Page 42 of The Duke Says I Do
Colville’s searching look made Granville’s cheeks heat. He braced for questions about the friend’s identity. When they didn’t come, it was almost more worrying.
“You’ll be caricatured in the papers,” Colville said in a neutral voice. “You know how the press love to point out eccentricities in the great and the good.”
Granville supposed he was right. He just hoped to hell that nobody linked Jupiter’s arrival to Portia Frain and her penchant for strays.
Chapter 10
Portia had sneaked out of the house at night before. Back in Wiltshire, she often went out to collect a hurt or mistreated animal. Always with one of the servants. Usually Rankin. He came in handy if she encountered any ruffians, although around Afton Park, her status as Lord Portdown’s daughter was protection in itself.
Never before had she sneaked out to meet a lover.
Not that Alaric was her lover yet.
Her heart raced like a greyhound after a rabbit when she hurried across to the grove of trees in the center of the square. She hoped to heaven that Alaric was there already. She was nervous tonight in a way that she hadn’t been nervous on her previous nocturnal adventures.
When a hand caught her arm, a squeak of terror escaped her.
“It’s me,” a familiar voice murmured, as he drew her into the shadows. Mere days ago, that voice would have left her unmoved. Now it made her wayward heart falter, before it set off on another headlong gallop.
“Thank heaven,” she whispered jerkily. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting anyone else, but it’s so quiet and dark, and my mind was playing tricks on me so everything looked like someone lying in wait, then I…” She waved her hand in an apologetic gesture that he wouldn’t see. “I’m sorry. I’m babbling. It’s just that—”
“You’re on edge.”
“I am.” She sucked in another breath as panic subsided, which was mad when it would be worse to be found with the Duke of Granville than on her own.
He drew her deeper into the copse. “Pretend I’m a lost dog.”
That made her stifle a laugh. “For a man with no sense of humor, you’re pretty funny.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult,” he said ruefully.
“Neither am I.” When something bumped against her skirts, she gave a muffled gasp. “You brought Jupiter?”
She gave the dog a welcoming pat, as she listened to Alaric’s fond sigh. “He still won’t leave my side. Matty is having an easy time of it.”
They’d stopped in the darkest part of the grove. She could barely make out either Jupiter or his master, although she was far too conscious of the duke’s nearness. The square was deserted. Most of the parties and balls wouldn’t finish until around two.
“Let Matty feed him for a few days while you watch on. It will confirm that Matty’s part of his pack. Part of your pack, too. You are, after all, the top dog.”
That made him laugh. She thought it would. “If you say so.”
“Dukes are the top dogs in society, too.”
“I don’t want to talk about Jupiter.”
Her stomach knotted with wicked yearning. Her breath jammed in her throat, although if she was honest, she didn’t want to talk about Jupiter right now either.
“What would you like to talk about?” she asked in an unsteady voice.
When his grip on her arm tightened, a thrill rippled through her. “I don’t want to talk at all.”
Portia swayed closer to catch the intriguing drift of spicy masculine scent. “What would you like to do instead?”
“This.”
Portia couldn’t pretend to be surprised when he lashed his arms about her and kissed her. She’d teetered, trapped on theedge of tumbling over a cliff, ever since he’d kissed her in his bedroom last night.
Now the heat of his lips set her free to soar. She made a faint sound of surrender and twined her hands around his neck. Her fingers raked through his silky hair and dug into his scalp to bring him closer.
