“A lady, Your Grace, but she would not give her name.”
Jasper glanced at the small clock on his desk. It was past ten and raining. What would a lady be doing in his manor at this time? “Are you certain she did not call upon my aunt?”
“I am, Your Grace. She specifically asked for an audience with you. She is in the drawing room.”
Surprised and curious, Jasper stood to find out who this lady was and what she wanted from him.
Chapter 4
Ladies of the ton, should you find yourself in close proximity with the Masked Rogue, even in a crowded place, leave as soon as you can, and keep your gaze lowered. A glance from that scoundrel could smother your honor.
Natalie anxiously wrung the skirt of her dress between her fingers, unable to slow the rapid beating of her heart. She had come to ask Jasper to kiss her, or seduce him if she must, but she was close to fleeing before he even joined her.
Her stomach clenched when she heard strong footfalls outside the drawing room. Moving to the edge of the chair she was sitting in, she allowed a shaky breath and closed her eyes, seeking strength from within. Revenge was certainly more difficult than she ever anticipated.
Jasper appeared in the doorway, and his dark brows rose the instant he saw her. “Lady Natalie?”
She wondered for how long he would continue to pretend to forget. She still did not believe that he had no recollection of that night. She rose slowly from her chair and held her hands in front of her, curtsying.
“Is something the matter?” he asked as he walked further into the room. He looked earnestly concerned but she knew not to believe everything she saw.
“Your Grace, I apologize for the sudden visit.” Natalie forced a smile, while his eyes moved appreciatively over her. Beneath it all, she found it challenging to read him, and she felt she was in a disadvantageous position as a result.
Natalie apologized for the late-night call, trying not to notice how his gaze roamed over her almost in appraisal. Beneath the concern, his expression was inscrutable, and Natalie wished she could read him.
He gestured for her to sit. “Are you accompanied by anyone?” Natalie had almost forgotten how proper he was. She did not know how he kept a perfect image, even in the confines of his own manor.
“No, I came alone,” she replied as she sat, and his brows ascended higher.
“May I ask why you would come to an unmarried Duke’s residence without a chaperone?”
She took a breath. “A chaperone should never be present for what I am here for.”
Jasper inclined his head, and his eyes gleamed with interest at her suggestion even though he had yet to learn its nature. Then his gaze seemed to darken as it slid from her face, down her neck, and rested on her bosom. Heat coated her skin, and her mouth dried suddenly.
“Then what are you here for, My Lady?” he asked, his gaze returning to her eyes.
The image of him rejecting her, and asking her to leave his home played in her mind, and her resolve faltered. Her desire to fulfill her aspirations countered her fears, however. “I came to kiss you, Your Grace.” Her shoulders were straight, and her chin was high as she spoke. There was a confidence in her voice that she had never heard before.
Jasper blinked slowly, and Natalie held her breath. “I beg your pardon?”
“I am sure you heard me clearly, Your Grace, but if I must repeat myself, then—”
“Why do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, leaning forward in his seat and resting his elbows on his thighs. There was a hint of a smile on his features that suggested he would not throw her out as she feared.
“I am here to kissyou,” she corrected him, and a wide grin spread over his face.
“I do not know why you want to kiss me, but whatever your reason is, my answer is yes.”
A flutter began in the pit of her belly, and she sounded breathless when she spoke. “You…agree?”
Jasper grinned. “A lovely woman offering me a kiss? How could I refuse?”
She lowered her eyes as a deep blush crept onto her cheeks. He stood and offered his hand. She did not know what he was planning to do, but she placed her hand in his and allowed him to draw her to her feet.
“Shall we finish this discussion in my study?”
Now a shiver ran through her. “Yes,” she replied, and he led her out of the drawing room. There was no one in the front hall or any of the hallways, but she was not surprised, given the hour.
