Читать книгу To Defy a Duke - A. Mervyn Smith - Страница 9

Chapter Five

Colton had greeted the elderly woman amiably and watched as she turned back toward the door. Good manners prevented her from placing her hands on her hips or raising her voice when she realized her charge was not right behind her. She turned, a serene smile on her face. “Please, be patient and forgive my granddaughter for her tardiness, Your Grace. She is a bit, er, shy.”

Nathan coughed and received a glare from his mother for his efforts.

Stepping to the door, she reached around and drew a young woman inside.

Colton froze. In front of him stood a heavenly vision. Her pale pink dress of silk complemented the soft rose of her cheeks and the luscious red of her lips, lips he so badly wanted to taste. The neckline showed a hint of a quite impressive cleavage, the cut showcasing a slim waist. The length of her skirt indicated long legs, her feet encased in small, pink, matching slippers.

Realizing he had been ogling her like a schoolboy, his eyes shot back up to her face. But that was a mistake. He saw humor in her deep blue eyes, her honey blond curls brushing her slender neck.

He was in deep trouble. Bloody hell.

She stepped before him and executed a curtsy worthy of royalty. Taking her hand as she rose, he realized the dowager was speaking.

“…granddaughter, Miss Alice Marie Whiteshead.”

“Your servant, Miss Whiteshead.” Colton grinned and bowed with flourish. “I trust you are ready for an outing?”

Alice lowered her eyes, trying to appear meek. “Yes, Your Grace. If it your wish, Your Grace.”

“Good, good. I hope you can handle a team because I am exhausted!” he said, still grinning.

Alice’s eyes lifted and flashed at him. She quickly recovered and lowered her eyes. “As you wish, Your Grace.”

He offered his elbow. “Shall we?” Colton could tell his joviality was beginning to wear on her. Good.

As she took his arm, her grandmother approached with bonnet in hand. “Just a moment, child. Let me put this on and I shall be ready.”

Flummoxed, Alice asked, “You are joining us, Grandmama?”

“But, of course, dear! You must be properly chaperoned.” She tsked. “No need to give the ton fodder for gossip.” She adjusted her bonnet and turned to the couple. “There. Now, let us be off!” She proceeded to usher them out.

*****

Alice sat in stony silence, inwardly fuming. She kept her eyes downcast, appearing docile until she could form a new plan.

She had thought to appeal to his sense of compassion by appearing as cowering and intimidated, a fearful little mouse. But her grandmother had thwarted that by grabbing her before she could take off.

She had tried to look vapid, but upon seeing the duke eyeing her like she was a perfectly prepared steak and him a starving waif had almost made her laugh. She could compose her features, but her eyes had given her away. Blasted man!

She attempted to be biddable and meek, hoping he felt his duchess would require a more assertive personality. But he had managed to goad her into revealing her passionate nature, thereby terminating that avenue.

She was running out of ideas to discourage him. And he seemed to be enjoying her attempts.

Bloody hell.

Time to dig deep into her arsenal. A shrew was in order. Her head came up and she glared at him. “I require the name of your paramour. I will not be placed in an awkward position in polite society should we encounter one another. I am entitled to know who she is as I am the one paying for her crime.”

“Alice!” Her grandmother was appalled at her preposterous behavior. Alice almost smiled until she felt the sharp sting of her grandmother’s hand on her shoulder.

The duke chuckled. He was laughing at her! “There is no cause for concern in that regard. I can guarantee you that you will never encounter any of my prior paramours in polite society.”

Oh! This…this…man! Fine! She had more from which that came. “I will require a two-hundred-pound allowance monthly to keep up my wardrobe and appearances. I cannot accept a farthing less.” She nodded her head, certain that would change his position.

“Alice Marie!” This time Alice leaned forward, avoiding the imminent strike.

The duke frowned. Good. She was finally getting to him. “You can manage on such a small amount? My estimation exceeded five hundred pounds, and I was willing to go as high as a thousand.” He slapped her thigh and smiled. “You are frugal! I like that!”

She was speechless! How dare he! And if she did not know better, she was sure her grandmother was laughing in the seat behind her!

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She was being forced to use the largest weapon available to her. “And I will have rooms in a separate wing of your home. There will be absolutely no intimacy between us! Not a touch, not a hug, and definitely no kiss, not even at our wedding!” There! Take that, you cur!

Her grandmother gasped. “Alice Marie Whiteshead!” Grandmama had come out of her seat and was reaching with both hands!

The Duke threw his arm around her shoulder to block her grandmother. He laughed and drew her closer to his side. “My little vixen, I can promise you there will be lots of touching, hugging, kissing, and so much more!” He wiggled his brows at her.

This man was insufferable! And her grandmother! She was laying in the seat behind them, laughing so hard she was holding her sides!

Just because he was the most handsome man she had ever met did not give him the right to manhandle her in public! She wriggled out of his hold and turned so that both the duke and her grandmother were in view. “We need to stop. Now. My grandmother is having some sort of fit! She needs to get out and walk around until she gets her tremors under control!”

