Page 37 of Love, the Duke
CHAPTER11
MAN’S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO APPREHENDING A THIEF
SIR BENTLY ASHTON ULLINGSWICK
Take in the suspect and befriend him.
He shut the gate while she tried to calm her quickened heartbeat and walked toward him.
“Hello, Ophelia,” he offered as he strode along the tall hedge line toward her.
She abruptly paused. His intimate greeting using her name caused a purely feminine reaction in her that seemed out of place, all things considered.
Although somewhat unnerved by his sudden presence, she asked curiously, “Why are you coming through the side gate and not the front door?”
His mouth curved into a slow smile. “Before I got out of the carriage, I saw you from the window walking back here and thought to come straight to where you were and bypass the servants.”
“And Maman?” she questioned.
“For now, if possible. We have the most interesting conversations when we are alone.”
Ophelia couldn’t argue with that. Her breaths evened out as she met him at the corner of the house. “You are certainly forward to do that, but once again, you’ve managed to come at an awkward time. Maman isn’t well and I’m afraid I’m not in a very good humor. It would be best if you paid a visit on another day.”
His features softened. “I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Nothing serious, I hope, and I’m surprised to hear of your ill humor. I thought getting the opportunity to question my cousin without constraint yesterday would have put you in a very fine way.”
“It did yesterday,” she offered, trying to disengage her gaze from his. “Though I take exception to you saying ‘without constraint.’ You grimaced at every question. However, I do thank you.”
“I take it you didn’t find what you were looking for in the Southperrys’ book room, or from Mr. Halaway.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “How did you know I—you were following me again?” she asked through clenched teeth. It seemed an impossible thing to do, but he could raise her indignation and the fluttering in her chest at the same time.
The duke twitched his shoulders in such a charming way she felt the desire to do likewise and lifted her chin too.
“It was more like watching you,” he admitted.
“You were so caught up by adoring young ladies and their mamas when I left the garden, I thought for sure I had managed to leave and return without your notice.”
His gaze swept down her face and then back up to her eyes. “I always notice you, Ophelia.”
His words warmed her all the way down to her toes. She noticed again he used her given name rather than properly addressing her. For reasons she didn’t want to explore, she found it comforting that he was watchingher. Her trepidation waned and her interest as to why he came over grew.
“So, what did you find in your search?” A sparkle of teasing flashed in his eyes. “More books?”
“Of course.” Ophelia sighed. “And a shelf that had some exquisite snuff and memory boxes on it. There were some miniature portraits in some lovely frames but, regrettably, no historical or religious vessels of any kind.”
“And what about my cousin?” He casually folded his arms across his wide chest. “After meeting him and hearing his story, did you settle in your mind that he couldn’t possibly be the suspect you are looking for?”
“I admit there is a good probability he is not the one who has the chalice.”
“And his aunt Maudine?” the duke prompted her. “Is she a suspect now? Or someone from her ladies’ group?”
Ophelia looked past the handsome duke to the tall dark-green hedge rising over them and took her time answering. “Unless one of them has a weak nose and chin and wears a top hat, they are probably off my list of suspects as well.”
Ophelia hadn’t expected him to toss his head back and laugh. Nor could she have anticipated enjoying watching him. She liked the way the lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes, making him appear relaxed. He was so immensely attractive, she felt her mood changing and her spirits lifting. But then her gaze caught sight of the note her mother had received from home and the book on catching a thief that she was beginning to wonder if it was helpful at all. Their situation hadn’t changed and time to save her brother’s legacy was slipping by quickly as the hours and days passed.
“Why are you here?”
“To see you.”
