Page 56 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

With the aid of the moonlight streaming in through the leaves, he scanned her face for any hints of why she was suddenly closing herself off from him.

“I can’t even remember the last time you went this quiet around me,” he teased, gently nudging her in the side. “You’re starting to scare me.”

His companion still refused to budge, but Duncan also refused to give up.

“I hope you know that you can tell me anything, Lady Pen,” he reminded her, gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear so he could better see her face. “I’ll always endeavor to return the same degree of understanding and compassion that you have always extended to me.”

At last, she turned to face him, her almond-shaped eyes locking with his. Duncan couldn’t help but smirk because even with her lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed, she was still rather charming.

“When you say ‘anything’, Your Grace…” she hesitantly began.

“Anything,” he reaffirmed, taking her gloved hand in his. “Whatever it is, you’ll know that I—of all people—am certainly in no position to judge.”

Her eyes moved down to their hands as she sucked in a deep breath. “You truly are dangerous company to keep, Your Grace,” she breathed. “I think that’s why I’m afraid that I’m beginning to-”

His ears perked up at the sound of giggling and hushed whispers. He jumped to his feet urgently, pulling her up with him.

With his free hand, he brought a finger to his lips.

This way,he mouthed, leading her deeper into the archway’s path. He had just managed to pull his companion behind a statue several yards away when the other couple was finally close enough to identify.

“It’s Lord Shawstead and Lady… Rose, I believe?” he whispered to Lady Penelope, as the other couple replaced them on the bench. “And thank heavens for that because with his red hair, I was slightly worried it was Fairhaven.”

His companion carefully peeked from around the statue, but let out a gasp as the other couple grew more feverish and excited in their endeavor.

He moved quickly to shield her eyes and pull her behind the statue once again—perhaps with a little more force than he had originally intended.

“I take it that this is a popular spot for rakes to lure their prey to?” she huffed under her breath.

Duncan nodded. “And it’s not difficult to see why. It’s quite the feat to find a spot that’s easily accessible yet still secluded enough to afford a measure of privac- Ouch!” he grunted, as she removed his coat and shoved it into his torso.

He checked to see whether the other couple had heard him, but thankfully, they were too preoccupied to notice anything around them.

“I take it that if I follow the path, it will eventually rejoin the main path on the other side of the West Gardens?” she asked coldly, nodding to the path behind them.

“That is correct,” he answered, putting his jacket back on. “Come, I shall escort you to the-”

“No need,” she hissed. “Good evening, Your Grace.”

“Lady Pen?” he whispered after her bewilderedly.

But she didn’t so much as turn round, upping her pace to where she was practically jogging away from him.

He watched her until she turned the corner.

She didn’t even give me the chance to wish her well on the remainder of her endeavor.

CHAPTER19

Penelope steeled herself, annoyed at how much her palms were sweating at the moment. The wind tugged at the painting in her hands, threatening to make her drop it.

And there was a very real risk that she would as Penelope had been unable to sleep since their return from last night’s ball. As a result, she found herself walking unsteadily as her head swam with last night’s developments.

But she pushed all of that away for now, tightened her grip on the painting, and pressed onwards towards the gazebo, where Mother presently sat, taking tea by herself.

“Good afternoon, Mother,” she greeted awkwardly, accidentally jolting the older woman upright.

“Penelope, dear?” Her mother returned her teacup to its saucer, “What’s wrong?”

---