Page 50 of The Duke of Ice
Muttering an oath, he mounted his horse and thundered back to the manor. He was, as anticipated, thoroughly soaked by the time he arrived at the stables. He looked for Simon’s vehicle. Not seeing it, he asked if the duke had left and was informed that he had. Damn, Simon had departed with incredible speed.
Likely he’d wanted to avoid seeing anyone, which he’d done because the coaches were just arriving from the village.
Nick went into the house and asked for a bath and whiskey. Hopefully, the combination would give him some insight on what path to take.
* * *
Violet stoodin the upstairs sitting room that overlooked the front drive and watched the ladies climb into the coaches for an afternoon jaunt into Wells to shop. After yesterday’s disaster at the cathedral, she’d wanted to close herself in her room for the remainder of the party, but Hannah had convinced her to come to dinner. Violet had relented, agreeing that it would be better for Simon if she showed everyone that she was fine and reiterate that he hadn’t pushed her.
She just wished he hadn’t left. Everything she and Nick had done to rehabilitate his reputation had been swept away.
Hannah had felt horrible. She’d vowed never to invite Lady Nixon and Mrs. Law to anything ever again. It was good the house party would conclude after tonight’s ball. Violet was looking forward to leaving in the morning.
She wanted to put as much distance between herself and this party as possible. And not just because of what had happened with Simon. No, if she were honest, it was largely to do with Nick.
He’d come to dinner last night and been his usual aloof self. Even so, she’d caught him looking at her several times. Not that she’d been able to discern why. His features had been as impassive as ever.
Still, she’d been aware of his presence and her undying attraction to him the entire evening. She couldn’t stand it. Perhaps she could beg off tonight’s ball and plead illness. Everyone had seen that she was perfectly fine yesterday. They wouldn’t blame Simon.
Of course they would. They already did.
Scowling, she turned from the window and instantly froze.
Standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his gaze targeted directly on her, was Nick. He was dressed as he’d been at luncheon—a dark green coat with buff breeches and a waistcoat of warm acorn brown. “You aren’t dressed for riding,” was all she could think to say. The men were going riding while the women ventured to the village.
“No, they just left.” He pushed away from the jamb and closed the door. Then he walked slowly into the center of the room before stopping.
Why had he closed the door? She ignored the invisible magnet drawing her to him. “I was just heading back to my room.”
“Stay.” He took another step toward her. “Please.”
“I shouldn’t.” And yet she didn’t move.
“After tomorrow, I doubt we’ll see each other. It seemed…” He cleared his throat and took another step. What the devil was he about?
His brow creased, destroying the careful composure he always wore. Was he going to be the Nick she remembered? The Nick she liked?The Nick she loved?
No. She didn’t love him anymore. Not this Duke of Ice.
He wiped his hand over his mouth, a gesture he’d done often in their youth. It startled her.
“I’m conflicted.” He speared her with a tumultuous look, and she could see the battle in his eyes. “I… I want to move forward, but I don’t know that I can. Not until I put the past behind me. I didn’t realize that until I saw you here.”
And now the conflict ignited inside her. She’d been so happy to see him. Suddenly, all the dreams she’d buried had taken flight, and for the first time, they’d seemedreal. Until she’d seen what he’d become. Now she had to accept that her dreams were dead, that they’d died eight years ago. And yet here he was, standing in front of her—the man who’d stolen her heart, the man she would’ve given anything to reclaim. Sanity told her to run away, but she was rooted to the floor.
“I need to move on too.” She didn’t recognize the sound of her voice. It was dark and steely. Cold.
“I was hoping that together, we could do that. Find a way to leave the past where it belongs.”
She’d held her love so close to herself for so long that it was simply a part of her. She couldn’t begin to imagine how she’d cut it away and be whole again. “How?”
He closed the gap between them. His eyes, so pale and bright in the afternoon light coming from the window behind her, bored into hers. “Like this.”
He reached for her, his hand curling around her waist. She sucked in a breath, desire enflaming her as he drew her against his chest.
Staring down at her as if he hadn’t truly seen her in eight years, he traced his forefinger along her forehead, then down over her temple and across her cheekbone until he found her jaw. Dragging his flesh along hers, he came to her mouth. The moment his finger touched her lips, she opened and drew the tip inside, never breaking their eye contact.
His eyelids lowered, and his gaze turned instantly seductive. She suckled his finger, but he pulled it away, and she thought he meant to leave then.
