Page 11 of The Haunted Duke

“Your Grace.” Something in the harsh set of his face eased as he bowed over her withered knuckles. “It is good to see you well. It has been too long.”

“Too long indeed,” she replied loftily from her chair, peering up at him. “Look at the size of you. The last I saw you, you were no bigger around the waist than Jeremy here.”

Evander’s smooth chuckle had goosebumps forming on Helena’s arms. He inclined his head, but offered no clever reply, only letting the old woman look her fill.

Patricia let out a harrumph and then nodded to Jeremy.

“Now there is one who could stand to learn some devotion. Time is of the essence for our little celebration, and what is my grandson doing? Running off to London!”

Evander went very still. “London?” he asked, the warmth bleeding out of his voice. His piercing eyes snapped up straight at Helena, or so it seemed, that intense gaze pinning her until her stomach drew tight. For one breathless moment, she was certain the man was glaring at her, and she could not for the life of her think what she had done to earn it.

“You cannot be serious,” Evander said.

Helena could not help but jump as Jeremy’s hand suddenly fell on her shoulder, only then letting her know that Evander was staring in her direction because her betrothed was standing right behind her.

“You all worry far too much,” Jeremy scolded lightly. “I am leaving Grandmama’s tasks in very capable hands! You, old friend, can intimidate anyone into giving you what you want, and Helena here, with her pretty smile so very bright, can ease the most unwilling soul to comfort. Surely between the two of you, every task will be completed to perfection.”

Helena’s pink cheeks turned red at Jeremy’s words, and she fought the urge to bury her head in her hands to hide. Then suddenly a scream erupted into the air, and everyone, even Evander, froze.

“What on earth?” Patricia murmured, then Helena felt a weight rush into her, and she caught her little brother as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Alex, what has gotten into you?” Helena whispered, taking in his wide, terror-filled eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

“There is a monster,” he said through deep, uneven breaths. “He is the beast Nanny told me about!”

If Helena had not wanted to disappear before, she certainly did now. She looked toward Evander with an apologetic glance, but he had already turned his wide back to them all, as if he already knew he was the beast Alex was referring to.

“Hush now. Hush!” Helena insisted, wiping his tears away. “This is no way for you to behave; the man is not a beast or a monster.”

Helena could have sworn she heard a soft breath of relief escape from someone nearby as she said those words, and she turned to Evander. His massive shoulders had lowered from their rigid stance, but he now had his back turned to her and Alex.

Certain that the presence of her and her little brother had clearly offended him, Helena scooped up her little brother’s hand and got up from her chair.

“Do forgive Alex, everyone,” she implored politely. “I believe he has played too long in the sun. I shall take him to his nanny.”

Evander said nothing to let her know he had heard her. Jeremy gave her a half-hearted, close-lipped smile, and Patricia, once more, made a shooing motion with her hand.

“Go on then,” Patricia insisted. “We shall meet tomorrow morning to go over the details.”

Helena nodded and began leading Alex toward the house.

“Why would you say such a thing, Alex?” she whispered as they walked. “That was so rude! You know better!”

“Because he is frightening! Look how tall he is! He is as big as our dining table at home, and he has scars on his face!” Alex whispered back. “He is the beast Nanny told me came back from hell! I am certain of it!”

“Lower your voice,” she scolded. “What you did was very rude!”

“Well,” Alex muttered, looking over his shoulder. “He was rude to you, too.”

Helena shook her head, but like her little brother, she could not resist taking a quick look back at the Duke. She nearly slipped and lost her footing as she realized it was not his back, still turned to them as she expected, but his eyes—boring straight into her as he watched her leave.

She had been raised on the conviction that there was good to be found in everyone, and a solution to every trouble, if one only looked hard enough. But she could not, for the life of her, find the trouble here. She had never met the man before this afternoon. She had spoken to him kindly. She had given him no cause to regard her with such rudeness.

And still, somehow, the Duke of Redgrave seemed to despise her.

What could I possibly have done to earn the loathing of a man I do not even know?

Chapter 3