Joseph looked her up and down. Catriona immediately stiffened, knowing she had been deemed unworthy. “I don’t see how you could help. This is not really a matter that should involve a woman since it’s about the dukedom.”
“You contradict yourself, My Lord. As the Duchess of Irvin, I do not see why such matters would not concern me.”
“Are you not better suited to throwing balls?” he asked incredulously. “I will simply wait until he has returned.”
Without warning, he got up and made his way out of the room, leaving Catriona gaping after him. The click of the door closing sent her anger through the room but shock at his blatant dismissal kept her sitting there.
A second later, Joseph re-entered. One look at his face told her that he’d shed his previous persona and was back to his normal self.
“That was horrible,” he told her as he made his way back to the seat.
“You were horrible!” she protested. “I couldn’t believe you could be so rude.”
“Which was my intention. Just because you are the new Duchess of Irvin doesn’t mean you will naturally command the respect that your position deserves. Especially if others are of the predisposition that you are not suited for the role in the firstplace. The way you responded to my callous words just now shows that even you do not understand your worth.”
“So, you taunted me on purpose,” she grumbled.
“I did. And you are doing a terrible job of hiding your anger.”
Catriona loosened the fist she’d made, trying to let some of her fury out with a deep breath. “How should I have responded then? Surely you did not expect me to beg you to stay?”
“There is no right answer that I can give you. But by the end, I should not have felt as if I had more power than the mistress of the household. You should have put me in my place with the utmost grace.” Joseph inclined his head as he regarded her. “And I know you have it in you. You were more than capable of commanding the situation when you thought I was going to kidnap my own daughter.”
“You forgave me for that,” she pointed out.
That shadow of a smile appeared. “That I did.”
She sighed. “Well then let’s try again. I’m not sure I know how to put it into practice, but I may as well try.”
Joseph nodded and transformed once more. She blinked, still a little taken aback at how easily he could slip into this role. It made her wonder who he had been before he inherited thedukedom, before he was married, before Dorothea. Who had Joseph Leeway been when he could have smiled more easily?
“Well?” he said. “When do I expect him back?”
Catriona suddenly wished she had a cup of tea in her hand. Taking a sip would have calmed her, giving her time to think about the response, to control the situation.
“Why do you wish to know?” she asked calmly.
Irritation flashed in his eyes. “I just told you that I have matters to discuss with him. Matters that do not concern you.”
“Then I suppose this conversation is over, isn’t it? I shall have Francis escort you out.”
“You cannot do that. At least not until you’ve told me?—”
“Can’t I?” Catriona raised a brow, letting a tiny humorless smile lift her lips. “You forget yourself, My Lord. This is my house. I can do whatever I please, which includes escorting you from my home if you insist on being rude.”
He narrowed his eyes, staring at her for a long moment before he said, “Forgive me. It was not my intention to be rude. I only wished to know when he will be returning so that I may better plan my days.”
“Apology accepted, My Lord. Now what did you say this was in regards to?”
Joseph let out a breath of frustration as his stare turned into a glare. Catriona met it unflinchingly. And then he blinked, nodding, returning to himself.
“Better. Much better. There is still room for improvement, but it is markedly better than before.”
“What room for improvement are you talking about?”
“You do not need to ask him once more what he wished to talk about. I am the one asking for your assistance, even if I do it with a healthy measure of misogyny. My motivations should be inconsequential to you.”
“Ah, I see.” She hadn’t even thought about it that way. God, how could she have possibly thought that she was cut out for this?
