Page 56 of Never Dare a Duke
Her expression grew confused, then sad. “Your Grace, I did not think to find you such a snob. You did not seem like all the other foolish young men chasing titles.”
For a moment, he didn’t know how to answer.Washe a snob? Did trying to find the right woman—for both himself and his family—make him seem too exclusive to outsiders?
But no, only a woman born to a life of privilege and nobility could possibly understand. How could he burden anyone else?
“Miss Bury, you have given me much to think on. But you know that a duchess’s lot is not an easy one. Should I not consider carefully what woman could best be happy with it?”
“Is not love your first consideration, Your Grace?” she asked in almost a motherly tone.
“No, it cannot be,” he said simply.
“Ah, then you are proving yourself to be like so many of the others. Perhaps a worthy woman—a woman in love—would put up with everything that goes along with being your duchess, all for the sake of having your love.”
He wasn’t going to win this one; in fact, her words unsettled him to a degree he didn’t want to think about. And he had to hurry, or the archery lesson might be over too quickly.
He bowed. “Thank you for your advice, Miss Bury.”
Her smile returned. “If anyone can accept and act on it, it is you, Your Grace.”
And then she walked away, leaving him bemused.
When she’d turned the corner, he slipped inside Abigail’s room and shut the door behind him. He searched quickly through the wardrobe and chest of drawers, finding only clothing. Lying atop the desk he found the notebook she’d been writing in the other night. And as she had said, it was all about the ghost hunting—and her curiosity about Lady Gwen’s and Mr. Wesley’s budding relationship.
Was Abigail really what she said she was? Was he being a fool?
But when he finished going through the desk, he found another notebook, identical to the first. In a neat hand, with no ladylike frills, she had written a date almost a fortnight previous, then the first line:The Duke of Madingley is not what I expected.And the next paragraph was all about her impressions of him.
Something inside him tightened.
And then he heard voices in the corridor. Without thinking about the consequences, he stepped behind the draperies, still holding the damning notebook.
When the door opened, he held his breath at the feminine laughter, and it only took a minute before he recognized three voices merrily discussing where an errant arrow had landed: Abigail, Lady Gwen, and Elizabeth.
If he was discovered like this, with so many witnesses…
But no, he was adept at talking his way around everyone from politicians to the Prince Consort. If necessary, he could make his behavior a joke, or a mistake. He was so busy planning various strategies that he barely noticed when the door shut again, and there was nothing but the swish of skirts as a woman walked about the room.
Was she alone?
He waited another minute, but no one spoke. Without breathing, he carefully peered out from behind the drapery and saw Abigail alone, not a step away, her back to him, reaching behind her neck as she undid the hooks of her gown. He followed her fingers as a line of smooth skin was revealed, then saw the pure white lace of her chemise.
He was instantly aroused, would have forgotten everything if he’d not been holding the incriminating notebook in his hand. When she groaned in frustration and took a step toward the bell-pull, he emerged from hiding and slid his hand over her mouth.
As she stiffened, he said into her ear, “Shall I help you unhook your gown?”
Though her shoulders sagged with obvious relief, she tried to yank at his hand with both of hers. He made her wait a moment, taking satisfaction in her frustration for all the trouble she’d caused him.
At last he let her whirl about and face him, those brown eyes alive with anger—and worry. She could no longer hide her emotions so easily from him.
He refused to believe she could read him as easily.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded in a furious undertone. “If you had been caught, all of your plans would have been ruined!”
He held up the notebook. “Perhaps you wouldn’t have cared. Since you seem to have a fascination for me.”
Her face paled, but all she did was roll her eyes. “I don’t know how much you read, but of course I was interested in you! If you noticed the first page, it was the date I saw you in Hyde Park. I’d just been told by Gwen that I was to visit your home. I had never met anyone as…” Her voice faded away, and she looked him up and down. Her paleness was replaced by a splotchy blush.
“Handsome?” he supplied coolly. “Hardly original on your part.”
