Her uncle was now shouting for Fiona.
“Am I to hide in here while he goes after Fiona next? She already has her hands full getting rid ofyourLady Albin.”
“She is not my… Never mind. I am not going to stand here and argue with you. Cherish, look at you. Your hair is undone and you are barefoot, not to mention you are not even dressed.”
He stroked a hand through her hair that had fallen in a loose tumble down her back and was not even drawn back by a hairribbon. Well, perhaps he was right. She could not walk out of her bedchamber clad only in her undergarments and robe without causing more scandal.
He stared at her toes peeking out from under the hem of her robe.
She emitted a deflated breath. “Mrs. Harris, will you help me dress?”
“No, Mrs. Harris,” the duke cut in, overriding her request. “You are to stay here and make certain Lady Cherish does not leave her room. Tie her down, if you must.” He now released Cherish with the intention of handing her over to Mrs. Harris’s care, and then raked his fingers through his dark mane of hair. “Gad, what a morning this is turning out to be.”
“Indeed, a horrible morning,” Cherish muttered, intent on ignoring his orders. As soon as he turned to leave, she went to her armoire and withdrew a gown. “I am not having you deal with my uncle on your own,” she muttered. “He is my problem. My responsibility. Block his path, Mrs. Harris. Throw your body across the door.”
“Lady Cherish!”
“Oh, never mind. Your Grace, just wait for me while I dress and we shall confront him together. It is the only way. You do not know him as I do. He will not budge from here without me.”
She removed her robe, shocking the housekeeper because the duke was still in her bedchamber and about to argue some more about her remaining in hiding. But his mouth gaped open before he managed to speak a word.
Drat, the chemise was sliding off her shoulders.
He was now staring at her with fiery eyes as she donned the gown. Fiona and Reggie claimed he felt more for her than he was letting on. Perhaps they were right, and his smoldering gaze proved it.
But so what? He was never going to admit it.
“Mrs. Harris, will you help me tie the laces?”
“Yes, Lady Cherish.” The obviously rattled housekeeper hastened to assist her.
Only afterward did Cherish realize what she had done, disrobing in front of the duke as though he had every right to be in here with her and belonged by her side. However, he certainly did not belong here, and she had to rectify her mistake at once. “Your Grace, kindly stand outside and wait for me.”
He laughed. “Did you not think to ask me that before you undressed in front of me? There is no point in my leaving now, since I have already seen everything there is to see of you.”
She gasped. “You have not! Of all the effrontery.”
“Blessed saints,” he muttered. “I’ll strike a deal with you—promise me you will stay up here at least until I calm your uncle down. Will you do this? Then you can join me downstairs and we shall deal with him together.”
“I cannot promise any such thing. You are wasting your time and do not know him as I do. He will not be calmed until he confronts me. How many times must you hear this before you will believe me?”
“Put this out of your head at once. I am not letting him anywhere near you while he is so enraged. Cherish, for pity’s sake. Stop being stubborn and just let me deal with him without having to worry about you.”
“No, and you really ought to stop telling me what to do. This is my family mess and my responsibility to handle. He is always unpleasant, that’s just his nature. Although I will admit, he is exceptionally loud this time.” She sank onto her bed and reached down to put on her shoes. She decided not to bother fixing her hair, since her uncle was bellowing again, and she dared not waste any more time in doing it up properly.
The duke had remarked on what a horrible morning this was turning out to be, and she heartily agreed. If only she couldgo back to sleep and pretend none of this was happening. But her wretched uncle was intent on causing trouble. That Lady Albin was still here and would be witness to their inevitable confrontation also irked her to no end.
“I am ready, Your Grace.” Her head was now in a spin and the duke was watching her quite intently. She placed her arm in his and smiled up at him, but she could see he was not fooled at all and knew she needed to hold on to him to steady herself.
He cast her a concerned look. “Cherish—”
“No.I do not need you to act like a protective ape over me.”
“Who is to protect you, if not me?”
“You? Ha! That is a jest. I am going downstairs with you and that’s an end to our discussion. I have to face him now or my life will be intolerable once I am back at Northam Hall.” She emitted a soft breath. “However, I am glad you are by my side. He can be quite a boor, and I think he is angrier than he has ever been with me at the moment.”
“Does this not trouble you, Cherish? It certainly worries me. Why should he be so enraged merely because you are attending a neighbor’s party?” He frowned pensively. “This does not feel right. Something is decidedly rotten about this entire situation.”
