Page 32 of The Recluse of Wolfeton House (Ladies of Devon 4)

“I believe it,” she said, pulling Romeo closer on her lap. She looked up. “You haven’t eaten her though, have you?”

Bentley smiled. “No, I have not eaten her. I am a man of my word.”

Hattie had no trouble believing this to be the case. This handsome, titled gentleman was so unlike everything she had imagined whenever her thoughts had strayed to her reclusive neighbor in the past. He was immensely skilled and perfectly willing to pass some of his knowledge to her if she would allow him to paint her. It was so fantastical an idea, she had trouble discerning the man’s motives.

“May I speak plainly?”

His expression was bland. “Have you not already been doing so?”

Hattie conceded this point. “I would be willing to make the trade you have suggested under two conditions. No, three.”

“What are they?”

“First, I should like to know why I am a worthy subject.”

She waited, and he ran a hand over his bearded jaw. “Perhaps you ought to lay out all of your conditions so I might determine if I am willing to meet them.”

He was a smart man. “Very well. My second condition is that no one, under any circumstances, can learn what we are doing here.”

He nodded. “And the third?”

“No one can ever see the painting you complete of me.”

Bentley seemed to mull these things over before nodding. He was a recluse by choice, so the latter two should not be a trial for him.

Hattie stroked her cat’s back as he fell asleep on her lap, and she shifted back on the rug so she could rest against the chair legs behind her. Putting a bit more space between her and the duke was an added benefit, too.

“Deal,” he said at length. “When can we begin?”

She looked up. “I’ll need to devise a valid excuse to get away from Lucy.”

“Your sister-in-law? Does she stay at your house?”

Hattie sighed. “Yes. It was only meant to be for a fortnight, but my father left this morning to see his sister, and I have an inkling that he has persuaded my brother to remain at the house until he returns. As if I am a child in need of someone to watch over me.”

“May I ask how old you are?”

“Not that it is any of your business, Your Grace, but I am five and twenty.” She straightened her shoulders. “And perfectly capable of watching over myself.”

“I think that is abundantly clear.” He lifted his ankle and rested it over the opposite knee. “I wondered why you did not wish for Mrs. Green to know that we had previously met.”

Leaning her head back and settling it against the armrest, she cast the duke a wry smile. “Lucy has it in her mind that it is her duty to see me married. I’m afraid she would press her advantage if she knew of our acquaintanceship and put us both in an uncomfortable position.”

His lips flattened into a grim line. “Because of my title.”

“Well, of course.”

“You would never go after a man for the sake of his title,” Bentley said, his statement sounding much more like a question.

Hattie’s mouth turned down in disgust. “Heavens, no. I plan to marry for love.”

“Love?”

“Yes, love. You oughtn’t sound so disbelieving. I already know whom I will marry, so you need not fear that I will do anything to trap you.”

He chuckled. “I had not thought that, Miss Green.”

“Well, good.”

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