Page 46 of It's All About the Duke
Her attention returned to Rath. “Oh, I don’t think that would be wise, either. He probably wouldn’t like it if he knew Veronica had told me or I’d told you he had spent his sister-in-law’s inheritance on questionable reptile eggs.”
Rath loved the way her eyes sparkled when she perceived something was wrong. “Nothing as confrontational as that, I assure you. No, I was thinking along the lines of asking him if I could examine his fossil collection.”
“Are you interested in such things?”
“I can’t say that I am, but I don’t have to tell Mr. Portington that. I can suggest to him that I want to buy some of his collection? Enough to see to it your friend can have a proper Season.”
Marlena’s face filled with hope. “Would you do that?”
He chuckled. “I don’t think you’re happy unless youare taking issue with me about something. Everything. I just offered to do it, but it would be up to Miss Everard’s sister to see to it Portington used it for its intended purpose.”
“I’m sure she would. I don’t know what to say. I never expected to hear you suggest helping someone you don’t know. I mean, you’re a duke.”
“I admit it’s a rarity, but I have been known to be kind once or twice in my life and do something for someone without having been asked.”
Her face lit with happiness. “That would be too wonderful for words,” she exclaimed, and then she reached over and hugged him with the softest feminine strength he’d ever felt.
Rath didn’t know if he had ever been so surprised to have slender, womanly arms stretched around his neck. Marlena clutched at his shoulders with gentle hands. Her cheek grazed his and her hat fell to the back of her shoulders as she buried her cold nose against the warmth of his neck. A throb of sensual hunger flowed through him when he felt her breath on his skin.
She leaned into his chest for a few seconds and his heart pounded. Through his velvet waistcoat and linen shirt, he felt her soft breasts pressing against him. His body responded quickly again. Though she held him tightly for only a few seconds, it was long enough for him to know he wanted more of her arms around him.
And her in his arms.
Just as he moved to catch her up to his chest and kiss her soundly on the lips, she slowly pushed away from him. Her arms slid from around his neck, the tips of her fingers tickling his skin. Her hands then skimmed over his shoulders, down his upper arms, and across his forearms before her touch left him. It took all the will and strength he could muster to let her draw away and not pullher back into his embrace and demand the kiss he was longing for.
“I probably shouldn’t have done that,” she said, clasping her hands together in her lap again as if to keep herself from touching him. “It was very forward of me. My only excuse is that I’m used to hugging Eugenia when she does things for me and makes me happy.”
He could tell she’d shocked herself as much as she had him by her unexpected affectionate display. “No need to explain. It’s a nice way to say thank you.”
“I—I, all right,” she answered a little shyly. “What would you do with the fossils if Mr. Portington allowed you to purchase any of them?”
Rath didn’t know. He hadn’t thought that far ahead about what he’d offered to do. Right now he was more interested in feeling Marlena’s arms around him again than pondering what he’d do with ancient reptile bones and fossilized eggs.
“I’m not certain,” he answered, and as soon as he said that, an idea came to him. “One possibility is that I could probably donate them to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. If they could authenticate them and wanted them. That might be a commendable way to make amends to the institution for all the trouble I caused when I was there.”
She smiled and a small, soft burst of laughter passed her lips. She looked enchanting.
“You were a troublemaker?”
He nodded guiltily. “Of the worst kind, I’m afraid. I encouraged others to join my pursuits. The headmaster told my father more than once they should throw me out for leading other young men to stray from the strict rules they demanded we follow.”
“Then it sounds as if a gift from you might be appreciated by them.”
Rath stared at Marlena and wondered how long it hadbeen since he’d seduced a woman. Not for many years anyway. He never had to. They always seduced him. From the moment he’d walk through the doorway of a mistress’ house or a widow’s drawing room, they were set to seducing him. He let them, of course. It didn’t mean he wasn’t willing or that he had no care for the woman’s pleasure. He just never had to pursue a lady anymore.
But now he wanted to pursue his ward.
He shouldn’t.
He couldn’t.
Rath reached into his coat pocket and extended his folded handkerchief to Marlena.
She looked at it curiously and said, “I’m not going to cry over this, Your Grace. Though I’m distressed for Eugenia’s and Veronica’s plight, I think I can manage not to get teary-eyed about their situation.”
“I didn’t think you were. That’s not why I’m trying to give you my handkerchief.”
She laughed softly and relaxed against the back of the bench, seeming more at ease than she’d been since his arrival. Rath was certain he’d never seen anyone as lovely as Marlena on a sunny day wearing a straw hat on her shoulders and smiling at him, not because she wanted something—his attention, his power, his favor—but because she was simply enjoying time with him.
