Page 12 of My Blind Duke
His touch was hot, nearly searing her skin along with his breath and although it should have terrified her, she instead found herself wanting to lean in even closer. Prudence wanted to soak up more of the heat that was seemingly filling a hole she had not known existed in her life.
Without meaning to, she shut her eyes and waited for whatever was to come, confused as a sudden gust of coolness overtook her body.
When her eyes fluttered open, she found the duke standing looking at her from a few steps away as his chest rose and fell with every labored breath. The expression in his eyes was almost unreadable, dangerous, and dark. Compared to their formercloseness, his sudden absence felt as though a void had been created between them.
I have to get out of here, Prudence thought suddenly.
Logic suddenly filtered through the haze of her desire as she turned from the duke and ran for her chambers, desperate to put even more distance between them. When she was safe and alone, she found herself seeking solace on the ground once more, as her knees gave out from under her.
Her body shuddered with each deep inhale she took to steady her racing heart. But it was not working – none of it was working. All she knew was the tight knot at the bottom of her stomach and the dampness between her legs.
The duke… he was bad for her. Prudence could taste it.
He… that man means trouble.
Chapter 4
It was not me. I did not kill him… did I?
The walls of the dimly lit room seemed to close in around her as Prudence tiptoed toward the bed. She wanted to stop, to turn around and run, without ever looking back. Yet, invisible strings seemed to pull her forward, forcing her hand to reach for the sheet that covered the shape of the bed.
No, stop!
She tried to pull back but found the tips of her fingers gripping the edge of the sheet. One swift movement revealed the horror that lay beneath–
Papa?
Her voice suddenly disappeared as her fingers reached up and gripped her throat, choking the breath from her lungs.
A loud thud made her open her eyes as Prudence stared at the simplicity of her chamber ceiling, a sign that she was far away from the horrors that haunted her.
It was just a nightmare.
If only she would learn to believe as much. Exhaling deeply, she used the back of her hands to wipe the sleep from her eyes. The sudden sound of shuffling reminded her that she had been awoken by the sound of something falling.
Still on edge, she cautiously sat up and peered around her chambers, her features twisting into an expression of confusion as she spotted a shadow darting toward her wardrobe. It took a moment for the shape to strike a chord of recognition in her mind and she called out gently,
“Lady Melanie?”
The young girl was half-hidden by the bulky wooden furniture, eyes alight with something suspicious as her face maintained a perfect mask of innocence.
A small box of trinkets lay on the floor at her feet, presumably having been knocked from the table to her side.
Clearing her throat, the girl quickly placed her hands behind her back and stood straight. “My apologies for waking you, Your Grace. I was trying to find my way back to my chambers when Istumbled into yours. Can you believe I only realized what I had done when I reached the other end of the room?”
She spoke quite elegantly for a girl of only eight, and Prudence found herself even more intrigued.
“Truthfully, I find that hard to believe,” the duchess stated casually as she leaned back against the pillows behind her and watched in amusement as Melanie eyed the door.
“Well, I did. Silly me. I think I shall take my leave then.” She rocked back and forth on her heels for a second before sidling toward the door.
Prudence waited for her fingers to graze the handle before stopping her in her tracks. “Lady Melanie, if you would wait for just a moment, please.”
The little girl’s body stiffened before she turned back to the bed, all the while keeping one hand out of view. “Do you wish to scold me, Your Grace?” The sweetness in her voice seemed to heighten as she batted her naturally long lashes.
“I just wanted to ask how you are settling in. I know you had a rough start yesterday evening, but has everything else been to your liking?” Prudence tried her best to hide her mirth as Melanie fidgeted with something behind her back, switching her arms awkwardly at regular intervals.
“I did, but thank you for your concern, Your Grace. I am doing just fine now.” The child’s tone was uncertain, and her eyes kept daring toward the door.
