It had been an idle accusation, intended to provoke him more than anything else, but as she said the words, she saw his gaze fall to her lips and his jaw tighten.
Her heart missed a beat. Why was he looking at her like that? Her face heated up, and she wanted nothing more than to turn away from him so he wouldn't see that she was blushing.
She needed to distract him. Is that why you're allowing yourself to worry about my cats so much?" she asked him. "You don't mind that they're cats. You just hate that they'remine."
The duke cursed. "I don't care what you do with your cats," he said. "Do anything you want, but keep them out of my sight, because if I cross paths with them again, Iwillthrow them out of the house."
"I'll keep them in my room," Victoria said.
"See that you do," the duke growled. Without another word, he turned and stormed from the room, leaving Victoria staring after him.
That had been too close for comfort. She had very nearly lost her cats to the duke's selfishness. And now…well, at least she was being allowed to keep them. At least there was that.
She would have to work hard to make sure they didn't get out of her room, but she could do that. She would do whatever it took to keep Hades and Persephone safe.
But what she had no intention of doing was going along with the Duke's plan of a marriage for her. She had told him she would do it in order to pacify him in the moment, but her plans had not changed. She wanted nothing more than to get rid of him as quickly as possible, and she was more determined than ever to do whatever it took to make that a reality.
Still irritated that he had sent Cressida and their friends away, she headed off to find Hades and Persephone. She no longer dared to give them the run of the house. They would have to stay in her room for the time being.
But in the end, she swore, the duke would be the one to leave this house.
CHAPTER 8
"I'm surprised to see you here," James told the duchess as she settled down at the dinner table.
"I thought it was about time I joined you for a meal," the duchess said smoothly. "Don't you think so?"
"Well, you know I've been asking you to dine with me since I arrived here," James said. "I did wonder when your little tantrum about it might come to an end. I'm glad to see that you've decided to do the mature thing."
He wondered if she would rise to the bait, but she didn't. She merely smiled demurely and picked up her glass of wine.
James had to admit that he was disappointed. If he was honest with himself, he had hoped that he would get a rise out of her, and he didn't like that he'd failed to do so. It wasn't clear to him why he felt that way, exactly. Maybe it was just the fact that shewas indicating that she didn't care about him—that she didn't care what he thought.
I don't care if she cares what I think—but I do think people generally should pay attention to what I think about them. Yes, that was probably what wasn't sitting right with him. He wanted more respect out of her, that was all.
At least she had come to the table, and that was certainly better than what he had gotten from her thus far. "I'm glad you decided to join me," he said. "It's the appropriate thing to do, after all."
"I thought I owed you that much after you so graciously allowed me to keep my cats," she said.
He examined her face for signs that she was being sarcastic with him, but he couldn't be sure. It was possible that she was being sincere. He hoped so. Hehadbeen generous by allowing her to keep those cats. "I'm pleased you recognize that," he said. "As long as I never see them again, It will do no harm for them to be in the house until you marry and take them away with you."
"Of course," the duchess said smoothly.
"Thank you, Duchess."
"You may as well call me by my name," she said. "I realize it's a bit informal, but since we're going to be living together for the time being, it might be best for us to drop the formalities. You should call me Victoria."
James was tempted to tell her no—to say that this was part of the problem with her behavior. She cared too little for the customs of society. That was why she'd made herself such an outcast. If she took more trouble to appeal to people, she would be well-liked, and then no one would have suspected her of murder. Instead, they would have sympathized with her loss. They would have been inclined to take her side in the whole thing.
But on the other hand, itwouldbe nice to have something to call her. "All right, Victoria," he said. "You may call me James. But only while we're in the house. When we go out to balls and other events, you must return to formal address, and I will do the same. The point of those occasions is to find you a husband, and that won't happen if you and I look as if we are too familiar with one another."
"I understand," Victoria said. "And I can agree to that."
"I never thought I would see the day when you and I agreed on anything," James admitted.
"Well, I wouldn't get used to it."
"Indeed. After all, you won't be here for that much longer."
