Page 25 of His Forsaken Duchess
One step. Then another. She ascended slowly, her hand trailing along the banister until she reached the landing. Turning right, she looked toward the staircase leading to the west wing. The hallway ahead was darker than the rest of the castle, a quiet tension in its shadowy depths. Her foot hovered over the first step when a voice behind her broke the silence.
“Ahem!”
Audrey jumped, her heart racing as she turned sharply to find Mrs. Potts standing at the bottom of the stairs. The housekeeper’s kindly but firm expression gave her pause.
“His Grace,” Mrs. Potts said gently, “has made it very clear that no one is to enter the west wing.”
Audrey’s pulse slowed as she gave the housekeeper a polite smile. “What is in the west wing, Mrs. Potts?”
“Nothing, Your Grace,” Mrs. Potts replied smoothly. “Only His Grace resides there, and he does not wish to be disturbed.”
Audrey raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “I see.”
With a curtsy, Mrs. Potts added, “Good night, Your Grace.”
“Good night,” Audrey murmured, her curiosity far from satisfied.
She turned away from the west wing, descending the staircase and making her way toward the library instead. If she couldn’t uncover the secrets of the west wing, she might as well explore the castle’s other treasures.
As she entered the library, the scent of aged paper and leather-bound volumes enveloped her. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the towering shelves. She stopped short when she spotted a familiar figure in an armchair by the fire.
The Duke glanced up from his book, his dark eyes locking onto hers. His gaze swept over her, and she felt a flush creep up her cheeks. He looked entirely at ease, one leg crossed over the other, but there was a quiet intensity in his expression that unsettled her.
“Duke,” she said, recovering quickly. “I must admit, I’m surprised to find you here. Reading.”
He arched an eyebrow, closing the book slightly. “Why would that surprise you? Do you think me an uneducated beast?”
Audrey laughed softly as she stepped further into the room, her fingers grazing the spines of the books on a nearby shelf. “Far from it. Though you might benefit from lessons in manners.”
He set the book down on the side table and stood up, his height and presence commanding as he approached her. “Have you taken it upon yourself to teach me manners?” he asked.
“I am considering it,” Audrey replied lightly, glancing up at him. “Though I hesitate. I do not know what sort of student you are. It wouldn’t do for you to pick me up and dump me somewhere unknown the moment I displease you.”
He smirked, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. “I did not dump you somewhere unknown.”
Audrey shrugged, stepping around him to inspect another shelf. “You still picked me up as though I were a child.”
A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “You loved it.”
Audrey spun around to face him, her cheeks blazing. “I-I most certainly did not!”
“Didn’t you?” he asked, stepping closer, his voice dropping. “Your mouth says one thing, Duchess, but your cheeks…” His eyes flicked down briefly before returning to her eyes. “And your eyes tell me another story entirely.”
Her heart raced, and she took an involuntary step back, only to feel the solid wood of the bookshelf behind her. She was trapped, his tall figure looming over her, the heat of his proximity making her pulse quicken.
For a moment, his eyes softened, and her breath caught as he leaned slightly closer.
Then, just as quickly, he straightened, stepping back with a practiced detachment. “Why are you awake at this hour, Duchess?” he asked, his tone brisk.
Audrey blinked, her thoughts scattering. “I… I couldn’t sleep,” she stammered. “The castle is cold and far too quiet.”
He folded his arms, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. “Would you prefer I host a grand ball in your honor? Perhaps invite the ton to keep you entertained?”
She tilted her head, recovering some of her composure. “That would be most charming.”
Her tone was sweetly mocking, and she caught the faintest twitch of his lips before he turned back to his chair.
Audrey exhaled slowly, moving toward a nearby shelf. She scanned the titles, selectingReflections on the Nature of Man and Moralitybefore settling into a sofa adjacent to the Duke’s chair.
