Page 70 of It's All About the Duke
It was madness that he actually knew how long it had been. He knew because he’d had to force himself not to go see her. Every time he looked at her, he wanted her, and she’d left him with no doubt that she wanted him, too. He didn’t pursue innocents. That was one of the few rules he didn’t break.
With her being his ward, under his protection, it wasn’t just the trouble it would cause him, it was a matter of his honor. His father had never really believed he was a gentleman. And in most instances he wasn’t. On this one, he’d always wanted to remain true. So far he had. Though in truth no other young lady had tempted him to the point Marlena had to break that oath. Every time he saw her.
It was best he stay away from her for her own good. His, too. He didn’t want to have to be explaining to anyone why he’d taken advantage of his ward.
Rath shrugged off Griffin’s question, dug into his pocket, pulled out a gold coin, and tossed it on the center of the table. “I’ll go first,” he said. Picking up the deck of cards, he started shuffling them.
“Has it been recently?” Hawk asked.
A sly smile lifted one corner of Rath’s mouth. “Remind me what you consider recent. Two hours ago? Two days? Two weeks? A month?”
Griffin grinned, too. “That means he saw her last night.”
Rath wished that were true. “No. So you’ll leave me alone about her, it’s been a while. Well over a week.”
“All right,” Hawk said, “But why would you think we are going to leave you alone about her?”
“Don’t you think Miss Truth’s damned scandal sheet is enough? Must you two pester me, too?”
“I do believe the gentleman protests too much, Griffin.”
Griffin nodded. “You must have known someone would see you coming out of the shop.”
“And then the owner was likely paid a tidy sum to give up the information on you,” Hawk offered.
If Miss Lola had been given money, Rath was all right with that. Because of him, the woman had most likely lost whatever business Loretta and Esmeralda would have given her over the years. But why did Miss Truth have to write about it two weeks in a row? If he knew who she was he’d tell her it was smelling salts in the package!
“I would have sworn the last time we talked that you had more than a passing interest in Miss Fast,” Griffin said, changing the subject back to Marlena.
I do.
But Rath wasn’t going to tell them that. He cut the deck and fanned the ends together once again.
“So why has it been so long since you’ve seen her? She lives almost a stone’s throw from you.”
“I’ve had many things to attend to,” he said.
Griffin and Hawk laughed and Rath nodded his agreement. It was a cheap answer and not worth the breath he expended to say it. For a moment he thoughtabout telling them about Portington and how the man lived and what Rath was planning to do for the man, his wife, and his sister-in-law to make their lives a little better. But Hawk and Griffin would know in an instant that he was doing it for Marlena more than for her neighbors. Best he get more of the matter settled first. There were things that still needed to be done before Rath told anyone, including Portington and Marlena, about his idea.
“I believe I told you both that Marlena has a friend who faints every time she sees me,” Rath said, changing the direction of the conversation to suit what was on his mind.
“I believe you told us she fainted twice the first time she saw you,” Griffin said with a bit of a grin. “Really, Rath. Has your reputation become so debauched you now make ladies faint at the sight of you?”
“Yes,” Hawk agreed. “That was the reason for the smelling salts, which led to Miss Lacy’s Lace and Fine Fancy Lace or whatever the name is. It didn’t help you in any way for thetonto read about your escapade into that ladies’ shop.”
“Her name is Miss Lola,” Rath corrected.
“And to carry your package down the street to your carriage. Couldn’t you have at least had it delivered? You must have known someone would see you and it would end up inMiss Truth’s Scandal Sheet,” Griffin added with a little censure in his voice.
“Thank you for not leaving anything out, my friends,” Rath grumbled and started dealing the cards. “I’m still perplexed as to why Marlena’s neighbor fainted the second time she saw me with Marlena.”
“Does that make three times?” Hawk asked.
Rath nodded.
“Do you think she has a condition?” Griffin asked, scooping up all his cards in one swoop. “Maybe a weak constitution? Maybe her stays are too tight?”
“Or,” Hawk said, casually picking up his cards one at a time, “Perhaps she saw you kissingMarlenaand that made her faint.”
