Page 91 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

“You still want to protect me...?”

“Of course,” he answered like it was the most natural thing in the world, jolting her out of her thoughts as she realized that she had stated her conclusionout loud.

How could he say it so easily and naturally when he had behaved so indifferently towards her this past week?

Penelope studied his expression carefully, but the duke was quick to return the favor, his blue eyes running over every inch of her face almost as though it was the last time he would get to see her.

The only thing to break the spell was the upward curl of his smirk as he asked, “What are you contemplating so deeply, Lady Pen?”

The sudden use of his pet name for her felt like an arrow to Penelope’s poor heart.

“Youcan’t keep doing this to me!”she wanted to scream at him, wishing to throw his words back in his face, even if that meant contorting whatever their original meaning was to suit her own purposes.

But His Grace appeared completely oblivious to the thoughts that galloped through her mind, continuing to stare at her expectantly as he waited for her to answer his question.

“I-” her voice got stuck, so she cleared her throat to try again, “I wanted to thank you for...” she looked down at her fidgeting hands, “...everything you did last week, and I’m sorry for always causing you trouble no matter how I-”

“It was no trouble at all.” He cut her off, sounding very much like his mother.

His voice wavered for just a moment, giving Penelope the nerve to raise her eyes to him where she now found him being the one to avert his gaze.

“How are you?” he coughed out. “We were... worried when you collapsed.”

“Better now, Your Grace.” She smiled, mustering some more bravery to add, “But of course, you would have already known that if you were around more often.”

Her tone had been teasing but there wasn’t a sliver of amusement in the way his eyes returned to meet hers.

Penelope dropped her smile at once. “I-I’m sorry, Your Grace,” she barely managed to choke out, “I was only trying to jest-”

He let out a sigh—it sounded more like it was out of defeat rather than annoyance, “I know.”

Suddenly, the tense, awkward air between them had returned in full force, stifling Penelope’s thoughts and leaving her at a loss.

He let out a bitter laugh, “Sometimes I ask myself if you’re doing it on purpose, you know.” The sound of his voice—now low and gruff—grounded Penelope once again. “But I know you would never be so cruel.”

Penelope narrowed her eyes at him, completely unconcerned with how plainly her bewilderment must have been written on her face. She also finally found the will to voice it. “I... never understand you, Your Grace,” came her frank confession. “Nothing you ever say or do makes sense.”

“You can’t keep doing this to me,”his past voice echoed in her mind yet again.

“I have the very same complaint against you,” his voice said in the present, and for just a moment, the familiar glint in his eyes returned. “You... you’re unbelievable,” he exhaled.

As soon as the words left his lips, Penelope knew in her heart that she had been cursed with another cryptic phrase that would haunt her in her quietest moments.

“I have the same complaint against you,” she somehow managed to retort, finally fulfilling her wish from earlier to use his own words against him. “What should we do?” she asked, surprised at the unmistakable vulnerability that her question carried.

“Whatisthere to do?” he replied tiredly. “Even if-”

The shrill creaking of the front gates opening cut him off. Penelope stepped aside as His Grace immediately leaned his upper body out of the window, and craned his neck to see who it was that had arrived—he looked just about ready to climb out of the window right then and there.

“Ah. It’s just the seamstress,” he exhaled in relief before returning his attention to Penelope. “You should go,” he stated matter-of-factly, that irritating cordiality back in his voice and expression now fully returned.

“Yes...” she mumbled in response, “I should.”

CHAPTER31

“Mother, please...” Penelope let out a chuckle, slightly embarrassed in front of the seamstress despite knowing that she had likely witnessed countless similar scenes before. “It’s still only the fitting...”

“I- I know,” Mother sobbed out as the dowager duchess gently stroked her back. “But yo-ou look so beau-utiful!"

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