Page 23 of Love, the Duke
His words hit a nerve like a painful tooth. “I didn’tneed your aid either time. You should have tried helping me with what I asked of you, not slipping up on me.”
“What you want to do is wrong,” he insisted again.
Ophelia unclasped her hands, and they formed fists of vexation as her arms fell to her sides. “And your invasion into my privacy today will probably take me years to recover from.”
The duke blinked rapidly. The corners of his riveting eyes crinkled oddly as he studied her. “Years? Did you say years to recover?”
“Yes.” Ophelia watched his brows lift higher. His lips almost pursed, slightly quivered, and moved from side to side. It took a moment before she realized he was trying to keep from smiling. No, it was more than that. He wanted to laugh. At her. And when she was in a huff!
Implausible as it seemed, it was taking all he could do not to show his amusement concerning her comment—whichwasoverstated, she knew, but shewasoverheated. He was trying so hard and making such weird movements with his lips it made her want to smile too. The next thing she knew, she started trying not to reveal her pleasure.
The entire fiasco was her doing. She should be the first to give in and reverse the uncomfortable direction they had been heading. Showing no rancor, she slowly let go a smile and whispered laugh. So did he, and it was so beautiful she felt as if the whole room had started glowing when she saw his white teeth. He looked incredible. A comfortable, happy chuckle sounded softly under his breath as he shook his head. Ophelia liked the attractive way the ends of his hair moved with the motion.
Her stomach developed that quick fluttery feeling as his gaze seemed to skim over her. She was giving him the once-over again too. There was an aura of authority and distinction about him that she was drawn to. Bothtimes she’d been with him before and now. He was far too magnificent for her not to indulge in the chance to admire him and want to know more about him.
And just that easily, her unpleasant adventure, her embarrassment, and her annoyance were over. Much as she wished it weren’t so, she found him charming and wanted to enjoy being with him like this rather than fighting to maintain her levelheaded assurance and attitude. Despite her apprehension about him, she was curious about him.
“What were you doing burying yourself inside that cabinet?”
She locked eyes with him again. Casually she murmured, “Looking for something.”
“Well, it better have been the most expensive pearl in all of England. You might have spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get yourself out.”
Ophelia liked the way the duke’s gaze gently moved up and down her face with an enjoyable expression on his. She wanted to see more of this irresistible side of him. Before, it seemed he was always lecturing her, or tense and upset with what she was doing or saying. It made her feel good, maybe even carefree, to exchange a bit of levity and merriment with him. She hadn’t felt so lighthearted in a long time.
The shocking thing was that his upset attitude toward her hadn’t really bothered her that much. She was keen on his forthright manner in letting her know exactly how he felt. Unlike her father and brother, with the duke she knew exactly where she stood. With just a look he could inform, inquire, demand, or question her. He could also cause delicious tendrils of desire to swirl through her.
The duke nodded toward the chest. “Perhaps I could have a look in there for you and see if I can find the pearl.”
Teasing her again showed he wasn’t holding a grudgeabout the slap. She appreciated that. “Nothing so important. It was a simple empty portfolio I was looking for.” She reached and shut the doors with a sound click. “The cabinet is empty and now I’m going to see that it is moved to the attic where it belongs so that I don’t ever have to see it again.”
The duke rubbed his chin and hid the corner of his mouth with his thumb.
Was he up to something she didn’t know about? “Why are you smiling at me again?”
“You didn’t get all your hair smoothed down. It’s sticking up right here.” With a smooth and effortless motion, he reached up and lightly brushed his fingertips through her hair along the crown of her head. An exciting shiver raced over her. Her breaths became short and shallow again while his fingertips trickled softly down her cheek and tickled her skin with delicious prickles of enticement. A loose strand of hair fell to the other side of her face and thankfully distracted her from the duke’s attempt to mesmerize her with his touch.
What was she doing, allowing him to touch her in such a way? She quickly sidestepped, fixed him with a perturbed stare, and said, “I’m not falling for that stunt again as I did when you said I had kohl ash on my cheek.”
His smile softened more, and he gave her a knowing nod. “It was your eyebrow.”
Tingles of attraction shivered over her. “You are insufferable and a menace to my normal good nature.”
His gaze settled on hers once again. “You are a bother to me too, Miss Stowe, though I’m not yet sure what I’m going to do about it.”
Ophelia felt as if her heart was pulsating in her ears. Suddenly she wished she were once again disguised in a coat, a neckcloth, and trousers. Wearing a man’s clothinghad emboldened her. Her stride had taken on a formidable length wearing the knee boots her maid had secured. Not only that, but the heels added height to her frame, which added confidence to her behavior. Not that it made a difference to the duke. A lady’s dress offered no such trappings. When looking at him that night in his book room, she’d felt entirely different from the way she felt now. The duke made her feel things she wasn’t supposed to be feeling until she married. Or so she thought.
Managing to swallow a huff of annoyance with herself for the unexpected thoughts about the duke, she said, “You have made it very clear what you are going to do about me bothering you, Your Grace. You have refused my pleas for help time and again. Now, just tell me why you are here to see me and be on your way.”
He gave her a long considering stare. “Actually, I didn’t come to see you. I came to pay condolences to your mother.”
“Oh.” That calmed Ophelia down a notch.
“I remember her well from my childhood. I’d like her to know how sorry I am.” He paused as his features took on a more serious slant for a moment. He glanced over at a white cloth package tied with a yellow ribbon sitting on the table between the two settees. “I brought her some confections. Do you mind if I wait and speak to her?”
“No, of course not. That was kind of you. Maman will appreciate you making the time. She considers dukes very busy.”
He folded his arms over his chest and gave her a musing smile. “I wasn’t a duke when she scolded me for talking Winston into going so deep into the bogs with me one day that we got lost and ended up staying out well past daylight.”
