Page 16 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
Adele, Verity, and Rowen descended into giggles as each of them adjusted their hats and windswept hair. She was just debating how she would clamber down from the driver’s seat in her dress when she realised her friends were all staring past her.
She whirled around as she heard the sound of hoofbeats, but it was not a grey horse that approached them, nor was its rider a mousy-haired man.
It was the Duke, riding towards them on top of a magnificent black stallion.
His cape billowed out behind him, his windswept hair ruffling with it as he held up a hand in greeting. To Adele’s surprise, he was smiling. The sight of it did something strange to her knees and made her breath catch in her chest.How does he do this to me?
“Good afternoon, ladies.” The Duke leapt from his horse as he approached them and doffed his cap as he swept into a low bow. “Are you in need of some assistance?”
“We are perfectly fine, thank you, Duke Scarfield.” Adele swallowed.
“Duke Scarfield? You are the cousin of Adele’s late husband, are you not?” Cora looked between Adele and the Duke.
“I am indeed. And if I do not miss my guess, you are Lady Cora Lovett? Which must make you Lady Irving and you Lady Nettle.”He smiled at each of the women, and Adele saw each of them soften — even Rowen, proffering a hand towards them as though to assist them from the carriage.
She bristled and was tempted to bat his hand away.Has he been sp ying on my friends as well as me?“As I said, Your Grace, we are in noneed of assistance. No doubt you have somewhere more important to be.”
“Ah, yes. I forgot, you do not like to depend on people, do you Lady Adelaide?” The Duke’s smile broadened, and he let his hand drop as Adele narrowed her eyes. “Though perhaps your friends are less independently minded. I can think of few things more pleasurable than an afternoon spent in the company of such fine women.”
Where was this charm weeks ago?Adele realised that she was scowling and forced her face into a smile. She had no wish for her friends to think her petulant. “We really should be on our way —”
“I am not journeying another mile in this cursed contraption.” Cora cut her off. “I would not refuse your assistance, Duke Scarfield. I am in need of a stiff drink. Failing that, a cup of tea will do.”
Cora held out a hand expectantly.
“I can offer you an arm, My Lady, but I fear I can do nothing to help with the drink.” He helped her from the phaeton.
“Then it is a good thing we are by a tearoom.” Cora beamed at him, and for a moment, Adele was convinced the woman was going to squeeze his cheek.
Verity and Rowen had clambered from the phaeton with the Duke’s assistance and looked up at Adele expectantly. She hesitated. The Duke followed their gaze and arched an eyebrow at her. He held out his hand, and Adele begrudgingly took it.
The warmth of his fingers against hers spread through her body, and she lost her footing. She tumbled from the phaeton with a yelp, but strong hands caught her, steadying her against him. Her breath caught as the Duke’s grip tightened around her before he set her on her feet.
Her heart skittered around her chest, and it took her a moment to realise that her hand was resting against the Duke’s chest. She withdrew it hastily and stepped away from him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she did.
“Are you hurt?” Verity was beside them in an instant.
“I am fine, really, I just missed my footing.” Adele’s cheeks were still bright red.
Verity smiled at the man. “You are lucky the Duke was here.”
“I am sure Lady Adelaide would have managed without me.” The Duke nodded towards her. “Though I confess, I was hoping to run into you.”
“Were you indeed?” Adele forced herself to smile at him though it felt more like a grimace.Of course, he was.“And was it luck that happened to bring you across my path or something else?”
“I suspect you already know the answer to that question.” The Duke’s eyes glittered in the sunlight, and Adele realised that her friends had disappeared into the tearoom without them.
She seized the moment and prodded him in his chest. “I am not sure what game you are playing, Duke Scarfield, but I am not falling for it. You may have fooled my friends, but I know this is not the real you.”
Duke Scarfield canted his head towards her, the flicker of a smile on his face as he took her finger in his hands and moved it from his chest. “I see the weeks have done nothing to soften your temper.”
Though his movement was firm, there was a surprising gentleness and softness that took Adele off guard. The feeling of several thousand butterflies taking flight in her stomach unnerved her, and she tried to extinguish it with her anger.
“How could they, when they have not eroded your suspicion? Or are you going to deny that you sent those men to follow me?” She gestured to the empty road behind them.
“I see they were not as circumspect as I had hoped.” The Duke sighed.
“They were as subtle as elephants,” Adele snorted.
