Page 51 of Her Seven Nights with the Duke

Nora’s back was turned to him, and she could not see him. However, she could hear the squeak underneath him. She frowned, curling into herself as she struggled to find a comfortable position on the floor. Soon, it would all be over, and she would not have to deal with him anymore.

She tossed and turned once again, in search of a comfortable position, when she saw legs standing in front of her. A gasp escaped her lips as the Duke’s hands slipped underneath her form. She squeaked and shook in his grasp.

“Put me down, Your Grace,” she said, trying to wriggle free, but the Duke held her tightly, looking down at her with an amused expression.

She tightened her hands around his neck as he carried her to the bed. He laid her down carefully and stood back up, before going back to the fireplace.

“I will sleep on the floor instead. I want to be closer to the fire,” he said, groaning as he lay on the floor.

Nora’s eyes clamped shut. He was lying. She could tell he was only doing that so she did not have to sleep on the floor or be made uncomfortable with him next to her on the bed.

All night, she had been trying to ignore her feelings for him and her nervousness about being in such a small space. Although they’d spent many nights together, this was the first time they intentionally planned to go to bed.

Something in the air felt charged, and it made her nervous. Still, she wouldn’t be able to sleep, knowing that she was the reason why he was lying on the floor.

It’s only a night. Besides, he’s right. We’ve spent nights together before, and this will not be any different. There’s nothing to worry about, Nora.

“You can join me on the bed,” she said in a small voice.

She doubted he’d heard her and was about to repeat herself when he sat up.

“You don’t have to do that. I am quite fine here,” he said. “I do not wish to make you uncomfortable.”

“No… no. I won’t be. Please, join me.”

She waited patiently for him to decide, the silence between them only disturbed by the crackling fire.

“All right,” he agreed, finally. “As long as you’re certain that you’re fine with it.”

He got up from the floor, pillow in hand as he walked towards the bed. He lay down on her left. She tensed, unable to move as their sides pressed against each other with no space between them to keep that from happening.

Nora lay awake, every part of her attuned to his every movement. The sleep that latched onto her suddenly seemed to have disappeared, leaving her wide awake and aware of him beside her.

“I’m worried about my mother,” she said suddenly, in part to distract herself from him and also because she wanted to talk to someone about her fears.

“Now that I am not there to protect her, Lord Worlington is probably going to hurt her even more.”

Her breath shuddered. She had tried not to think about her mother all along, knowing that doing so would make her turn around and go back home. Her mother had made her decision and was willing to live with her abusive husband, but Nora was not willing to make that sacrifice. Not when it would cost her everything.

She pursed her lips, fighting to stave off the guilt that threatened to overwhelm her.

Have I made the wrong decision?

If anything happened to her mother while she was away, she would never forgive the Viscount. ut even more so, she would never forgive herself for abandoning her.

She swallowed back the whimper that threatened to escape her lips and took a deep breath to calm herself.

“My father was a very wonderful man, and we were a very warm and loving family. Mother was always happy and ever smiling.” She smiled, the memories of the past that she strongly held onto playing in her head.

She could still hear her younger self laughing as her father chased her around the field, laughter and giggles surrounding them, her mother’s concerned tone warning them to be careful only moments before she gave in and laughed as well, joining in their fun.

Nora sighed. “We were truly very happy, but it wasn’t meant to be. My father died when I was ten years old. Mother loved him greatly, and although he was an earl, she had spent most of what we owned on treatments that were supposed to make him better. Nothing worked, and for the next three years, she was inconsolable and beside herself with grief. It pained me to see her that way. So, when she started to become happy again, I was overjoyed, thinking she’d found a way to deal with her grief.”

She scoffed. “When I first met the Viscount, I was suspicious of him. Something about him could not appeal to me, but Mother convinced me that it was only because I was worried he would take Father’s place in our lives. She assured me that wouldn’t happen.

“For a moment, things were wonderful again. The Viscount was affectionate towards her, and that was all that mattered, especially since I was a mere child whose opinions didn’t matter. Mother was blinded by love and couldn’t see that he truly was bad for her.”

Her hands tightened on the sheet she held up to her chest. “She still is, despite all that has happened. I don’t believe she would ever see the Viscount for the monster that he is.”

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