Page 12 of The Duke of Lies
“As it happens, youcouldhelp me with something.”
He snapped his gaze to hers. “You have only to name it.”
“You promise I can trust you? That you won’t get angry?” The trepidation in her eyes made his chest burn.
“I promise both of those things. Please tell me how I can help.”
“After you disappeared, my father came here tohelpme.” The way she said help suggested it was the opposite. “He worked closely with Cuddy, which I thought made sense since he’d encouraged you to hire him. Their relationship seems to have remained close. Despite my being the duchess, I believe Cuddy still answers to him.” The bridge of her nose wrinkled as she spoke of them in obvious distaste. Hell, were there any men in her life worth a damn save Beau? “Today I’d decided to dismiss him. I want to replace him with Whist’s grandson.”
Kit remembered Whist, the former steward, from that brief time he’d stayed here. He’d been relieved to learn Whist was no longer serving in that capacity in case he recalled the bastard who’d spent a summer on the estate. But that was so long ago, and Kit looked, of course, much different now. He also looked rather like his cousin, which was why this charade was even marginally successful. So far.
“Is there anything wrong with this Cuddy fellow? Or is it just that he answers to your father instead of you?” That ought to be enough to discredit Cuddy, and to Kit, it was.
Her shoulder lifted as she looked away from him. “Yes, that’s it. He doesn’t welcome my participation in the management of the estate. In your absence, I thought it was important for me to take more of a role, especially as Beau grows older.”
He couldn’t argue with that. “Well, he’ll do whatever I tell him to now. I’m sorry he’s been difficult.”
Her gaze shifted back to his, and the dark irises of her eyes bored into him with their intensity. “You’re going to keep him on, then?”
“Doubtful. I don’t like people who don’t give respect where it’s due, and the duchess of the estate deserves that and more. Where does this fellow reside?”
Her disbelief had once again been replaced with bewilderment, but this time, it was no longer fleeting. Perhaps he was finally making progress. “In the southeast tower,” she said. “His office is on the ground level, and his living quarters above it.”
“Excellent. I’ll meet with him on the morrow. Would you care to join me?”
Her eyes widened. “I, ah, yes. If you don’t mind.”
“I wouldn’t have invited you if I minded. When I said I wanted autonomy, I didn’t mean to suggest that you would be excluded. I shall involve you in whatever you desire.” That word evoked something within him. Not just the word, but speaking the word in her presence. She was, much to his misfortune, a stunningly beautiful woman.
Misfortune?
Yes, because while she was his “wife,” he wouldn’t presume to approach her in any sort of intimate fashion. Their marriage, short as it must be, would be entirely platonic.
She stood, and he sensed that she needed a reprieve from his presence. “Thank you. I keep saying that, but I am incredibly grateful for this change in your demeanor. I hope it lasts.”
He nearly laughed at his thoughts of a moment ago. Intimacy with the duchess wasn’t something he would need to worry about. He doubted she’d ever touch her husband again, at least not willingly. And that was just as well. It was also just as well that he didn’t know her name. Still, he’d like to.
He rose. “I am at your service. Should I join you and Beau for dinner, then?”
“I think you must. He’s over the moon that you’ve returned. I beg of you, whatever you do, please don’t disappoint him.”
Kit’s resolve wavered. When he’d seized this opportunity, he hadn’t known about the boy. And he knew from experience what it was like to be young and suffer loss and disappointment.
Fuck.
A voice in his head yelled at him to knock it off. Beau had never known a father, and from what Kit could tell, that man had been a right son of a bitch. Kit would show Beau what a good father could be, and if he only had one for a short time, well, that was better than to have never had one at all, wasn’t it?
“I’ll take the room next to his,” Kit said. “I’ll speak to Kirwin.”
“Thank you. Again.” She didn’t smile, and he didn’t expect her to. That didn’t mean he didn’t want to see it. He imagined her face lighting up with joy and decided that would be worth working for.
Chapter 4
When Verity wokethe next morning, she wondered if Rufus’s return had been a dream. But then the rapturous face of her son crowded her mind, and she knew it hadn’t. Beau was simply enthralled with his father, and so far, Verity couldn’t blame him. Rufus was charming, attentive, and exactly the kind of father she would want for Beau.
Which made absolutely no sense.
She longed to ask him why he’d changed. Had he simply suffered enough over the past six and a half years that he’d transformed from the monster he’d been? She supposed that was possible, but it also gave her pause. If he could change so much once, surely he could change back. It would be quite some time until she could relax with him, if she truly ever could.
