Page 51 of Love, the Duke
CHAPTER15
MAN’S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO APPREHENDING A THIEF
SIR BENTLY ASHTON ULLINGSWICK
Trust your instincts.
“Mr. Warcliff.” The duke’s strong tenor marked his stiff greeting. With a hard gaze leveled directly on Ophelia, he bridled his reproach. “Very good of you to come. Still have that cough, do you? I’ll take care of that for you. Follow me, and I’ll send for a glass of water.”
Ophelia did her best to keep in step with the duke’s impatient stride down the corridor. Laying her hand on top of her glass so the dark-amber liquor wouldn’t spill, she almost missed navigating the corner he turned, quite unsteady in her haste. The men’s boots she wore fit just under the bend of her knee and required some adjustment training with the way they fit. But she’d mastered them. Or so she thought. She felt as if lead had been added to the soles as she walked.
Dashing down the passageway, she shortened the gap between them. Then the duke had the ill timing to stop in his tracks so suddenly that she plowed into his backside. Her drink splashed against her fingers in her near stumble, but she didn’t tarry a fraction of a second. Taking an intentional step sideways, she quickly broke contact. Butnot fast enough. The warmth of a blush blanketed her from head to toe.
Out of breath and out of sorts, Ophelia stood there unable to move as their eyes met. There was no doubt he was seething. It showed in every feature on his face when he glanced back to look at her. All the while, she could hear the duke’s slow and controlled breathing. She was helpless not to gaze into his face. This close to him, it was as if she didn’t want to tear her attention away.
He lightly took her by the right shoulder and, steering her ahead of him, beneath his breath he whispered, “Ladies first. Enter the second door on the right.”
Trying to maintain calm, Ophelia did as he bid without question and entered what had to be the music room. A pianoforte, a harp, and a violin posed on a dark wood stand claimed the surroundings. She walked over to the piano, stopped, and turned around to face him. Her stomach jumped and she realized that no matter that he was upset with her, as impossible as it seemed, she was happy to see him.
His green eyes squeezed tightly at the corners, and his mouth was set and drawn. But none of that took away from the dashing figure he cut, and the man she was immensely attracted to.
Advancing on her, the duke said, “You are certainly filled with surprises, Ophelia.”
“I could say the same for you.”
“Me?” he questioned.
“Asking me to marry you was quite a surprise.”
“It shouldn’t have been. We were aware of each other the moment our eyes met. Even then we knew there would be passion between us.”
Passion, no. She didn’t know what passion was until he kissed her. A connection, a bond, yes.
He shook his head and inhaled deeply as if trying to settle himself. When he looked back to her, he asked, “What in the land of the living are you doing in my house mingling with my sporting club as if you were one of them?”
“I had no choice but to—”
“No, Ophelia, you had choice,” he insisted.
He gave her no opportunity to explain and continued. “If one of the men had figured out you were a lady, it would be all over London faster than you could change out of those clothes into a proper dress. And that would be only if they didn’t chew you up and spit you out on the front lawn before you had the chance. A man’s club is sacrosanct.”
Oh, he was in a bad temper. And she couldn’t tell him he had no right to be angry with her. But he didn’t. He was the one who hadn’t responded to her note. Setting her glass on a heavy wooden table near the piano, she made her defense. “I didn’t know you had guests until the butler showed me inside. He assumed I was a member.”
“You blame my butler?” he asked, astounded.
She started to answer but decided it was best to remain silent after she saw the scowl that formed and creased the duke’s forehead.
“And you allowed him to do so with no fear of consequences?” Hurst continued.
No, no. She had plenty of fear. Ophelia couldn’t very well admit that, so she continued to remain silent.
“I cannot believe you came back to my house dressed like this.” He pointedly gave her a critical up-and-down glance.
His overwrought attitude lent strength to her courage. She refocused on the reason she’d come. “I needed to seeyou and I don’t apologize for coming. Had you rather I come as a young lady to your door?”
“Why didn’t you just send me a note?” As was his custom when he was upset, his voice hitched a little louder.
“I did send you a note this morning andyoudidn’t answer.”
