Her eyes flicked back to his, and her amber irises no longer danced, no longer glittered—they swam. Swam with something heady and intoxicating, something consuming.
And he didn’t even try to resist, he let her consume him. Curse his bloody heart—it jolted harder than the recoil of a pistol.
Ash silently stole looks at Lady Felicity as he ate the meat pie Cook had prepared for dinner. A dinner they had sat down to later than usual because target practice had gone longer than anticipated. Despite the dining hall’s trio of enormous windows that spanned the entire height of the castle, the room was dimly lit as sunset approached, a soft warm glow emanating from the massive chandeliers overhead and candelabras lining the stone walls.
She wore a stunning emerald silk gown, and this one appeared to fit her bosom. Though it still did wonderful things to it. His fingers tightened around his wineglass. Bloody hell. It clung to her figure as desperately as his hands yearned to. The fit and the color combined with her amber hair and eyes had Ash tripping over his tongue when he’d greeted her for dinner. Thank fuck he was known as a man of few words, because he hadn’t been capable of any.
Another thing that had him tongue-tied—his daughter had shown up to dinner in a dress as well.His daughter. He couldn’t remember the last time Pandora had donned a dress. Apparently, the two ladies had gotten ready for dinner together.
His daughter had looked so grown up and had been distinctly proud of herself when she’d curtsied her greeting to him before dinner. Somehow, Lady Felicity was helping his daughter learn the ways of being a lady with Pandora enjoying it at the same time. And why was that? Because there was a woman around. A role model. Someone Ash had failed to provide for his daughter.
The women were recounting the target practice, and he bit back a smile as Pandora nearly upended her water while she mimed holding a rifle.
“I cannot wait for my birthday and for you to completely surprise my brothers with your shooting skills,” Pandora said. “I cannot believe you hit the bullseyemultipletimes your first time out.”
And what a shock that had been. Lady Felicity took to shooting pistols like she was born for it. At first, Ash had been taken aback. He would have wagered every unentailed property he owned that Lady Felicity would use the helpless, teach-me angle for her seduction advantage. But he’d only ended up with one glorious chance to be wrapped around her warm, slight body.
It was pathetic how much he had been looking forward to feeling her body press back into his on the force of the gun’s recoil. He hadn’t even been allowed that. Because she’d shoved him away and lined herself up like an expert marksman. And struck the target dead-center.
Instead of dainty and helpless, she had been formidable and fearless. And fuck him because that had been averysuccessful seduction maneuver. Which was infuriating, considering she hadn’t even been trying to seduce him. Yet here she was succeeding. How was he supposed to resist her if he fell under her spell when she wasn’t even casting it? How pathetic was he?
Oh, right. Extremely pathetic. Themostpathetic.
He was a lobcock because he’d been so hopelessly disappointed at being deprived of more opportunities to have her in his arms that he’d offered to bring out the rifles, something even Pandora hadn’t had the chance to try shooting yet. Just because he was desperate to use an excuse to show her the proper form in order to get close to her again. Apparently, he loved torturing himself.
Mmm, pain, you are a persistent chap.
“I surprised myself as much as you, Pandora. I wasn’t expecting to best the Duke.” Lady Felicity sent a teasing smile his way as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “I cannot deny I am highly competitive.”
Yes, he had picked up on that little trait of hers. Brazen and beautiful. And for a brief moment when their eyes had caught and held…bewitching. Dangerously so. Hence why he needed to do something—and quickly—to create space, so he would stop being a clodpole who came up with ways to have her in his arms.
He dipped his chin in solemn acknowledgment. “Your accuracy would have rivaled a rifleman’s. Perhaps you will be able to use your newfound skills to keep my son in line.”
Her eyes dimmed, and he told himself that was a good thing. A reminder for them both. Avoiding her wasn’t working, so it was time for a new battle strategy. He would bring up his son at every turn and at the same time make himself so unappealing she wouldn’t be able to bear the thought of sleeping with him.
If he did that…well then, he wouldn’t be faced with temptation wagging itself in his face so often. Perhaps she would give up altogether and realize marrying Colborn was, in fact, a good idea.
He gritted his teeth. That would be great. That was exactly what he wanted. He did not want his son’s fiancé to pursue him. Did not.
Ash, you are a horrible human being.
And that was the ugly truth, wasn’t it? It was why, even if she wasn’t betrothed to his son, even if she wasn’t much too young, he could never allow himself to be with her. Because he was starting to feel things, things that might lead to happiness, things he didn’t deserve.
He was a piss-poor father and had been a piss-poor husband. His daughter was going to flounder in society because he hadn’t adequately prepared her. He had barely been present in his sons’ lives. He lusted after his own son’s fiancé, for bloody fuck’s sake.
But worst of all?
He had killed his wife.
12
Felicity
TheDukewasquiet.He was always quiet, but this was different. The invisible barrier he put around himself was as strong as ever, tangible.
He had seemed to allow himself, whoever the man was he held at bay, to slip out more often today than she had ever seen before. But at dinner, the stoic, reserved Duke was back in full force.
Felicity leaned back, and the footmen stepped forward to clear the table and change the linens for dessert
