Page 2 of The Duke's Accidental Wallflower
She moved quietly, edging closer, her eyes narrowing as she strained to make out the details of his face. The light shifted slightly, illuminating his sharp features. Her heart stopped.
The Duke of Colburn.
Of all people, it had to be him!The man who was known throughout London as a notorious rake, the man whose namehad been whispered at nearly every gathering for as long as she could remember. This man matched Chastity’s description in her diary: He was devastatingly handsome with his dark hair and brown eyes...well, I suppose they are closer to amber.
Women fawned over him, but he never seemed interested with any of them long enough to form an attachment.Chasity, of course, would swoon over a man like him – dashing and off limits.From all the gossip of the ton, he was everything Minerva despised in a man—carefree, charming, and entirely too arrogant.
And now he is here. But where is Chastity?
Minerva’s blood boiled at the very thought.
“You!” Minerva blurted out before she could stop herself, her voice ringing through the quiet room.
The Duke of Colburn’s head turned, his eyes landing on her with a look of mild annoyance. His lips curved into a slow, polite smile, the kind that made it clear he was used to women recognizing him.
“Well, good evening to you too,” he drawled with sarcasm, his voice deep and smooth. “I did not expect to run into an admirer tonight.”
Minerva’s cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment, but she lifted her chin defiantly. “You presume too much, Your Grace. I had no intention of seeking you.”
The Duke’s brow lifted, though the smile never left his face. He took a step closer, his eyes as cold as ice as he looked her over. “Is that so? Then whowereyou looking for?”
Minerva’s stomach twisted, but she forced herself to remain calm. She had to be careful, had to handle this situation without letting her emotions get the better of her. “A young woman,” she said firmly. “I believe you have been meeting her in secret.”
The Duke blinked, momentarily caught off guard before a scoff escaped his lips. “I assure you, you are mistaken. I have not met with anyone tonight.”
Minerva’s jaw clenched. “I do not believe you. A man like you, with your reputation—what else would you be doing here, alone in the dark?”
He sighed, his fingers pinching the space between his eyes. “You may believe what you wish, but I have told you the truth. I came here for some quiet. I was not expecting to be accused of ruining a lady’s reputation.”
Minerva stepped forward, her anger flaring. “You expect me to believe that? You, of all people, hiding away in a library during a ball?”
His brow furrowed, and for a moment, a flicker of genuine exasperation crossed his face. “I have no expectations of you whatsoever.”
Minerva crossed her arms, glaring at him. “Do not play innocent with me. You are a known rake, always lurking in dark corners and breaking hearts...”
A slow smile spread across the Duke’s face again, a teasing gleam warming his eyes. “It appears I have been featured in more gossip sheets than I remembered. Lurking in dark corners, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting young women?”
Minerva scowled. “That is precisely what you do. I have read all about it.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I do not need to hide in libraries to ‘pounce,’ as you say. And I certainly do not sneak around to ruin reputations. Even an innocent such as yourself cannot mistake innocent flirting with actual acts of ruination.”
“Whispers around town suggest that you do not ‘just flirt.’”
“I am sure I misunderstand and you are not basing your accusations purely on rumors or idle, and false, gossip. Unless...” he took a step forward, with a sudden smile, sharp and dangerous, “unless you wish to be the one to test your theory.”
She took a step back. Something about the serious and cold man from a few minutes ago, now looking like every bit the rake she swore to protect her sister from, unnerved her.
Minerva’s fists clenched at her sides. “You seem to find this amusing.”
“I find you amusing,” he countered, his tone lighthearted, but deeper than earlier. Smoother in a way that raised her skin’s texture. “Here you are, making gross assumptions and accusing me of something I had no part in, without a shred of evidence. You are quite passionate about it, too.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I have evidence! I read her diary and I know you two have been meeting in secret!”
“Tell me, who do you think I was dallying with? Let me guess, a dear friend? Perhaps. But I suspect she is younger, given how protective you are of her,” The Duke challenged. “I hardly trouble myself with blushing debutantes; I much prefer a woman who charges into a room, determined to get what she wants.”
Minerva felt her cheeks burn, but she refused to back down. “Do not turn this around, Your Grace. I have no interest in your schemes.”
Evan’s smirk deepened, tracing fingers against the spines books on the shelves lazily, entirely too calm for the situation they found themselves in. His relaxed posture grated on Minerva’s nerves, as though he were mocking her outright.
