“It’s repellent, Mother. No man should ever fall to his knees.” “I was speaking only metaphorically.” “It is still repellent. No man worth his salt would ever be brought that low. My God, I doubt Felicia could stop chattering even when they are—well, never mind that, but it’s nonetheless true.” He brought himself to a halt as his mother’s teacup rattled in its saucer.
Evangeline wasn’t listening. She wondered how she was going to get a message to John Edgerton, and the duke’s mother had solved the problem for her. She ran her tongue over her lips. “I thank you for allowing me to come, your grace.”
“What do you think, Richard? Should I instead have a tray sent to Evangeline’s room?”
“I should prefer that both of us could eat in my library, alone, in front of a nice warm fire.”
“That isn’t an alternative,” Marianne Clothilde said. “You will gird your loins, dearest.”
“At least you will rest now,” the duke said, pulling Evangeline closer to his side. His mother’s beautifully arched dark brows went up a good inch. This was fascinating. His tone was peremptory.
Evangeline merely nodded. At least now she would have some time alone, to think, to decide what she would tell Edgerton. She wanted nothing more than to kill him.
“Why are you trembling?”
She raised startled eyes to his face. “No, I’m not, not really, your grace.”
“I will see you later, Evangeline,” Marianne Clothilde said. “You know, you do look a bit weak in the knees. The Rose Room? Yes, that’s a very nice bedchamber.”
As they walked side by side up the wide circular staircase, she said, “Your town house is very elegant.” “Yes,” he said. “Most of it is done in my mother’s style. She quite disliked her mother-in-law’s taste. I like it myself. My mother many times gets things exactly right. Not just about style but about people.” “She is also very kind.”
He said, his voice low, “You don’t have to come to this dinner my mother has planned.”
“Do you think your mother doesn’t want me there? She is so very kind that I’m not certain of her feelings. Unlike you,” she added, smiling up at him. “I always know exactly what you’re thinking.”
“Actually, you don’t.” If she did, he thought, she wouldn’t be standing here, not an inch away, smiling up at him. “Now, as for my dear mother’s feelings, they’re of no consequence. They have nothing to do with what I meant. You see? You don’t understand at all.”
“Very well. Tell me. What is it you wish, your grace?”
Naturally, he couldn’t just spit out all the things that were flooding through his brain. It would scare her witless, or it wouldn’t, and then what would he do? His belly tightened. “I just don’t want you to be tired, nothing more.”
He stopped and said, “This is the Rose Room. I do believe that Queen Charlotte just might have slept here, for what reason I have no idea. Maybe it was Queen Bess. On the other hand, the house isn’t old enough for that particular female monarch.”
He raised her hand to his mouth. She felt the heat of him through her glove. Unconsciously she leaned into him.
“No,” he said. “No.”
She drew back. “I’m very strong,” she said finally. What had she done? She’d thrown herself at him, that’s what she’d done. “Really, you don’t have to ever worry about me. I am strong.”
He raised his hand and touched his fingertips to her pale cheek. “Are you really so invincible?”
She raised her eyes to his dark face. He was looking at her mouth. She wanted more than anything to bring him close, to hear his strong heartbeat, to feel his flesh against hers.
No, no. She straightened and gave him a meaningless smile. “No, of course not. I’ll see you this evening, your grace.”
When the duke returned some minutes later to the drawing room, his mother said, “She is lovely, beautiful actually, not that that matters at all. Does it?”
“No, of course it doesn’t. Be quiet, Mother. I have no intention of indulging you in speculation.”
“I doubt there’s much speculation to be had at this late date. You treat her quite masterfully.”
“That’s ridiculous. I simply treat her appropriately, quite properly.”
“She’s a grown woman, and a widow. She’s probably used to making her own decisions. Do you think her father or her husband ordered her about?”
“No, I don’t think that’s possible. It’s just that I don’t understand her.”
“You haven’t known her long.” He turned to her and smiled. “No, I haven’t. On the other hand, I have no doubt whatsoever that I’ll know her forever. What she needs is a strong hand, that’s all. My strong hand.” “You’ve decided very quickly.” He shrugged. “Yes, it appears that I have. What will happen? I have no idea.”