Page 9 of Claimed By the Duke of Ice

Viscount Yorkston, a man Nathaniel quickly deduced as big of form and big of heart, let out a loud sound of triumph, followed by a hearty laugh. In an instant, he was out of his seat and reaching for Nathaniel. Just as quickly, Nathaniel was out of his seat as well, narrowly avoiding the man’s embrace.

“You are a decent man, Your Grace,” Aaron Rowley told him, clasping Nathaniel’s hand with both hands instead of his whole body. “And you have my blessing to speak to Grace. However, I must warn you: my wife and I have chosen to allow all of our daughters to have a final say on whom they marry. Just because I said yes does not mean she will,” Aaron warned.

“I understand fully,” Nathaniel replied as cordially as he could while fighting the numbing sensation down the arm of the gloved hand that Aaron had just shaken. He’d hated that the man had needed to touch him, but some circumstances were unavoidable.

“Might we now go speak with her?” Nathaniel asked, clasping his hands tightly behind his back.

Viscount Yorkston spoke excitedly as he led Nathaniel down the hall, but in truth, he could not hear a word. He was too focused on the strange sensation filling him as he grew closer and closer to Grace. Was it hope? Excitement? Or was it fear of being rejected? He had accused her harshly of spying on him, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he got her caught up in a scandal.

“Darling, you have a visitor,” Viscount Yorkston announced cheerily as he led Nathaniel into the parlor.

As Nathaniel stepped through the doorway and saw Grace again, he felt his nerves suddenly calm, and he bowed to her respectfully. Her gown was in a soft pink today, accenting the blush in her cheeks. God, she’s beautiful, Nathaniel thought, meeting her vivid, cornflower blue eyes.

“Your Grace,” she greeted hurriedly upon seeing him, her chair nearly tipping over from the quickness to curtsey toward him.

“Miss Grace,” he greeted politely, bowing, “it is a pleasure to see you again. I have come to offer my condolences on what has transpired—and to make it right.”

Grace’s mother stared up at her daughter with excitement as he said so, and he couldn’t help but notice that Grace met her mother’s eyes with uncertainty for a brief moment. Had she told her? Was she going to say no?

“His Grace and I have been discussing the matter of the dinner party,” her father began to explain, “and he has so chivalrously come to offer you his hand in marriage, my dear.”

Grace’s gorgeous eyes grew wider as she turned from her father back to Nathaniel, sending a tremor of pleasure through him.

“So, it is true, Your Grace?” she asked. “You wish to marry?”

Nathaniel bowed once more. “I do wish we’d had more time to court, Miss Rowley, but with circumstances being what they are, I thought it would be most prudent that we clean this scandal up as quickly as possible.”

“I have spoken with your father,” he continued, gesturing toward Aaron, “and we have come to a most amicable agreement that would benefit both of our families.”

He took a step closer and in a low voice added, “I should like to prove that my temper isn’t as explosive as it first appeared. I assure you, if you say yes, you will be treated with respect and care always, and you will never miss anything.”

* * *

Grace’s mind was reeling. Only a moment had passed between her mother breaking the news and her father and Nathaniel entering the room. The moment he did, his green eyes caught hers, and their gaze locked. Was this actually happening? Could all of their problems be solved so easily?

Grace had given up on the idea of a romantic union long ago when Matilda had chosen to marry Simon. She had a duty to fulfill now, not a love prophecy. Nathaniel was a stranger, true, but there was something in him that called to her and made her curious. Was it possible that buried under his sense of duty there was a chance of a love match after all?

Suddenly, she felt her mother squeeze her hand, and Grace realized that several moments of silence had passed since the Duke had last spoken.

“Yes,” she found herself saying, “yes, Your Grace, I accept your proposal.”

By her side, Grace’s mother let out a squeal of happiness as her father grinned widely and clapped Nathaniel on the back.

“Come here, my boy,” Aaron practically sang, opening his arms to give Nathaniel a big hug. “This a joyous day!”

Grace watched in confusion as Nathaniel suddenly stepped away from Aaron as if he were wielding a weapon, and a slither of doubt went through her. It seemed rude of him to reject such an embrace, especially after such news had been shared. Still, she felt resolved when Nathaniel offered him his hand, and the Viscount took it.

“Perhaps we should discuss some details,” Nathaniel offered after he quickly ended the handshake.

“Of course, of course,” Grace’s father replied jovially, waving Nathaniel to the small table. “Come, sit. We have much to discuss!”

For the next hour or so, Grace listened as Nathaniel and her parents talked of the upcoming events. There would be a wedding within the month, and then afterward, Grace would accompany him to Ninter, her new home. She listened to it all through a fog as her own thoughts swirled.

She knew she’d had to say yes, not just for herself but for the good of her family. But now it was all happening so fast. She’d known the marriage would come quickly, but the move? She’d thought that the Duke would at least finish the summer season in London. A strange longing sensation filled Grace as she listened to the conversation, and she wondered if she was doing the right thing.

“Would you stay for supper, Your Grace?” Susan asked after the conversation drew to a close. “Perhaps it would be well for you and our daughter to have some time to be better acquainted.”

Grace looked at Nathaniel expectantly and felt a wisp of disappointment as he politely declined.

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