Colton decided to accede to her request. Her grandmother was quite red in the face. He maneuvered the horses over to a shaded area and stopped. Alice jumped out before the horses stopped. He shrugged and walked around to help the dowager disembark.

“Thank you, Your Grace. Your manners are impeccable.” She leaned in and whispered, “We will be but a few minutes. My granddaughter needs a moment.” She patted his arm and followed Alice, who had already stomped off.

Alice wanted to scream! She wanted to hit something, preferably the duke! She wanted to throw something at his arrogant face!

She paced back and forth until her temper finally began to wane. She noticed her grandmother leaning against a tree, watching her.

“Had I thought anyone else could see you, I would have stopped you before now. You are acting like a madwoman. Instead I allowed you to vent, child.”

“Grandmama, he was…”

Her grandmother held up her hand. “Who was truly out of line, dear? Be honest with me and with yourself.”

Alice sighed. Her grandmama was right. Alice nodded.

“That is right, Alice. You tried to play him, and, instead, he got the better of you.” She smiled. “Two of a kind, I say.” She took Alice by the arm. “Time to return and smooth things over with the duke, child. But there is one thing I would like to add.”

“And what is that, Grandmama?”

“That is some of your best work yet! Good try!”

*****

Two hours later, Alice was back in her room. Again. Pacing. Again.

If she were honest with herself, and she was, the duke was a force to be reckoned with. But so was she.

He was good, very good indeed. But she was better.

She came to a halt, replaying her thoughts and allowing them to wash over her. Why, that cad was a challenge! An honest-to-goodness challenge!

She had never encountered one before. Five and twenty and no one, man nor woman, had ever presented such a thing.

A smile lit her face, stretching to a full-out grin. Oh, this was delicious! This man had earned her very best efforts.

Well, she was determined not to disappoint. She had plans to make!

She rushed to her desk, pulling out her writing materials. Let them find her list. This was no longer between her and her grandmother or even her father.

The duke had made this personal, and the winner would decide her future. She had full intentions of being the victor.

The gauntlet has been thrown. Let the games begin!

*****

Nathan held forth his humidor, offering Colton one of his imported cigars. Colton reached out but quickly withdrew his hand. “As much as I would like to, I must decline. I have another engagement and must leave directly.”

Nathan placed the box on the corner of his desk. “I trust your outing went well?”

“As well as could be expected. It was, er, entertaining.” He chose not to go into detail. He would dissect their interaction later. In private. “I wished for a moment of your time regarding the subject we were discussing prior to my leaving.” He gave Nathan a sheepish grin. “You did say all I had to do was ask, after all.”

Nathan leaned over and picked up the humidor. He once again extended it to Colton. “Take one, son. If you are seeking information on the identity of the captain of the Tiger’s Eye, we may be here awhile. You may want to send a message to your next meeting and advise them you will be late.”

Colton took the proffered cigar and asked, “It should not take that long to answer a simple question, Nathan.”

“It is not just ‘a simple question,’ Your Grace.” Nathan stood and walked over to the hearth. He stared into the fire for a few moments then, as if coming to some conclusion, turned and returned to his seat. “All right, Colton. I will tell you everything I know. I warn you, it is not much. But I ask a favor in return.” He returned to his chair.

“If it is within my power to grant, it is yours.” Colton was trying to disguise the excitement building within. Here was a willing informant who could help him identify, and possibly locate, a direct threat to the security of England. “What is the favor?”

Nathan leaned back, a look of determination on his face. “Help me figure out who the bloody hell the bastard is!”

Colton blinked. All right, he had not been expecting that. He spoke slowly, enunciating every word, “You do not know who he is.” Nathan hesitated then shook his head. “But you suspect a person or persons. Am I correct?”

“I have spent the last seven years of my life trying to uncover his identity. I feel I am close, very close. I know it. I have narrowed it down to just a few.”

“And exactly how many do you consider a few, Nathan?”

“Four, to be precise. And as I told you before, I am convinced he is a peer. If not a peer, it is one of the aristocracies directing him.”

“Why a peer? Why not a businessman, a butler, or even a pirate? What evidence do you to have to support your theory?” Colton did not want to push Nathan as he could see he was becoming agitated. But he needed facts, solid evidence, before he could take Nathan’s word on the matter. Something solid that he could investigate.

Nathan rubbed at his face then ran his hands through his hair. “What I am about to tell you must not go beyond these walls. Is that clear?”

Colton weighed his options and decided a minute amount of honesty was necessary. “Nathan, what I am about to tell you must also remain in this room. I have friends, associates in high places.” He paused and leaned forward, not only to speak low enough for no one but Nathan to hear but that Nathan could clearly see the sincerity in Colton’s eyes. “In high places in the government. We must find this man. He is a key participant in a conspiracy against the Crown. Against the country. He must be stopped!”

Nathan’s face relaxed. “I am glad to hear that. You never know who you can trust in these times.” He blew out a breath. “Colton, I will help you in any way I can to uncover his identity. All I ask is that when he is apprehended, I be allowed to see him.” He stood and leaned across his desk. “I want to look upon the face of the man who attempted to kidnap my daughter and murdered my wife.”