Page 12 of The Lion Duke's Proposal
"Before you do." His voice was unhurried. "I have an offer for you."
She stopped, unable to control the sudden shiver that ran through her entire body.
Chapter Four
In profile, with the light spilling out from the hallway behind him, he was taller and more imposing than ever. With his hazel eyes glinting just so, the nickname was never more apt; she felt like he might devour her on the spot.
For a moment, she was quite certain she had misheard him.
An offer.
He had said he had an offer for her. There was simply no version of that sentence that made any sense.
Dukes did not make offers to women like her. They did not seek out disgraced spinsters in private rooms and speak to them as though they had anything of value to exchange.
The first response that rose in her throat was not one she could say in company.
She pressed her lips together. She set her shoulders. She turned back to face him and dropped into a curtsey, shallow but correct, and told herself that whatever came out of her mouth next would be appropriate if it killed her.
“My apologies, Your Grace.” Despite how her emotions were flying everywhere, she forced her voice to sound steady. He was the host, after all. “There was a commotion in the ballroom, and I needed a moment.”
“I’m aware. It seems the good Miss Burbank has made a claim that you attempted to steal from her. She’s caused quite the stir.”
“I did no such thing,” Julia snapped.
“I did not say you did.” He moved into the room, and she instinctively took a step back, wanting to keep her distance from this strangely intense man. She’d just assumed him to be a pompous and preening nobleman. But today, in his own home, with the odd looks he’d been giving her all night and his casual mannerism, she felt like she had misjudged him entirely.
“So, you believe my claim without even asking my side of the story?” she asked.
“I don’t need to ask you anything to know that Miss Burbank is lying,” he explained. “That brooch is made of poorly wrought silver and contains no precious gems. Any thief worth their salt would target something far more valuable and much easier to steal. Besides, what type of fool steals in the middle of a crowded ballroom in plain sight? If you werereallyhere to steal,Miss Norish, I imagine you would’ve gone promptly over to the bookshelves over at that corner, taken that gold paperweight and the letter-opener with the embedded ruby, and disappeared out of the front window, never to be seen in Society again.”
Julia’s eyes flickered over to the shelves. She hadn’t even noticed the precious items lying around. “You don’t seem to mind very much the thought of that happening.”
He shrugged. “I had a feeling about you. I wanted to see what you’d do, and I was right.” He advanced a step further, and she felt suddenly cornered. “I have a proposition for you, Miss Norish.”
Her heart thudded heavily. “Yes,” she murmured softly. “You mentioned an offer before.” She arched an eyebrow at him, indicating he should proceed.
The Duke. The Lion.
She glanced briefly at him, recalling only too readily how he had loomed over her and spoken as if she had caused the carriage to block traffic intentionally.
The thought of any type of proposition from this man sounded ludicrous. If their previous interaction was any indication, he was the sort of man who gave commands and demanded obedience rather than making private requests.
Her incredulity must have shown on her face for a split second because the Duke let out a bark of laughter. “Did you think I meant to make a proposal?”
Julia’s face reddened. She was sure he was mocking her, and why he would do such a thing at this time was more than she could handle. She didn’t want to get caught up in his twisted games. Pulling herself up to her full height, she stepped neatly around him, intending to head for the door. Just as she walked past him, he moved to block her way.
“Please, you must allow me to leave this instant,” she demanded. “This…being here…alone…together is scandalous, and my reputation could be ruined irreparably. I simply want to return and find my sister.”
“This is my home,” the Duke of Pridewell replied, “so if I wish to speak to someone in private, I will do so. And to be quite frank, Miss Norish, your reputation is already in a rather poor state with this unfortunate brooch incident, so I don’t think there’s any notable risk here. If anything, being found here with me might help with your unfortunate early spinsterhood.”
Julia had suffered enough. She pushed past him and made her way to the exit, infuriated and embarrassed. How dare this man make fun of her situation? He was nothing but a bully.
“Miss Norish. Please stop. I insist.”
Despite her better judgment, her steps slowed. She glanced over her shoulder with skepticism. To her surprise, for the first timesince she set eyes on the Duke of Pridewell, he looked a little sheepish.
“I apologize. I went too far.” He held up his hands. “It was unkind to mention your unmarried state. Honestly, I admire what you and your sister did in coming here tonight. You knew that theExpressarticle would cause a stir, but you held your heads high anyway, and that takes a good deal of courage. I think that’s something worth acknowledging.”
