Page 5 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke

“Speak with me, did you?” the duke said finally. “Concerning?”

“An unpaid debt, owed to you. It is one which I am here to assure you will be paid. Only, more time is required. Time that I insist you afford me.”

“Is that right?”

“It is.” She forced herself to look at him, her heart still racing. His stare was unblinking, and for a moment she wondered if he could see through her disguise... “My... associate, Lord Grayhill, is whom I represent. He has asked that we come to an agreement. He intends to pay, and he will. But more time --”

“-- is needed. Yes, I heard you the first time.” Again, the duke watched her from across the room, and she could see a smirk pull at the corner of his lips. He took another mouthful of ale. He had another puff of his pipe. Then, he rose from his chair and started around the desk toward her. “I do have one question, which I hope you will humor me with.”

“I...” She forced herself not to retreat as he came closer. He stood nearly a foot taller than she did, twice as wide in the shoulders too. The office was not a particularly large one, and it felt even smaller than that as he reached her. “Of course.”

“I cannot help but wonder, if this request of yours is so urgent...” He looked down at her, his eyes trapping her. “Why did you not bring it to my attention earlier tonight when we spoke? Surely, that would have been far easier than barging into my office like this.”

Her eyes widened before she could help herself. “Earlier...” She stammered. “What... I have not seen... this is the first time...”

“At the ball, is my meaning,” he continued, his smirk growing. “Surely, you did not expect that disguise to work on me, Lady Hawkins? As much as I know you loathe me, I would like to think you have more respect for me than that.”

The color drained from her face and her stomach dropped right through the floor.So much for my disguise... Aurelia’s first instinct was to turn and run, as if that would make a difference. But she did no such thing, only because she reminded herself of why she was here.

What was more, as surprising as it was, the duke didn’t appear angered by the ruse. If anything, he appeared amused by it. Not even a little bit surprised, which was shocking. Maybe that’s because as dastardly as her actions were, his were just as much. If not more.

“I did not wish to ruin the evening, is why,” she said, attempting to appear nonplussed. “Nor did I wish to expose you in front of the ton.”

“Expose me...” The duke frowned, only for his expression to darken. “How dare --”

“I cannot imagine what people might say if they were to find out what it is you do in your spare time. Not to mention those people who you choose to spend it with.” She forced herself to shrug casually. “Reputations have been ruined for far less.”

A shadow passed behind his eyes and he took a step closer to her, standing right over her now. She gasped and held her breath, refusing to back down. “The only reputation I would concern myself with if I was you, is your own.” He reached out and pinched the material of her shirt between his fingers, scoffing at her. “What will people say when they hear of this? Lady Hawkins, dressing as a man and sneaking into the city on her own.”

“I doubt they will be surprised,” she said. “Just as you so clearly are not. I have no misgivings concerning what people already think of me, Your Grace. A shame the same cannot be said of you.” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him, forcing herself not to look away.

Aurelia had always known the duke to be a perfectly composed gentleman. She had never seen him lose his temper. She had never seen him rise to anger. That simply was not done, and until tonight she might have struggled to even picture it. But now...

She could see the anger building in him. She could feel it radiating off his trembling body. There was a darkness inside of the man, a hidden side which he worked so hard to keep a secret. She saw him now for what he was, a fact which should have elicited fear inside of her. Strange that she felt excitement instead. Although she could not say why.

“Is that a threat?” he growled.

“A statement of fact,” she responded. “I did not expect to see you here tonight, but now that I have, I cannot help but see the advantage.”

He stood over her, a final effort to intimidate. His glare bore into her, his teeth bared, and the growl he let escape his lips was felt in her chest. Alone as they were. Nobody coming to save her. Aurelia felt her body tremble, the danger apparent. But she did not look away...

Surprisingly, the duke suddenly smiled. “Very bold of you. Although I cannot say I am surprised.” He took a step back and she breathed a sigh of relief. “You always were a pest.”

“At least I am honest about it,” she shot back. “Which is more than I can say about you.”

He scowled at her. “What I do with my personal life is nobody’s business. Yours’ especially.”

“It is when it involves my family.”

He groaned and rubbed his eyes with frustration as he turned and stalked back to his desk. There, he picked up the tankard of ale and took a swig, slamming it down roughly, which made Aurelia jump. “You are here concerning your family’s debts.” It wasn’t a question.

Aurelia hadn’t come here completely unprepared. Although she suspected that talking a loan shark out of collecting on a payment might be next to impossible, it didn’t mean it could not be done. For that reason, she had come here tonight with a plan... half a plan... an idea that she had felt not that confident about at the time but now realized might just word perfectly.

“I am,” she said, forcing herself to stand tall and appear in control, even if her body trembled. “My brother --”

“I will not forgive them,” he cut her off. “And no number of threats will make me.” For a moment, he appeared regretful, his brow furrowing as he looked past her. Then he shook his head and focused on her again. “That is not an option.”

“I am not here to ask that, nor do I expect it.”

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