Page 57 of The Dark Duke's Virgin

Frederick had wondered why George had appeared unannounced as he had. Because they were friends, perhaps, and he wished to see him? Because it had been a few days, and he missed his company? Because he was out of liquor and knew Frederick would have some handy? All possible options but far from the truth.

No, the reason he was here was becoming plainly obvious, and it had Frederick’s grandmother written all over it.

Oh, she was meddling as was her want. For some reason, his grandmother had gotten it into her head that he and Miss Dowding might make a perfect pairing, and despite recent events, she was doing everything she could to see it come to fruition. Frederick had thought his little outburst three days ago might have nipped her romantic idealism in the bud, but from the looks of things, it had simply kicked it into a new gear.

“You’ve been speaking with my grandmother, haven’t you?” he asked as he fixed his friend in a glare.

“I will never tell,” George said with a cheeky grin.

“Well, if the two of you should happen to cross paths in the near future, feel free to pass on a message for me, will you?”

“I suppose I could.”

Frederick opened his mouth to speak only for the sound of the front door opening to catch his attention. This was followed by his grandmother screaming at the top of her lungs, “We are home!”

“Ah, perfect timing,” George chuckled. “I wonder with whom she is with.”

If only it was so easy as George made it out to be. If it was that, Frederick might have done so already, simply to dispel the tension that hung in this household. It was intangible, growing worse each day, hovering over him like a cloud wherever he went.

Alas, it was not so simple. Apologize to Miss Dowding? Grovel to her? And for what? Because he had correctly chastised her for doing something which she did not even claim at the time to have not done? Oh sure, if she had told him then that he was mistaken, he might have said he was wrong and left it at that, but she had not, and so it could not be.

Further to that point, and even George did not know this, but the reason Frederick was avoiding Miss Dowding had nothing to do with an apology. Perhaps that was a small part of it, certainly it was likely why she thought he was avoiding her, but it was half the reason. Less than that.

He simply could not risk being alone with her. He could not take the chance that seeing her and speaking without anyone else about would present. Even if he tried to apologize, she would likely rebuke him, he would grow angry, they would argue, and…

God, how he wanted to, though. God how he craved it. Even now, picturing her walking back inside his house, Frederick could see in his mind’s eye what might happen if he was to go to her… if they were to speak alone… if they were to pick up where they left off and?—

No. He could not risk it. To do that would be to give her false ideas. It would lend credence to his grandmother’s pestering. It would force him down a track he did not wish to go because the last time he did that… it had ended in death and misery.

“So, this is what you have become?” George sighed. “A scared little mouse in his own home.”

“I am warning you, George…”

He scoffed. “You do not scare me, perhaps the only man who you do not. And for that reason, I will say one last thing and leave it at that.” He pushed himself up and fixed Frederick with a stern gaze. “Hide from her if you wish. Pretend that you are not—lie to yourself. But do you know who you cannot lie to?”

“Who?”

“Your daughter,” he said simply. “You know as well as anyone how she admires Miss Dowding, and if you truly wish to grow closer to her, your daughter that is, this is the way to do it. Right now, she assumes the two of you hate one another—as she should, based on how you treated her. But if the two of you were to grow friendly again…” He shrugged and took a final sip. “I imagine that might go a long way.”

Those words were exactly what Frederick needed to hear. He didn’t want to hear them, but he needed to.

“Sometimes, George, I really do hate you.”

“I know,” he chuckled. “Now go, before you lose your bravery, as fragile a thing as it is.”

Frederick groaned and stood up. “You best be gone when I come back.”

A wink. “If you come back.”

To that, Frederick stiffened as his pulse increased as his heart began to thump. This was not about that, he told himself. He would seek Miss Dowding out. He would be nice. They would move on from their little quarrel, and then he would leave her before anything else might happen. He had to.

That was the plan, anyway…

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Frederick found Miss Dowding in her bedroom. The door was left open which allowed him to stand in the doorway for a moment and watch her as she fiddled with something in her wardrobe, back facing him.

This was a bad idea, and he knew it right away. Her dress was backless, tight around the waist, hugging her body and buttocks, and seeming to tempt him personally. He had still not seen her fully unclothed, and the sight of those curves as he tried to picture them released from their confines was enough that he very nearly stormed in, closed the door behind him, and took her without hesitation.

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