Page 11 of Duchess By Accident
“I am free. Free!” She sighed in relief, feeling lighter than she had done in weeks.
“I expect they will be talking about that for months to come.” A voice said from behind her.
Duke Blackwood was leaning against the stone wall, watching her, an amused smile on his face. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she hastily stopped spinning.
People were beginning to file out of the church, but they were far enough away that Natalie doubted they would bother her.
“Probably.” Natalie forced herself not to smile too broadly.
She noticed that Duke Blackwood was standing at such an angle that he would be almost impossible to see as people filed from the church.
“Thank you.” She said moving towards him, but stopping a respectable distance away.
The smell of his spicy sweet cologne washed over her, and she inhaled sharply without thinking. He arched an eyebrow at her, an amused smile on his face. She was in too good a mood to let him irritate her.
“Do not forget that we had a deal, Lady Natalie. I did not help you out of the goodness of my heart.” He took a step towards her, placing a hand on his chest.
“So you admit, you have a heart then?” Natalie teased, unable to help herself.
He shrugged, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards. “Perhaps.”
“I am sure my brother will be happy to pay any price you name. No one wanted me to marry Lord Bolton.” Natalie shuddered. “Land. Money. Alexander will make sure you are more than adequately compensated.”
“Oh, I have no need for land or money. I have more than enough of both.” Duke Blackwood grinned as he took a step towards her.
“He has several excellent vineyards.” Natalie’s eyes met the Duke’s and her heart skittered in her chest. “Perhaps you might care for some of the rarer bottles?”
The Duke shook his head. “My price is something far rarer than any mere bottle of wine.”
“What do you mean?” Natalie looked into his cool grey eyes, her throat suddenly dry.
“I would have thought it obvious, little Sparrow.” His eyes blazed with intensity as he took a step closer. “I want you.”
Her cheeks flushed scarlet and she shook her head, her heart sinking. “You… Surely I am mistaken. I thought… I am not… I am not that kind of woman.”
“I know you are not.”
“Then what… I do not understand.” Natalie whispered.
“Then let me be clear.” Duke Blackwood laughed softly, took her hand in his and gently pressed it to his lips. “I want the one thing I do not have.”
He leaned down. The smell of amber, musk and myrrh filled her senses. His breath tickled her skin and Natalie gasped, a shiver running up her arm and down her spine as he whispered, “a wife.”
Chapter Four
Adrian left before Lady Natalie could say anything else. He watched as her sisters surrounded her, her eyes still wide with shock.
He smiled, noting her shiver as their eyes met briefly, and the faint colour in her cheeks.
“She was right, I do enjoy theatrics.” Adrian smiled to himself as he hauled himself onto his horse and made his way back home.
The sun was nearly setting as he arrived back at Blackwood Manor, his London home. He handed his horse to one of the stable hands and strode into the dining room.
A young girl of about eight glanced up at him. Her blonde hair was untidy, and Adrian noticed a few leaves in it. She smiled when she saw him, but did not make any move to come closer.
“Did you have a good day, Father?” Melody Stone asked, as he bent down and plucked the leaves from her hair.
“I did.” He smiled at her, brushing a few specs of dirt from her shoulder as he cast an assessing gaze upon her. “Have you been climbing trees again?”
