Page 77 of A Duke for Hire

The woman quickly shook her head and curtseyed.

“Not at all, Your Grace,” she said in a rush. “Forgive me.”

“Tell her lady’s maid to run and prepare her mistress’s bed,” he commanded. “The Duchess is weary.”

Mrs. Purdy nodded so quickly he thought her head would pop off her neck, then scurried ahead as he made his slow ascent up the stairs. As he did so, he cast his eyes down at Seraphina again, in awe of how she slept so peacefully in his arms.

At her room, Clara opened the door, and, obviously warned to mind her business, did not so much as look at them as he brought Seraphina into her bedroom.

Gently, he laid her down atop the bed. She stirred, and let out a whimper of protest as he released her. Her thick brown lashes fluttered open, and a look so imploring shone from her eyes that it nearly made his knees buckle.

“Stay with me,” she whispered softly, catching the sleeve of his shirt.

The want to do just that rose with immense force in his body. She had changed him that night. Transformed old wounds into marks of passion. But the dreams- the nightmares- he had no control of them yet.

“Not tonight, little lamb,” he whispered back, gently untangling her hand from his sleeve.

The look Seraphina grew so forlorn that Hugo physically felt a tear form in his chest- but no matter what, he could not-would notput her in that sort of danger. A beast most dangerous when awoken from his sleep.

“I will see you tomorrow,” he promised, then brought her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles.

“You promise?” She murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

Hell yes he promised. After what she’d just done for him?

“I promise,” he vowed, then leaned down to sweetly kiss her lips.

A soft, happy sigh escaped Seraphina’s lips as her lashes fluttered down again, and her body went limp on the bed. Hugo lingered a moment longer, as if unable to leave her just yet, even though he knew he had to.

He pulled her pins gently from her hair, then removed her shoes and stockings next. He squeezed both of her bare feet for a moment, marveling how small they were.

All of her really. Small. Fragile. And yet she trusts me.

Hugo forced himself to leave the bedroom before he gave in to both of their wants and laid down next to her, motioning for Clara to join him in the hall.

“She is weary from our adventure tonight, so perhaps just try to help her out of her dress,” he told the lady’s maid. Don’t try to coax her into a nightgown, it might wake her. Then tomorrow morning at seven sharp I want you to come to my office. I will be purchasing her a few more dresses and you will need to take down the specifications and deliver them to the dressmaker in town. Am I understood?”

He’d ruined two of her new dresses already. The least he could do was replace them.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Clara answered immediately.

“And let her awake on her own tomorrow. Not even Mrs. Purdy is allowed to disturb her slumber,” he then commanded.

Clara blushed, but curtseyed and nodded.

“Very good,” he muttered, leaving the lady’s maid to do as she was bid.

In his own quarters, Hugo paced the floor, his mind still trying to wrap around what had happened to him in the forest. Seraphina had broken him out of a year’s long curse- had cured him! And not once did she shy away from him in fear.

He was changing, evolving into something he never thought he could be.

Hugo spent the next few hours in silence. Finally stopping his pacing, he took his chair by the fireplace and watched the flames, reliving each moment they had just shared marveling at it. Could he do this? Could he actually become a different man? Broken from the mold he’d been shoved into?

His thoughts and questions followed him, even as he grew exhausted and readied himself for bed. He could have hope, he realized as got between the covers. He could have a wife he couldlove.He could actually embracelove.

Closing his eyes, Hugo clinged to the thought. He clung to it until his mind and body exhausted themselves, and he fell into sleep.

And then the nightmares began.

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