“I know. For all your frowning and grumbling, you have a good heart. What do you have in your hand?”
“This?” He stared at the envelope grasped in his fist, unaware he had brought it along with him until just now. “It is a letter I have been putting off reading all day.”
“You do not seem pleased about it. Who is it from?”
“My mother.”
“What?” Ailis’s mouth dropped open and she laughed. “You have a mother? I mean…goodness. You have a mother?”
Chapter Three
“Of course Ihave a mother. What do you think I am? Some spawn of the devil created out of netherworld muck? I’m sure evenhehad a mother,” the duke said, frowning at Ailis.
“Sorry,” she replied, unable to suppress her bubble of laughter. “You surprised me, that’s all. Of course you must have had one. But you never speak of your family and I have never known any of them to come visit you here. I would have thought… Well, it does not matter what I think, does it?”
He shrugged. “You are going to spout your opinion whether I wish to hear it or not, aren’t you?”
She cast him a sheepish look and nodded. “Do you mind?”
“No, Temple,” he said with a deep, rumbling chuckle that thrummed through her veins. “I rather like your impudence. It is a refreshing change from the fawning attention I receive from the parade of toadies who come to my door. Go ahead, tell me what is on your mind.”
“Nothing of serious consequence,” she said wistfully. “I had a family once and treasured them. Now it is just me and my uncle. He has been very good to me.”
“As you have been for him, Temple.” He cast her a rare and devastating smile. “Do not get too full of yourself when I tell you this, but you have been very good for all of Broadmoor. It is a nicer place to be because of you. Never tell anyone I said so, for I shall deny it.”
“That was rather a backhanded compliment.” But she smiled at him, for she did not think he had ever noticed her work. She ought to have realized he would, for this duke was one of the smartest men she had ever met and had to be aware of everything that went on within his purview. “Your Grace, why is it that I have been here almost six years now and never seen any Langford family members in residence other than you? Is there something wrong with your relations?”
“Perhaps it istheywho are sensible and know to avoid me.” He arched a dark eyebrow, the gesture making him look impossibly wicked, and also incredibly handsome. “No, it is nothing so dramatic. They are quite normal. Busybody of a mother. Feckless brother who has the makings of a decent lord if he ever gets serious enough to try. He is likely to be my heir. Two married sisters who are busy producing offspring. They all reside in London and are quite content to remain where they are.”
“As you are content to have them far away from you?”
He ran a hand through the thick waves of his hair. “I see them often enough on the trips I make to London whenever Parliament is in session.”
“Why do you not invite them to come up here? It is beautiful in the summer.”
He stared at the letter in his hand.
“Your mother must love you and be concerned for you. Open it,” Ailis urged, trying to suppress another bubble of laughter. This man was fierce and daunting, and it simply was not possible that anyone, even his mother, could make him tremble in fear or ever tell him what to do.
“Why should I open it? I know what it will say.”
“Then why did you bring it in here with you if you already know its contents? Admit it, Your Grace. You brought it along because you wanted to share it with me and get my opinion.”
“Do not presume to know my mind, Temple.”
“Fine, don’t read it, then. Be a coward,” she said, knowing she was purposely goading him. She thought it hilarious that his own mother could hold such sway over this big, brawny man. But this also softened him in her opinion, for he was always so dour and closed off in his feelings.
That he actually had feelings was a revelation.
Well, she always knew he had them. He had never shared them with her before.
She immediately liked the lady, for how could one not admire the dragon’s mother? Not that the duke was a dragon, but he behaved like a prowling menace at times. Whenever he got a fierce, frowning look on his face, everyone would scramble away.
Ailis never would.
There was something in his manner that did not frighten her. Perhaps he was gentler with her than with others.
But she had never noticed any significant difference in the way he treated her, until now. This usually curt and surly man was being quite wonderful in his care of her.
