Page 16 of His Forsaken Duchess
“Let’s hope this snow clears by morning,” he muttered to himself, rising to his feet. “The sooner the princess departs, the better.”
Four
Ishouldn’t be here!
Audrey tugged her shawl closer, her breath puffing visibly in the frigid air as she walked through the castle’s seemingly endless hallways. The cold crept through the walls like an uninvited guest, mocking her with every step.
She had chosen her warmest dress for the journey, but its high neckline and long sleeves had done little to shield her from the cold. Now, dressed for dinner, the thin silk dress clung to her skin as if conspiring with the cold to torment her further. Her gloved hands trembled slightly, though she told herself it was only the draft.
The dining hall loomed ahead, its double doors ajar. The flickering candlelight spilled into the dim hallway, promising some measure of warmth. As she entered, her gaze fell on the table—set for two. She paused. The arrangement feltunexpectedly intimate, though she reminded herself it was likely Potts’s doing, not her husband’s.
She settled into a chair near the fireplace, the heat licking at her back as if in sympathy. Her fingers traced the edge of the linen napkin absently.
Surely he wouldn’t join me.
She cast a glance at the empty chair across from her. Cedric Hall had made his disdain for her presence abundantly clear since her arrival.
The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her thoughts. She glanced up, her breath catching when the Duke entered. He moved with a purposeful stride, his expression calm and controlled. His evening coat was impeccably tailored, its dark fabric complementing the sharp angles of his features.
He paused in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the room before landing on her.
“Duke,” she greeted, inclining her head.
“Duchess,” he returned, his tone measured as he took the seat opposite her.
He gestured for the servants, who quickly entered, bearing the first course.
Audrey suppressed a shiver as she reached for her soup spoon. The bowl of steaming roasted parsnip and leek soup before her was a welcome distraction from the Duke’s imposing presence. She dipped her spoon delicately into the soup, its warmth spread through her as she savored it.
“You’ve been here since our wedding,” she remarked, glancing up at him. “In Cumberland, I mean.”
His spoon paused mid-air, his gaze rising to meet hers. “I have.”
Her lips quirked into a small smile. “Nowhere else? I find that difficult to believe, given your reputation for adventure.”
“And what reputation would that be?” he asked, his tone dry.
She set her spoon down, leaning slightly toward him. “Oh, only the most outlandish tales. That you’ve wrestled with a mountain lion, for instance.”
He resumed eating, entirely unbothered by her claim. “True.”
Audrey blinked. “You cannot be serious.”
His lips twitched, though his expression was far from warm. “And what else have you heard?”
“That you spent a season aboard a pirate ship,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion. “Surely that is not true.”
His spoon clinked softly against the bowl as he set it down. “Most of it.”
“Most?” she repeated, incredulous. “You mean to tell me that you have, in fact, been a pirate?”
“Briefly,” he replied, the faintest flicker of amusement in his otherwise stoic expression.
Audrey huffed, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t believe you.”
“Does that trouble you, princess?” he asked smoothly, reaching for his wineglass.
Her cheeks reddened under his steady gaze, though she refused to look away. “Not in the least.”
