Page 37 of The Duke of Lies
“Sleep well, Beau.” Rufus blew out the lantern but left the other one burning on the other side of the room because Beau didn’t like to be in the dark. That fact had worried Verity—she’d been afraid Rufus would say he was being a coward.
On the contrary, Rufus had understood completely and said light helped guide people in their dreams. At every turn, he’d surprised and impressed her.
Of course you can imagine kissing him.
She hurried from the room, anxious to put some distance between herself and Rufus.
However, once they were in the corridor, he turned to face her. “I was hoping we might share a nightcap and discuss the estate. We’ve finished our audit, and I’d like to share the results with you as well as ask you about Cuddy.”
She blinked at him, caught in a state of surprise and apprehension. She ought to say no, that they could talk tomorrow, but she was also interested to hear what he had to say.
“I suppose we could do that,” she said slowly.
He gave her a wry smile that was one of his most attractive varieties. Yes, he had many smiles, and she’d grown to like every single one of them. She’d even begun to anticipate what would make him smile—his favorite cheese on toast for breakfast, Whiskers chasing Mr. Cheeks through the courtyard, and pretty much anything Beau did.
“I’d invite you to my office, but I’m afraid I don’t have one,” he said.
“That is a problem, isn’t it? I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before now.”
“It’s quite all right. I was using the tower office since Cuddy’s departure, but now that Thomas is here, I need to find another space.”
“How about the antechamber off the Knight’s Room? That’s seldom used and has a lovely view of the west garden and the hills beyond.”
“Why don’t we go take a look, and we can talk along the way?” He’d neatly maneuvered that, but Verity didn’t feel particularly manipulated. She could refuse him if she wanted and knew he would let her go.
With a nod, she joined him in walking along the corridor. They turned, passing the guest rooms before reaching the drawing room. They crossed the landing at the top of the stairs into the more formal Knight’s Room.
Rufus stopped abruptly. “I forgot to stop for our drinks.” He gave her a sheepish smile that was also one of her favorites. Innocent with a touch of mischief, it reminded her the most of Beau. “What would you prefer? Sherry, perhaps?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll be but a moment.” He dashed back into the drawing room, and she brushed her palms down her dressing gown, feeling suddenly nervous.
There was no reason to be, she told herself. So they were alone at night. With spirits. After their son had asked them about kissing.
Heat suffused her body, and she feared the blush she’d avoided in Beau’s room was now coloring her cheeks a bright red. She brought her hands to her cheeks and went to the windows, where hopefully cooler air would calm her flesh.
Thankfully, her face felt normal again when he returned and handed her a glass. While the heat was gone, a peculiar tickle remained in her belly.
“You still like whiskey, I see.” She took a sip of sherry, hoping to banish that tickle.
“I developed a taste for rum, but absent that, this will do.”
“I’ve never had rum. What is it like?”
“Thick and rich and a bit sweet. Decadent. There are all kinds, but the best taste just like that. In my opinion. Yours may vary. I’ll have to see if I can procure some.” He picked up a lantern before turning toward the antechamber. “It looks dark in there.”
“We don’t keep it lit or heated, but if you want it as an office, that will change, of course.”
They went into the rectangular room, and he glanced around. “This is a good size. I looked at it when I returned, but I wasn’t seeing it as an office. It’s almost too big for that.” It sounded as if he were trying to cover for not remembering the room—or perhaps he’d never seen it before his arrival.
If he wasn’t really Rufus.
She didn’t want to play this game with herself tonight. All she knew, and all that mattered, was that he wasn’t a monster. Not anymore. No one who cared for a child the way he did could be.
Verity walked toward the inner wall and turned. “You could put a desk here if you want to be close to the hearth. Or at the opposite end if you prefer to have a seating area near the windows. This room is a bit drafty in the winter, so I might choose the former.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do,” he said. “I appreciate your advice.” The room contained two seating areas, one in front of the fireplace and one at the other end of the chamber. “Where will the extra furniture go?”
