Page 12 of The Dark Duke's Virgin

“Oh, Frederick…” his grandmother sighed, realizing that she had gone too far, “I did not mean to push. You know I did not.”

What had happened between Frederick and his wife was… it was not important. Not anymore. She was no longer with them, and that was all that mattered.

As a single father, Frederick swore to himself that he would do all he could to raise Isabella properly as she deserved. And it was for this reason more than anything else that he would not be spoken down to by his own mother on topics that she had no business putting her nose in.

“I understand that you care for Isabella,” Frederick sighed. “I do. But I must ask that you allow me to raise my daughter as I wish.”

“But what of?—”

“No!” he snapped at her. “The conversation is done with.” He widened his eyes at her in warning, and she responded in kind. “I do not wish to fight with you, so I ask that you drop it. Please.”

His grandmother pushed her lips together and held his glare. “Fine,” she said eventually. “As this is my first day here, I will… hold my tongue.”

“That will be a first,” Miss Dowding snorted under her breath, only to suddenly realize what she said. Her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth. “I am so sorry. I did not mean?—”

“Ha!” Frederick’s grandmother cackled. “Watch yourself around this one, Frederick. She had a tongue on her. Oh, how she does!”

Frederick looked aghast at Miss Dowding, again taken completely by surprise by her loose lips. Although, he supposed he shouldn’t have been as surprised as that; knowing the type of woman his grandmother was, it was little wonder her companion acted the same way.

Again, his mind flashed back to earlier… and he could feel himself begin to grow hot under the collar. She was an attractive woman, Miss Dowding. Slender yet still with curves that her dress seemed to accentuate. Piercing green eyes framed by dark blonde hair. And a set of lips on her that were so thick and luscious that it was little wonder she used them as adeptly as she did…

“Is— Isabella!” Frederick stammered, tearing his eyes from Miss Dowding and giving his head a shake. “Where did you speak with her?”

“Her room, of course.”

“And she is still there?”

His grandmother sucked through her teeth. “Maybe……”

“Grandmother…” he growled at his grandmother for he sensed that she was about to tell him something he did not wish to hear.

“Do not rise to anger, but…” She grimaced. “… well, once I was finished speaking with her, she asked if she might go outside and play, and I told her that of course she could.”

“Play with what?” Frederick felt his anger begin to bubble.

“She said she wished to climb a tree in the back yard and?—”

“What?!” Frederick did not stop to think but stormed past his mother as he made for the door. So incensed was he that he swept past Miss Dowding, nearly knocking her to the floor. “She knows better than that!”

“Frederick! Wait!” His mother went after him.

“Why does she do this to me!”

Why were things never easy? As Frederick stormed through the house and after his daughter, that was all he could think. His grandmother seemed to be put on this earth to test him while his daughter appeared to take pleasure in seeing what she could get away with.

People often asked Frederick if he intended to marry again, and his answer was always the same. He already had two women in his life who pushed him to breaking point at every chance they got, so why would he want to add a third? And if his recentencounter with Miss Dowding was anything to go by, never before had this statement felt so apt.

CHAPTER FIVE

Caroline ate supper alone that night.

Esther, as old as she was, was weary from a day of travelling and elected to go to bed early.

Isabella, from what Caroline was told, having not met the girl yet, was being punished and made to stay in her room until the morning.

And His Grace… well, quite frankly, Caroline was not certain where His Grace took supper that evening and was more than happy for it. Supper with just the two of them… somehow, she sensed that might not be the best idea.

She still could not believe what had happened earlier. The way he had held her. They way he had growled at her as he towered above her as a means to frighten and intimidate. And the way that he had leaned in and bitten her ear, likely because he wanted to scare her, but also…

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