Page 18 of A Duke's Lustful Riddle
“Hello, Miss Beaumont. Thank you for getting here so soon,” Gabriel said as he approached her.
“Thank you for having me, Your Grace.” Miss Beaumont said with a curtsy.
“What is going on?” Hugh asked, curiously.
“Miss Beaumont is to be Gemma’s chaperone during the social season,” Gabriel explained.
“Gemma is not going to like this,” Hugh explained. “I know her temperament. I sense an explosion of anger coming from this development.”
“She doesn’t have much of a choice,” Gabriel insisted.
Again, Gabriel was bothered by Hugh’s constant interjection of what Gemma will or will not like, talking about Gemma as if she had choices. As her guardian, she would do what he said. What a wonder it was that Hugh continued to push this matter.
“I believe the young lady and I will get along swimmingly,” Miss Beaumont spoke up. “I have chaperoned dozens of ladies over the years, and they have all wed. I do not wish to boast, but I am quite good at my job.”
That made a smile appear on Gabriel’s face. He had hired Miss Beaumont for that exact reason. This woman would aid Gemma in finding a husband, without fail.
“That is great to hear, Miss Beaumont,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel rang for the housekeeper, and within moments, she arrived.
“Ah, Mrs. Harrow, thank you for coming quickly,” Gabriel said as she entered the study. “How may I assist you, Your Grace?” She asked warmly, looking from Gabriel to the woman standing before him.
“This is Miss Beaumont, she will be Gemma’s chaperone. Will you please show Miss Beaumont to her quarters?”
“Most certainly, Your Grace.” Mrs. Harrow smiled at Miss Beaumont and gestured for the lady to follow her down the lengthy hallway.
Hugh and Gabriel watched as the two ladies exited the room.
“This season is most assuredly going to be one to remember,” Hugh smirked. “Indeed, there will be much to discuss.”
Gabriel couldn’t help but agree and hope that his plan to wed Gemma off would go off without a hitch. There were many things that might be complicated, but he planned to navigate the dips and turns in advance.
Chapter 9
Gemma had been wrestling with the perplexing dream she had about Gabriel all afternoon. She tried not to think about it, but she couldn’t help it. It was as powerful to her as her fantasies about his physical attributes, in fact.
The dream was something she had never experienced, and it made her feel things that were unknown to her. Her body was experiencing a yearning, to be sure.
The attraction to the duke was very powerful. It was a pull that she seemed to be entirely unable to resist, and she was unsure about how to deal with the nature of it.
First, she saw his striking nude physique, then she had a dream about kissing him, even though she had never locked lips with anyone before. Yet here she was imagining doing so with the duke.
Her mind was a bundle of nerves and confusion as she did her best to avoid Gabriel.
Gemma found a distraction by focusing on the letter that the late duke had left her and Gabriel. It gave her hope that the old duke was still involved in her life. Yes, getting back to the letter was a great position for her to take. She could go about hunting for the alleged treasure and distract herself from fantasizing about Gabriel while she was at it.
She went over the letter and realized that there was a riddle within the note. The riddle involved a maze of hedges and water, so she headed out to the garden.
“Lady Gemma, the duke is looking for you,” Kingsley stated as Gemma walked past him.
“He will have to find me then,” Gemma responded as she ignored the concerned look on Kingsley’s face.
“He is in his study,” Kingsley urged. “I feel that you ought to go see him immediately.”
Gemma kept on walking until she was out in the garden.
She took in the garden and saw that the hedges had been cut since the duke arrived.
