Page 18 of The Wolf Duke's Wife
“Do you mind?” came a male voice from behind a nearby door, “people are trying to sleep!”
Christine flushed bright scarlet. She and the Duke had drifted closer as they argued. Their voices had become increasingly raised.
Why do I let him get under my skin?
Her breathing was ragged, chest heaving. She looked up into the Duke’s blue eyes. They were the color of a winter storm now, dark and impenetrable. He was staring at her, lips parted, harsh face as still as stone.
“We should, perhaps, not be bawling at each other,” he whispered.
Christine laughed, despite herself. “Do you think not?”
Was that a quirk of the corner of his mouth? Has he just shared my joke?
“I do not trust that the rogue you confronted will not be lurking around. I will escort you to your room,” the Duke said, “let us be quick to avoid being seen.”
Christine nodded. “Thank you, Your Grace. That is sensible.”
He paused. “Call me Tristan.”
That stopped Christine, too. She had not expected to be on first-name terms with a Duke she had spent three minutes honestlygetting to know and thirty arguing with. She turned and began to walk back along the corridor to her room.
Tristan strode alongside, hands clasped behind his back. Christine was acutely aware of his presence, silent though he was. She felt that she could have pointed to him with her eyes closed.
They reached the door without incident. Christine opened it and turned back to Tristan.
“Thank you for your help,” she said.
Tristan shrugged. “It is a disgrace that it was needed.”
“Meaning?” Christine said.
“I judge Dreadford this time,” Tristan said, “the man has no honor.”
“But before now, you judged me?” Christine asked.
“No.” Tristan snapped, then looked up and down the corridor as though remembering what had happened the last time they had argued.
“I do not judge, and you should not leap to conclusions. Conversations between us might become easier.”
“But you haven’t told me why?” Christine said, “Or for that matter, why you were wandering the halls at night.
“Perhaps because you are attractive, as an answer to your first question. Because I heard the same commotion as you in answer to your second. My room is at the end of the hall.”
The compliment he paid her was casually dropped into the conversation so that it took a second to register in Christine’s mind. She found herself blushing.
“And what distinguishes me from all the other attractive women present?” she asked.
“They do not pick up swords. Or stamp on feet.”
“I make a habit of neither.”
“You do not have to. One instance of each tends to stick in the mind. Think over my offer,” he made as though to leave, but stopped.
“I am not blind to your situation,” he said, after a moment’s silence.
“My situation?”
“Do not play games. I do not indulge in gossip, but neither do I walk around with my fingers in my ears. You live on the charity of Lady Gillray.”
