadn’t thought about it at all. There had been no strategy to his utterance, just a primal need to reach the woman he loved. Juno would be thrilled that his rigidity had been nowhere in sight.

Buoyed by this, he turned to Lady Bentham. “It’s not a secret. I am in love with Mrs. Langton and need to tell her so as soon as possible. If it makes you happy to spread that information, then by all means do so. Honestly, I don’t care if the entire world knows. Although, I would prefer she heard it from me,” he said wryly, surprised and grateful that his equilibrium had mostly returned.

“I just did.”

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