Page 4 of Deviant Duchess
“Surely you do not care about that.”
Deborah shrugged. She was curious about how such an illegal place was advertised. She’d worked it for two years and still did not know. Still, she supposed it did not affect her current situation.
“Do you go to the auction often?” She asked next, then, with a sarcastic tone, she added, “Have you run out of willing women so quickly?”
This earned her another chuckle from him, and he shook his head.
“I will admit that this was not the first auction I attended. I found it amusing- and slightly disgusting- to watch my fellow men drool and draw themselves into a frenzy over the process. However, tonight’s was the first one I have participated in- for reasons I have already explained.”
“Why me?” She asked after a moment of silence.
The bored, if not slightly amused, expression on Cedric’s face shifted into a serious one.
“Several reasons,” he replied stiffly.
“And they are?” She prompted.
“Well, I already gave you one reason,” he replied, annoyance starting to lace his deep tone. “I remember you being kind.”
“And what if I am no longer kind?” Deborah retorted, staring at him challengingly.
His dark gaze raked down her body, sending an alarming tingle through her core and into her limbs.
“I believe you could be kind again. For a child. Perhaps if for nothing else,” he stated quietly.
Her nostrils flared in annoyance, hating that he was right.
“What other reasons?” She demanded.
Cedric took his time raking his eyes back up to hers, and to her surprise, they glittered with respect.
“The way you held yourself. As if you knew exactly what you were doing and you were proud of it. You did not care what anyone thought of you. Like you were exactly where you wanted to be.”
I was. Until you ruined it.
“If you could face a crowd of lustful men without a trace of fear, then surely you would have no problem handling a wild little girl with a temper,” Cedric explained.
“Two very different creatures,” Deborah stated dryly, and Cedric chortled.
“Hm. I suppose you are right about that,” he mused.
Deborah studied him for a moment longer, putting all the pieces together. He wanted a mother for his child. That much was clear. It was also clear that such a need arose with such haste that he wanted to bypass traditional courtship. It all made sense, she supposed. Only there was one issue.
Herself.
CHAPTER THREE
“Icannot give up yet,” Deborah whispered.
“What was that?” Cedric asked.
She looked away from the carriage window, from the looming estate that they had pulled up to several minutes ago, and took in Cedric’s face. His usual mask of handsome unbotheredness met her directly. He’d made it clear in their discussion from London to Calder that he not only did not care about what rumors but even went so far as to find them amusing and petty. They were just something for him to laugh about when he was bored.
However, she had no ability to feel the same way. Rumors had destroyed her sister, and even though her first plan had failed, Sylvester still needed to pay.
“I cannot accept your proposal,” Deborah stated, her tone clear and stern. “I sympathize with your child, but I have my ownplight to deal with and yours would only be a hindrance to what I need to do to fix it.”
Cedric’s expression remained unbothered as he stared directly back at her. Then he shrugged.
