Page 45 of Duchess By Accident
“You already have.” He pointed out, so close his breath tickled her skin.
Shivers ran through her.
“Stop stealing my biscuits.” She slapped his hand without thinking, the same way she would slap Peter’s hand when he tried to steal her food.
The Duke’s eyes widened and he laughed. Not his usual mocking chuckle, but a deep, booming laugh of surprise. In the dim light, it softened his features and he seemed more like the man he was with his daughter, than the cold Duke he showed to everyone else.
“You should laugh more often.” Natalie said absently. “It is a nice sound, and it softens all your edges.”
“Careful, Natalie, that sounds dangerously close to a compliment.” Adrian said.
She gave him a wicked smile. “Perhaps it is one. After all, you are bound to do something I enjoy once in a while.”
He laughed again and Natalie found herself laughing with him. “Very well, let us share some cake.”
She watched as Adrian moved to a cupboard she had already searched. “Every tin in there is labelled dog food.” And why did the housekeeper store dog food in tins to begin with?
“Which makes it the perfect place to store cake.” He replied, procuring several small slices of cake from a tin. “No one wants to accidentally eat dog food.”
“I should think few people want to eat it on purpose.” She frowned. “Although, now that I think of it, it would make sense for the kitchen to send the scraps straight to the hounds rather than store them.”
“Exactly. But even then, few people would want to risk being wrong, even if logic dictates that they are unlikely to be.” Adrian took a mouthful of his cake and then began to walk out of the kitchen. “I have no wish to eat in the cold. There is a fire in my study, should you wish to join me.”
For a moment, Natalie thought about turning him down, but her curiosity got the better of her. “A chance to see the one room I have not yet been able to, this night is just full of treats.”
“Not to mention the pleasure of my company.” The duke quipped.
“Well, I suppose there must be a price to pay for my good fortune.” Natalie winked at him.
He swept into a bow as they reached the doors of his study and he flung them open, gesturing for her to enter. “After you, Little Thief.”
“Thank you, Sir Fox.” She curtsied to him, only just managing to stifle a giggle.
His study was far more cosy than she had expected. There were two plush armchairs by a roaring fire, with a thick carped in the centre of the room. There were bookshelves lining every wall, with a large mahogany desk off to one side.
Natalie watched as Adrian moved towards a decanter and poured himself a glass of deep red liquid.
“Would you like some wine?” he asked.
“I will pour it myself.” Natalie took the decanter from him. “That way I can be as generous as I would like.”
“And you do not think I would be generous? Do I seem a miser to you?” his eyes sparkled as he surveyed her over the edge of his glass.
“Perhaps I simply like to be in control of what I drink.” Natalie forced the memory of Lord Bolton from her mind.
She knew that Adrian was not Lord Bolton, that he had no reason to tamper with her drink. That he had already drunk the wine from the decanter, but she could not quite bring herself to let him pour a drink for her.
“Or you simply like control.” Adrian murmured.
“That makes two of us.” Natalie answered, clinking her glass against his. “To control.”
“Control.” He smiled and sipped his drink. “Shall we sit?”
She nodded and took a seat in one of the armchairs, it was more comfortable than she had been expecting and she found herself settling into it with a pleased sigh.
“You seem to have made yourself at home.” Adrian pointed out as he took one of the scones.
“If you did not want me to do so, you should not have invited me.” She gave him a sidelong look. “Are you not worried I will rearrange your study now?”
