Page 11 of It's All About the Duke
Whirling, Marlena saw Eugenia walking into the room carrying an armload of books. Her friend stumbled to a halt at the entrance when she saw the two of them standing so close together.
Tut came barking and running into the room. He stopped and jumped up on Eugenia’s skirt, begging for attention.
Wide-eyed with confusion, Eugenia ignored the yelping dog and said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”
Marlena’s cheeks flamed hot as she swung back to the duke. Even though Eugenia clutched the bountiful stack of books to her chest, Marlena knew the duke could clearly read the titles of some of them if he chose to. By the saints! Why did Eugenia have to arrive at this very moment?
Was fate not through torturing her yet?
What was Marlena to do? Eugenia had their copies ofMiss Honora Truth’s Words of Wisdom and Warning About Rakes, Scoundrels, Rogues, and Libertines. The Duke of Rathburne was staring at them, and Marlena was in need of a miracle.
Chapter 3
He could be a rake if you think he only wishes to touch your hand but tries to touch your heart as well.
MISSHONORATRUTH’SWORDS OFWISDOMANDWARNINGABOUTRAKES, SCOUNDRELS, ROGUES, ANDLIBERTINES
“No, Eugenia, no,” Marlena said hurriedly. “Of course you aren’t interrupting anything. Don’t be silly. The duke was helping me with, with my hat.” As soon as she spoke the words she looked around and saw, to her horror, that the hat was on the floor quite a distance from where she and the duke were standing.
What she told Eugenia was true but, somehow, she felt she was guilty of much more than just allowing the duke to help her with the ribbon. She had to thank her lucky stars, if she had any above, it was her petite friend from next door and not her cousin who had caught her standing so close to the duke their noses were almost touching.
How had she let that happen anyway?
Because he’s a scoundrel and knows all about seducing innocent young ladies!
She should have been outraged that he’d been so bold, so free with her. Yet despite reason and common sense, she had stood like a spineless ninny and let him help her.
Because the feelings he created inside me are so new and exciting, I want them.
“Did you say he’s a duke?” Eugenia questioned softly, her anxious, light-blue gaze shifting from Marlena to the handsome man standing so quietly, watching her grip the evidence of Marlena’s secret writings increasingly closer to her bosom.
As if realizing he wasn’t going to get a pat on the head from Eugenia, Tut ran over to the duke and landed his front paws on the duke’s shiny boots, his nails scraping the fine leather. The duke didn’t seem to notice Marlena’s furry friend, either.
“Yes,” Marlena said, her hand going to the base of her throat and rubbing the place the duke had touched her so intimately she thought her heart might race out of her chest. “You see there was a problem with the ribbon on my hat. It became tangled, knotted really, around my neck, and I couldn’t untie it. I tried countless times, pulling this way and that to no avail. You would think it would be such a simple thing, I know, but it was getting tighter and tighter. It was irritating my skin right here, and I was unable to pull it loose, and—”
“Miss Fast,” the duke interjected when she paused for a quick and much-needed breath.
Marlena swung around to him, hoping he would have the prudence to help her and not make this matter worse. He bent down, picked up the straw headpiece, and laid it on the table beside the unopened envelope from Mr. Olingworth. “Why don’t you save the long explanation for a later time and introduce us?”
Thankful for the respite, she gave the duke a gratefulsmile and answered, “Of course, Your Grace, may I present Miss Eugenia Everard, my neighbor and close friend. Eugenia, the Duke of Rathburne.”
Eugenia managed a very slight, wobbly curtsy, and took a step back before dropping all the books to the floor with a series of plops, thuds, and thumps. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she quietly crumpled to the floor.
Tut barked and scampered toward her.
Marlena gulped.
The duke hissed an oath.
They exchanged shocked glances and then bumped elbows and shoulders in their haste to get to her stricken friend. Tut made it there before both of them and stood near Eugenia’s head alternating between a bark and a whimper.
“Eugenia!” Marlena exclaimed, dropping to her knees on one side of Eugenia while the duke knelt on the other.
“Miss Everard,” he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and giving it a little shake. “Are you all right?”
“Quiet, Tut,” Marlena scolded. “You are making matters worse. We are trying to help her. Sit.”
Tut obeyed after giving another whimper.
