Page 10 of Duke in Shining Armor
CHAPTER4
James poured himself a snifter of brandy and took a healthy swallow. It had been almost two hours since he departed Lady Catherine’s room, and he still pondered her unusual and slightly ‘bordering on scandalous’ request.
The lady was most unusual. Somehow James thought he would have found her rattled, but her composure remained unflappable. She had even sworn again. He wondered if this lady was accustomed to swearing without impunity. He could hardly imagine such a thing. He sensed the lady was very unconventional, but she was also independent, intelligent, and determined.
James felt he needed to understand who she was, and it was more than mere curiosity. In a manner of speaking, no other lady had captured his imagination so effortlessly.
Who are you really?
For Lady Catherine to capture his imagination was no easy feat. She was beautiful, but there were many beautiful ladies already vying for his attention, hoping to make a good match. She was different. The determined glint in her eyes when she pointed the derringer at him made her so. He had no doubt she would have fired upon him if necessary. To her credit, her hand did not waver.
Her determined strength was at odds with the slenderness of her body. Although she did not think herself weak, she was vulnerable, and he would have defended her if the highwaymen had come upon them. When he went to seek the carriage to take her to Pembroke Estate, she must have been in turmoil when she awakened, wondering if she would be pounced upon. His forefathers had been knights … generous, brave men with strength and skill in battle who respected women, defended the weak and the poor. Chivalry was alive within him, and he would show her kindness and respect. He was certain Lady Catherine would not think that she needed a knight; nonetheless she would have one.
He raised his snifter, took another swig of brandy, and frowned. Lady Catherine had been very cautious about her family, not revealing further connections and he had not pushed, for he understood the instinctive need to protect her reputation. James also realized the lady might have been crafty in withholding the full details of her family since she did not want him to search and inform them of the incident. He wondered if there was more to her story. Although he was interested to know, he would not be intrusive.
She did not wish to let her family know, and he realized he must also keep it from his family and friends. Fortunately, Pembroke Estate was quite large and isolated, and he would not have visitors who were unannounced. His servants knew that if they were caught gossiping, they would be dismissed without a character reference and another job would be practically impossible to come by. However, the servants would be discreet, because in addition to being well compensated, they were loyal to him, several having served his family for many years.
Another chuckle escaped him. He admired Lady Catherine’s fearless ingenuity in asking him to keep her secret. But should he dare allow her request? What harm would there be? The memory of her lush, smiling mouth swam in his thoughts, and once again his heart did that jerk. The lady was indeed beautiful, and he was a damn normal man with healthy appetites. Her blonde hair was like strands of lustrous silk with its escaping strands falling over her forehead. He had felt the overwhelming need to touch her hair to see if it felt as silky as he imagined it to be, but he refrained. When he lifted her to place her in the buggy, her hair smelt like lavender. He closed his eyes and the memory of the scent washed over him, so too did the soft curves of her body against his chest for the brief moment that he held her.
James raised the flask and refilled his snifter. He had accounted for family, friends, and the servants. What of him? Would it not be too dangerous to have such a lady beneath his roof as a guest? James scowled and scrubbed a hand over his face. He was not an untried lad to act recklessly because a lady was so charming and lovely. He did not know much about Lady Catherine, but she could be a paragon of virtue, graceful, pure, delicate, and chaste. Even if tempted, he was sure he had the ability to control himself. She relied upon him to protect her, even from himself.
James considered everything. She was in peril and she is now in his care. The physician advised that she should not travel until fully healed. It would be prudent to follow the physician’s advice so that Lady Catherine suffers no further harm, thus delaying her recovery. Her lady maid’s situation remained dire, and the lady wished to remain at his home without her family’s knowledge. She was adamant about this; therefore, she would have given it due consideration before she broached the subject with him. Although he weighed her request and tried to account for different eventualities, he was shrewd enough to know there were sometimes surprises.
James was keen to render aid, but he must also protect the lady’s reputation. He wondered who she was and what was her full story.
And why do I feel this sense of anticipation to find out?
* * *
Catherine awoketo the sounds of birds chirping outside her window. Her heart jolted, and she shoved the thick coverlets from her body. She wildly looked around the room, then she recalled the terrible incident from the previous day. Catherine briefly closed her eyes. She was certainly disoriented upon awakening in a strange bedchamber. She was rather fortunate the duke had happened upon them and offered them a physician and sanctuary in his home.
A maid knocked and entered her room.
“Good morning, my lady. His lordship asked me to assist you to prepare for breaking your fast.”
While the maid assisted her, Catherine could not help but wonder if the duke had come to a decision. Would he write to her parents, or would he allow her to recover before making her way to Switzerland?
“I will have your breakfast tray shortly, my lady.”
“Thank you.”
Catherine understood it would not be easy to remain in bed and have someone wait on her hand and foot. Nevertheless, she knew she must follow the physician’s advice if she wanted a speedy recovery, and that she did. The sooner she recovered, the sooner she would be on her way.
The maid returned with a breakfast tray of warm bread rolls, preserves, sausages, bacon, and eggs, accompanied by tea. As the maid opened the door to leave the bedchamber, the duke appeared with his breakfast tray. The maid stood aside to allow him entry and took her position in the far corner of the room. There was a small desk and a chair in the opposite corner of the room, and the duke sat there. He was tall and rather imposing; hence he made the furniture appear small.
“I bid you good morning, Lady Catherine. I trust you rested well?”
Nonplussed, she stared at him. Was he to eat with her? “I did, Your Grace. Thank you.”
“I presume you want to know of your lady’s maid’s welfare. It saddens me to say that her situation has not improved.”
“I am truly sorry it is so,” Catherine replied, fear tightening her chest. She prayed that Helen would make a speedy recovery because she had been a part of the fabric of Catherine’s life. She could not fathom what she would do without Helen. Catherine had not started eating and the duke gestured toward the meal.
“Please let us break our fast. I mentioned your lady’s maid first and foremost because I know you would be concerned about her welfare.”
“I am, Your Grace,” she said. “I do hope she wakes from her sleep and recovers quickly.”
“Dr. Blackwell advises me, with time, she should awake.”
