Nora had heard that he never stayed with a woman for long and that it was never for emotional attachment. He only sought out women as mistresses and nothing more.

She had also heard that he had a hot temper, much like his father before him, and that it was the reason he refused to seek a wife. He did not wish to continue his bloodline.

None of that seemed to matter now as she stared at him. Nora didn’t know what to do as her face heated up.

I should turn away from them and continue my walk like I saw nothing.

“How perverted are they to do such a thing outside?” she said, her eyes widening when she realized she had voiced her thoughts out loud.

Her eyes lowered to his hand, and she blushed when it disappeared up the lady’s skirt. She quickly looked back up to his face, only to be met with dark blue eyes that stared straight at her. Her blush deepened, her skin heating up as she struggled to look away from him. His eyelids lowered, taking those eyes off her for a moment, before they were back on her again, this time more intense.

‘Look away.

She was unsure whether she was speaking to herself or him. His eyes roamed down the length of her body even as his hand trailed up the side of the strange woman’s neck, pulling up her long, black hair to expose her nape.

Nora’s breath caught in her throat, her neck tingling in the same spot he touched the woman.

What is this?

Something primal zinged through her.

Her eyes were glued to his face. She had never met a man as handsome as him. Something about him called to her, rooted her to the spot, beckoning her to stay and watch.

She panicked, tearing her eyes away from him to look around. She did not want to be caught, and certainly not by him. She did not think he would take too kindly to having his private moment watched like this, not even if she had happened upon them by accident.

His lips lifted from the lady’s and parted as he whispered something Nora wished she could hear in her ear. The woman groaned, pressing against him even further, her hands tightening on his as she moved with him, blissfully unaware of the audience they were performing for.

Run away.

Nora was desperate. The Duke had seen her, there was no doubt about that, but she could still forget all about this and continue on like she had seen nothing if she could just get her legs to cooperate with her.

Yet, despite everything, her legs remained rooted to the spot, and her eyes stayed fixed on him like he was the most important thing in the world and she couldn’t bear to look away for a moment.

“Do you like that?”

His voice carried on to her this time, a raspy, rich timbre that rushed through her like cool water on a hot summer afternoon. Her eyes closed, soothed by his voice. She hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear his voice until she finally did.

“Yes…” the lady said, her words mixing with her moans and coming out in a shaky breath.

“Good… Open your eyes,” he said and Nora’s eyes snapped open.

She gasped quietly. Although the mystery lady had been the one to answer him, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was the one he was speaking to.

Snap out of it, Nora. There’s no way he’s speaking to you.

Her eyes remained on him as he chuckled.

“Do you like what you see?”

“Yes, Your Grace. You have always been a very handsome man. I’m awed that you chose me.”

Nora gasped once again. She hadn’t been certain the first time he spoke, but now she knew it was her he spoke to. His eyes remained on hers, saying nothing to his companion even as his hands moved expertly across the woman’s body, pleasuring her in ways Nora couldn’t dare to imagine.

A war was raging within her. This man whom she knew of but had never had the pleasure of having an encounter with until this very moment, if she could even call whatever situation they were locked in that.

She wished to be far away from there, that she had remained in the ballroom and been the recipient of so many awkward looks instead of being subjected to what she was seeing, and yet a part of her couldn’t bear not having his eyes fixed on her in that way that made it seem like she was the one he was ravishing.

She shook her head, shocked by the direction of her thoughts.