Page 16 of If the Duke Dares
And she knew him—the bloody Duke of Wellesbourne.
“You do not,” she said sharply, pulling away from his grasp.
“But I do,Miss Barclay.”
Persephone gasped even louder, then slapped her hand to her gaping mouth. How on earth did he know who she was? And why wasn’t he at Loxley Court meeting her parents?
“We’ve much to discuss,” he said, one of his dark brows arching with…was that amusement? Of course he would find her situation a matter of humor.
“We’ve nothing to discuss. Please excuse me.” Heart thundering, Persephone tried to move past him.
The duke gripped her forearm—not painfully, but firmly.
Swinging around to face him, Persephone glared at his hand and then at his face with its superiorI am a duke, and you will do as I sayexpression.
His eyes narrowed, and he didn’t let go, despite her trying to pull her arm away. “You’ve a great many things to explain, Miss Barclay. And I am not letting you leave until you do.”
Acton could not believe his fortune in finding her. He’d traveled to Gloucester and questioned the innkeeper at the New Inn, who’d told him she’d taken a mail coach somewhere. He’d tried to determine where, but no one had recalled seeing an attractive woman in a drab brown dress.
With no notion of where to go in search of her, Acton had stayed at the New Inn last night, hoping today would offer some revelation. He’d slept late and now found himself strolling along the High Street, where he’d run straight into his quarry.
Who was not nearly as pleased to see him as he was to see her.
He should not have found her attractive while she was so obviously furious. But she was glorious in her outrage, her blue eyes spitting contempt and her upper lip curling with distaste.
“Unhand me,” she demanded.
“Only if you promise not to run off. I will only follow you and catch you, and we can go through this entire endeavor again.”
She gave him a defiant stare. “I will scream and call for help. I’ll say you’re accosting me.”
“And I will say you are my betrothed and behaving badly. When I mention I’m the Duke of Wellesbourne, no one will intercede.” He didn’t enjoy threatening her in this manner, but he wasn’t going to let her run off, not after miraculously finding her just now.
She snarled at him, and he still found her absolutely stunning. “You’re a beast.”
“I’m concerned for your welfare. If that makes me beastly, then I’m an absolute monster.” In response to her snarl, he growled then bared his teeth, as if he truly were an animal. Her reaction—eyes widening and lips parting—nearly made him smile.
“I don’t want your concern.”
He looked her over. She wore the same dull brown gown as when he’d met her, and the garment looked as though it needed some care. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her hair wasn’t as glossy as he recalled. “I’d say youneedmy concern and my help. It’s good that I’ve come for you.”
“Come for me? I am not your betrothed, nor am I your responsibility in any way.”
“That may be true, but you have my concern even if you don’t want it. I’m going to release you now, and you are not going to run. Agreed?”
She pursed her lips, and he wasn’t sure she would stay.
“Please?” he asked. He thought of her obnoxious parents and the lie that she was home sick while she was really running around western England. She was in flight and needed to believe that she didn’t need to keep running. “I only want to know what you are about. I am not going to make you do anything you don’t wish to do.” He released her arm and held up his hands in surrender before dropping them to his sides.
She eyed him warily as she rubbed her forearm. “Good, because I refuse to marry you.”
“That is fortunate since I’ve no wish to marry you either.” He’d honestly not given it much thought, but decided that was the thing she most needed to hear.
“How do you know who I am?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest as if that would keep him at bay.
Acton was just glad she wasn’t running off. He allowed himself to relax, though not entirely, for he needed to be ready to snatch her again if she bolted. “Your parents showed me a miniature, and I recognized you immediately.”
“They didn’t.” She groaned softly as she rolled her magnificent eyes.
