Page 71 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
Arabella almost laughed. It was the look on the duke's face that stopped her. Nothing made sense. If Lord Grafton would soon be the duke, that meantherduke was giving up his title.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Grafton,” she lied, curtsying before him. She briefly turned away, looking worriedly at the duke. “Your Grace, can I get anything for you?”
“No,” he replied. “But you can get a guest room ready for Lord Grafton. Please inform the other servants that I shall speak to them later this evening. I have something important to discuss with them.”
Arabella slightly frowned. The duke appeared a tad shaken but was trying to appear normal. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but it would be improper of her. They may have confessed their love for each other, but no one else knew about it. Also, he had other things to worry about, like Lord Grafton claiming to be the next duke.
“Yes, Your Grace,” she said, curtsying again before she left the room.
Arabella climbed the staircase, her belly in knots. She had never seen the duke look like that before, as though someone had pulled the rug from under his feet. Lord Grafton had looked smug, too smug for her liking. He was evidently forcing the duke out of his title, but she couldn't understand how that was possible. The duke was the rightful heir—the old duke's son. Lord Grafton could only claim the dukedom if the duke wasn't a legitimate heir.
Frowning at her thoughts, she entered one of the rooms with the best view of the woods. She removed all the linen and opened the windows wide before going to the linen cupboard and getting out fresh sheets. Her mind was whirling with many little details, like bits of a puzzle she hadn't managed to assemble.
She had set aside the mystery of the duke and the fire because she believed she had learned what she wanted to, but deep in her heart, she had known there was still a mystery to be solved. It was frustrating not being able to fit the pieces into place. Her gut told her everything was somehow connected, but she needed to decipher how.
Fluffing the pillow and cushions, she looked around the room, satisfied with her work. She may not like Lord Grafton, but she would never jeopardize her work and risk making the duke look bad. She turned to the door, stepping back when she saw Lord Grafton at the doorway. He was wandering around the house as though it was his already.
“Arabella, is it?” he asked, smiling at her.
The urge to wipe the smile off his face was great. “Yes, my lord.”
“That's a lovely name.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she said, curtsying. “Would you please excuse me?”
She tried to step around him, but he blocked her way. “Just a moment, please,” he insisted. “Since I'll be your new master soon, I wanted to ask if you would show me around the house and estate. I'd like to see what I'm inheriting.”
Arabella gritted her teeth. This man was simply too much. “The duke is more than capable of doing so, my lord,” she told him. “He knows this land and house better than anyone.”
“I would appreciate it if you would do me the honor,” Lord Grafton said.
Arabella inwardly sighed. He really was a pain, but he couldn't deny the request. After all, she was a servant in the duke's household.
“Very well, Your Grace,” she said. “Where would you like to start?”
“We might as well start here,” he said. “The house really is beautiful.”
“Shall we start in the library?” she suggested.
“I do enjoy reading, so that would be a good place,” he said. “Please, after you.”
Arabella nodded, leading the way up another flight of stairs. Part of her was annoyed that she had thought about the library first. It was the place where she had poured her love and care to create a beautiful place for the duke. Now, she was showing it to the man who had come to take it away from him. It was frustrating, to say the least.
“This was recently redecorated,” she told him as they entered the room.
“I can see,” said Lord Grafton. “Who did it? Perhaps I know the decorator. They did a wonderful job. I especially like the seat by the window.”
Somehow, hearing him indirectly compliment her didn't mean anything to her. "I did it, my lord," she revealed. "His Grace gave me the task of refreshing the library."
“My, aren't you a talented one, Arabella,” he said, clearly impressed. “I felt you were quite special from the moment I saw you.”
"Thank you, Your Grace," she said flatly.
“Where did you get the inspiration?” he asked. “This is not something just anyone can do. Did you have previous experience?”
“My mother enjoyed decorating,” she said. “She passed that love to me.”
“A commoner who loves decorating?” he said. “That is something different.”
