Page 7 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
The sun was gradually setting now, and Jasmine knew that Bond Street was not a good place to be out late at night, even as a person from a noble family, let alone a lady. Jasmine had heard tales of scoundrels attacking nobles at night in this part of the town. Therefore, she knew she had to be out of Bond Street by nightfall.
She quickly searched for a chaise to take her home and was happy to get one. “Take me to the Thornhill’s house,” she ordered the coachman.
“50 shillings!” the coachman replied.
Jasmine gasped. “That is quite costly, wouldn’t you agree?” she asked the coachman.
“That is the cost,” he replied.
“I only have twenty shillings. I…” Jasmine cursed herself for spending nearly all her money on buying books.
“T’is 50 shillings.” Jasmine groaned in frustration.
“Would you be so kind as to take me to the Thornhill’s mansion? My mother shall give you the 50 shillings the moment we get there,” she pleaded.
“I would be a fool to believe a chit like you,” the coachman replied.
“How dare you! I am no chit. I am Lady Jasmine, daughter of the Earl of Thornhill, and I will not have you…”
“A real Lady of the Thornhill Family would have a mere 50 shillings, wouldn’t you agree?” the coachman argued.
Jasmine sighed. The coachman was right; she would have indeed had more than 50 shillings at hand if she had not spent all her money at the bookstore.
Knowing that she could not change the coachman’s mind, she decided to walk all the way back to her home. She soon realized though that the endeavor was futile when she could not find her way home.
Darkness was beginning to set in, and everywhere she went, scoundrels leered and stared at her from the dark corners. Jasmine knew she had to do something lest she spent the night on the streets. She shuddered with fright as the thought crossed her mind.
“Mother will surely come back for me… or William,” Jasmine said under her breath, even though she knew it was not true.
She had always been the child that the Earl and the Countess constantly overlooked. William, being the heir, got everyone’s attention, and even Rose got their parent’s attention with her rebellious ways. The twins, on the other hand, got attention with their mischief. Jasmine was always left alone, which was why she found solace in books. When she was younger, she often slipped off to read or daydream, and her parents would come looking for her, but as soon as the twins were born, no one seemed to notice her absence anymore.
Tears welled up in Jasmine’s eyes, and she attempted to blink them away but to no avail. She finally gave up and let the tears flow while she walked around the strange streets of London.
This day cannot possibly get any worse.
“Connoisseur of gentlemen, are you lost?” a familiar booming voice asked behind her.
Jasmine froze as she realized that the night had, in fact, just gotten worse. How ill was her luck that she managed to run into the same insufferable man twice in just one day?
Jasmine turned around to face the man, ensuring she did not show any fear or sadness.
The evening breeze blew his hair, and he had an angelic look about him that she would have trusted if he had not earlier shown that he was an untrustworthy fellow. The man easily towered over her, and behind the slight smirk on his face was a look of concern.
“I am not lost, sir,” she lied.
“I do not believe that. You have tears in your eyes, and you look tired,” he insisted.
Jasmine wanted very badly to trust him, but she was also very cautious.
“I am fine, kind sir. Now, if you will excuse me,” she said, and she began to walk away. She had not taken two steps away when he stepped in front of her, blocking her way.
“You are not fine, and I can tell because your pretty mouth has not spouted any insults at me yet,” he argued.
Jasmine looked up at him.
“I’m afraid, I do not make a habit of insulting strange men,” she said.
A smile spread on his face as he looked at her, amused.
