Page 72 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

“Your family’s problems?” he echoed cluelessly. “Do you mean Lady Punton’s grief? Because if so, that’s not a burden by any-”

“No, not her! But my-” Lady Penelope buried her hands in her face. “Never mind. Like I said, it’s my family,myproblem.”

“I don't understand...” Duncan admitted, his voice just barely above a whisper. “How is this related to your search for a husband? Is Lady Punton forcing you to get-”

But it didn’t seem like Penelope heard him, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned around to leave. “This was a mistake,” she huffed.

“Lady Pen!” His arm extended towards her, but she was already out of reach. “Wait.”

The next thing he knew, the covers hit the floor as Duncan leaped to his feet, wrapping his arms around her to keep her here. To his surprise, it worked.

She didn’t squirm or shove him away, but she also didn’t turn around to face him. Her gaze remained transfixed on the half-opened door.

“I said wait,” he whispered into her hair, his voice cracking slightly. “Please.”

“Wait for what exactly, Your Grace?”

His eyes ran over her delicate frame, dwarfed by his own.

“I- I don’t even know,” Duncan confessed, his chest tense. “Please just... don’t cry.”

From this close, the faint smell of her perfume teased his nostrils, reminding him of their late-night escapades to the library downstairs or his study.

The exposed side of her porcelain neck caught his eye and a small part of him wondered whether that was the primary source from which the scent came. It took all his strength to hold himself back from sating his curiosity by crashing towards the ivory shoreline headfirst.

“Easier said than done,” she sighed. Duncan watched her shoulders drop as she spoke. “I’m afraid I have been crying quite a bit lately.”

His eyebrows drew together in a frown as his arms urgently tightened around her of their own accord,. “You have? Why? What did Gloushire-”

“He didn't do anything.” She cut him off, even without seeing her face he could tell from her voice that she was chewing her lip contemplatively again. “In fact, he... might even propose soon.”

Her words burned his hands off of her waist, and he kicked himself for having them there in the first place.

“That’s... great news.” Duncan cleared his throat, stepping back from her. “So I presume you’ve been crying tears of joy,” he teased, a feeble attempt at levity while also endeavoring to hide his own embarrassment.

She finally turned to face him, her cheeks tinged pink. “He’s... kind to me. But I think it’s too soon for him and his children, it has barely been a year since his first wife passed and I don't know if I can-”

“Don't you dare compare yourself to her,” Duncan growled, a hand reaching up to cup her puffy cheek. “Gloushire should be courting you for, well,you. And while I am sorry for his loss, if he is simply trying to use you for selfish indulgence, then I shall tear him apart with my own two han-”

He choked on a cough, forcing him to withdraw his hand to cover his mouth.

“You’re not tearing anything or anyone in this state,” Lady Penelope chastised him, raising a hand to his forehead to check for a fever. “Sit down,” she urged, her other palm pressing gently into his chest.

Doing as he was told, Duncan sank onto the edge of his bed, reaching for the pitcher of water on his nightstand to refill his glass.

“I’ll do it,” she insisted, her tone almost scolding. “Your ego was always too big for your own good, so at least this cold is a good reminder that you arenotindestructible.”

Duncan rolled his eyes—an action he regretted immediately as it only served to intensify the haziness in his head. “Please, this cold is nothing more than an irritating obstacle to my work.”

He accepted the refilled glass from her with thanks, their fingers brushing momentarily.

She waited for him to finish the glass before she began again. “It would seem I’m not the only one harboring mysterious motivations and secrets in this friendship.”

Duncan knew perfectly well what she was referring to.

Much like Harlington and Fairhaven, Mother had made her stance on his new drinking habits abundantly clear. It was not inconceivable, then, that she had also expressed her concerns to Lady Penelope before sending her up here.

But pondering the reasons for his altered conduct was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

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