“Lord Langford, what makes you think I can be of any help?”
“It is obvious he has a soft spot for you. My mother and I hoped you might be able to calm him down.”
Ailis shook her head. “He indulges me, and perhaps feels a little protective of me because I was hurt on his property.”
“No, Miss Temple. He truly admires you and respects your opinions. You are the only one who can tame his savage anger.”
She doubted it. The duke would not want to hear what she had to say. And yet, did she not have to say what was in her heart? Knowing how proud he was, this incident had demeaned him so badly and given that peahen, Lady Viola, control over him.
But the spiteful girl only had control because he was allowing the incident to affect him.
Just how badwerehis scars? Ailis had only seen his forearm. Yes, the damage had been awful. But why could he not see that it did not change the valiant essence of the man he was?
His mother and Grimes met them at the door as the carriage drew up in front of the house.
“Thank goodness you are here, Miss Temple,” the duchess said, guiding Ailis down the hall before she had a moment to remove her cloak and gloves. “He will not speak to any of us.”
“I am surprised he did not toss all of you out.”
The duchess blushed. “He might have said that as he ranted and raged. But I am his mother and refuse to leave him whenhe is obviously hurting so badly. Unfortunately, being that tomorrow is Christmas, none of our guests can leave, either. Between the bad weather and so many people closing shop early, we simply could not send anyone packing.”
“It will take those peahens a full day to pack, anyway,” Edward remarked. “Dressing to trap a duke takes lots of fashionable clothes that cannot simply be stuffed into a travel pouch.”
“Has Lady Viola attempted to apologize to him?” Ailis asked.
The duchess shook her head. “No, the girl has spent the past hour cruelly talking about the condition of his body to anyone who will listen.”
“The irony of it is,” Edward said, “all of them would still marry my brother because they will endure anything to be a duchess.”
“They would marry him and yet loathe him?” Ailis let out a breath in disgust.
“Well, there’ll be no marriage proposal now. He will never take any of them as his wife. I suppose this will be his fate now, to remain alone and unhappy, renowned throughout thetonas the last Silver Duke.”
Yet another label he detested, Ailis mused.
But this discovered secret about his scars was far worse. He would retreat behind those fortress walls he’d built up over the years. Was it not better to be alone than wake up each morning to a wife who despised him?
They paused outside the study door. Grimes had caught up to them and took her cloak and gloves. “You would make him happy, Miss Ailis.”
She glanced at the duchess. “I am not anyone he would consider marrying. You needn’t worry that I’ll—”
“Ailis,” the duchess said, taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, “you are worthier than a dozen of those diamonds. I was wrong to bring them here.”
Ailis could not believe what she was hearing. Was the duchess indicating that she, a vicar’s niece, was worthy to be his duchess? Or merely suggesting acceptance because Ailis was useful to have around at the moment? Well, it was the duke’s choice alone on whom to marry or whether he evenwouldmarry. No one else had the right to make this decision for him.
She knocked at the study door.
“I warned you to stay out!” the duke roared, sounding angrier than she had ever heard him. In truth, she had never seen him this furious, and had never once seen him lose control.
Her heart went out to him, for he sounded like an enraged lion, wounded and aggressive.
“Do not bellow at me,” she called back with more confidence than she felt. “I am coming in.”
She waited to the count of three, just in case he decided to hurl something at the door. When nothing happened, she walked in and closed the door behind her, purposely closing herself in the lair of an angry lion.
“I might have known they would bring Miss Temple of Virtue to calm me down. What made you agree to be their virgin sacrifice?”
“Good morning, Jonas,” she responded in the face of his insults and his dangerous glower, glad he was seated behind his desk and making no move to rise. “You are ever a delight.”
