Page 23 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“It is fine, Lincoln. She is my friend,” the Nordic Beast said to his butler.
Friend?
“Well, I cannot believe the connoisseur of fine gentlemen is here. What have you come here for? To steal another pouch from me?” he asked, with an expression that seemed stoic.
Jasmine took a step back as she slowly came to a realization.
“You did not just get out of the bath,” she said slowly.
She stared at his wet body but for a different reason this time.
“I am flattered that you seem to have taken an interest in my hygiene, Madam,” the Nordic Beast said, smiling.
“No, I poured water on the intruder, and here you are, wet and dripping with water,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, and if Jasmine did not know any better, she would have believed him.
“Did you break into my house because I snatched your coins?” Jasmine asked, furious beyond words.
“What?” the Nordic Beast said, and he burst into laughter.
“Does it look to you like I am making jest?” she asked.
“Am I supposed to take your outburst seriously?” he asked.
“If you are tormenting me because I took your money, then I will pay you back the moment I am reunited with my family,” she said, “I promise.”
Tears welled up in Jasmine’s eyes, and she wiped them off furiously.
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
“I just…I want you to stop tormenting me. Please, I am scared and…” she sniffed, “I will pay you back. I promise.”
“I think there has been a mistake, and I really do not know what you are talking about,” he said. “Will you at least come in for a moment for a glass of brandy?”
Jasmine knew following him into his house when she suspected him of being the intruder was not wise, so she was rooted at a spot, contemplating if she should take his offer.
“And you can sit by the fireplace, you are shivering,” he added.
Jasmine decided there and then to take the offer. The heat was too tempting for her to pass over, especially considering her present predicament.
“Thank…Thank you,” Jasmine said as she entered the house.
She looked around as she regarded his mansion. While the house was bigger than her father’s, it lacked the warmth and liveliness that her father’s house had. The house looked like it could do well with the touch of decoration and every part of it just looked gloomy and depressing.
There was one thing Jasmine could not complain about, though, and that was the heat. Jasmine welcomed the warmth as someone who had stayed in the cold house for days. When Axel led her to his drawing room, she all but ran to the chair that was the closest to the fireplace.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
The Nordic Beast looked like he had a million questions. He took a seat on a chair directly opposite hers, and Jasmine made a point not to lock eyes with him, partly at shame at how she had conducted herself and partly at nervousness.
Jasmine nodded. She was still rattled but felt a lot better at this point since she no longer felt like she was freezing to death.
The butler returned with two glasses of brandy which warmed Jasmine’s body. They sat in uncomfortable silence as they both drank.
She could feel the Nordic Beast’s eyes on her, and she could have sworn that his eyes flitted to her bosom at least twice. Even though there was a distance between them, Jasmine still felt flustered being in his presence.
“Do you want to talk about what happened yet?” he asked.
