Least Likely to Marry a Duke (Liberated Ladies)

All in the interests of science, she told herself. And nothing to do with seeing if she could soften Will’s intense blue gaze. Will. It was dangerous to think of him by his given name, but tempting, in the privacy of her head.

Besides, intriguing though he could be, she was immune to any serious attraction men might hold. She was quite safe.

* * *

‘I am afraid that you have completely seduced Mr Hoskins with your library, Your Grace.’ Verity took a seat on the terrace after settling her father in the calm comfort of the bedchamber set aside for him, the tranquillity enhanced by what she suspected had been dire threats from their brother to the Calthorpe children about what would happen if they disturbed him.

It ought to have been thoroughly awkward, meeting Will again after that kiss and the way they had parted afterwards, but it seemed that ducal decorum allowed him to carry on as though nothing had happened, to ignore it out of existence. Verity gave a mental shrug and endeavoured to achieve the same lofty disregard of awkwardness.

‘Surely it cannot be superior in any way to the library at the Old Palace.’

Will leaned one hip against the balustrade, looking, Verity thought, as though he was posing for a portrait by Thomas Lawrence—perhaps The Duke of Aylsham Surveys His Acres. Or Portrait of a Dashing but Dutiful Duke.

‘Possibly not, but it is in what appears to be a delightful state of disorder, which is like catnip for Mr Hoskins. He will probably be asking for permission to help you sort it all out and catalogue it, unless you are intending to employ a librarian.’

‘I suppose I ought to do so.’ Will frowned. ‘There is an archivist and librarian at Oulton Castle, of course, but he is fully occupied. Perhaps Mr Hoskins would oblige me by assessing the library and advising me on who I should employ here.’ There was a short silence.

Verity resisted the temptation to fill it with chit-chat and waited, studying his face until he smiled. She found herself smiling back with the uncomfortably guilty suspicion that Will knew perfectly well that she was exerting herself to be pleasant in order to gain some concession from him. And then, as they continued to look at each other with that dawning warmth, the equally uncomfortable thought occurred to her that most of her hostility to him was because she was attracted by him and that made her cross with herself and then cross with him.

As if he could help being tall and broad-shouldered and handsome and the possessor of blue eyes that were startlingly expressive when he let his guard down. A ridiculous image struck her of Will standing in front of the mirror every morning and choosing to wear the broad shoulders instead of the narrow, stooping ones, or the elegantly straight nose instead of the snub one—just to torment impressionable females. Verity laughed out loud.

‘Miss Wingate?’

Surely that wasn’t answering humour in his eyes?

When it is genuine he hardly curves his lips at all, just that quirk at the corners which produces the smallest of dimples. When he is being merely polite, both sides of his mouth lift. Interesting... And so very attractive.

Chapter Six

‘I am so sorry, just some foolish thought that amused me,’ Verity said.

But Will’s smile was back to the cool, polite version. ‘My estate manager informs me that your men have begun to refill your excavations at the Druidic mound.’

‘Yes, I have reburied the skull now that I have drawn and measured it and the gardeners will replace the soil and turf.’ What sort of mood was Will in? He was so difficult to read. ‘There will be nothing to show

for the digging after a month or so. I did wonder whether you might consider allowing me to cut a trench right through the middle of the smallest mound, including your half.’

Will nodded at Basil, who appeared around the corner of the terrace, then looked pained when the boy sat down on the steps at Verity’s feet, leaving damp footprints on the lichen-covered stone. ‘To what purpose?’ he asked. At least he was not frowning at her.

‘For the scientific purpose of examining the entire structure and, if there is a burial, seeing it in its entirety. It would not cause your staff any work and it would be restored and returfed afterwards, of course. It would not intrude on to agricultural land.’

I’m prattling, and he knows that. Be quiet and do not sound so eager.

Verity tried smiling and received a polite lift of Will’s lips in return. ‘Oh, and anything of any value would belong to whoever owned the half it was found in.’

‘You are going to dig up a mound and find treasure? And we can share it?’ Basil’s eyes were round with excitement. ‘But what if it was between the two halves? What if there is the fabulous treasure of some king or warrior under there?’ he asked earnestly. ‘A gilded sword right in the middle, or a heap of gold coins?’

‘I am sure we will negotiate in a civilised manner over any hoard of gems and gold that we discover,’ Verity said with a smile for his enthusiasm. ‘I will show you all how to excavate and keep records if you want to join in and dig.’

‘Oh, yes, and the girls are really interested, too,’ Basil began.

‘No,’ Will said sharply. ‘They are not going to grub about in the earth like navvies.’

‘Are you, by any chance, teasing me, Your Grace?’ But she very much doubted that he was. ‘I do not grub about and I trust my resemblance to a canal labourer is non-existent.’

‘Basil, go and find your brothers and sisters. Miss Wingate and I are having a private conversation.’

There was something in his tone that even Basil recognised as an order. He got up and left, dragging his feet, but not daring to answer back.