She did not know where this boldness came from. Just that it felt like the only thing that might work.
“Is that a command, Duchess?” Nicholas raised an eyebrow.
“It is.” Violet stood her ground, despite her voice trembling. She cleared her throat again, “Yes, it is a command. You say that I am to act like a duchess then consider this me doing exactly that.”
Nicholas was silent for a moment, something flickering in his dark eyes.
If Violet did not know any better, she would have thought that he appeared to be…impressed.
“I see. I am in a generous mood this evening. I willtryand join you for mealtimes,” he finally conceded.
Ah. So, he was not going to forgo the reins of control entirely, but he was willing to make allowances.
Violet exhaled a sigh of relief. It was more than she could have asked for at this point, given their less than ideal relationship with one another. It would be wise tonotpush her luck any further.
“Very well. That would be most ideal.”
“Good.”
“Splendid.”
“Most agreeable.”
For a moment, they both just stood there, staring at each other.He is so much taller than me,Violet thought to herself. And then, her gaze dipped down to his forearms which were still exposed from the rolled-up sleeves.
A strange tension came creeping in, catching Violet by surprise.
“Splendid indeed,” Nicholas broke the silence. His gaze flicked briefly to her flushed cheeks before returning to her eyes. “Is there anything else, Duchess? Or shall we end this… exchange?”
“You mean this negotiation,” she sparred.
“No, Duchess. Let me remind you again…” He came even closer to her, making her breath hitch and her head start spinning. “… I do not negotiate. So, tell me, is there anything else that you wish to discuss with me?”
She opened her mouth to retort but found her mind unexpectedly blank.
“No,” she said finally, her voice coming out softer than she intended. “That… that will be all.”
Nicholas’ lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk. “Very well,” he said, stepping back toward his desk. “Then I shall bid you goodnight.”
“What? So, you will not come to dinner, still?”
Nicholas seemed to be enjoying this. “Of course not. The time has passed. I supposed you’ll have to wait for another day for the pleasure.”
Pleasure.She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and forced a polite smile. “Goodnight, Your Grace.”
CHAPTER 8
Nicholas Havenford had never been a man to indulge others’ demands—least of all those that disrupted his already established routines. On any normal day where he was not expected to entertain guests, it was usual for him to take his meals in either the comfort of his chambers or the sheltered familiarity of his study.
And yet, here he was, walking over to the dining hall for dinner time—voluntarily—for the first time in weeks.
“Your Grace.” Even the butler could not hide the shock in his voice when he saw him approaching a distance away. And Nicholas could not blame him.
It was curiosity, he supposed, that had brought him here. Curiosity about the new Duchess of Bernight. There were not many things that caught the Duke’s curiosity, but once they did…
“Might as well,” he muttered to himself, stepping inside the dining hall with his usual unhurried confidence. His gaze swept the table before landing on the Duchess herself. She appeared to be unaware of his appearance, instead finding herself absorbed by her plate of food. Her head was bowed slightly, her fork poised as if she were contemplating whether to take another bite of the roasted meat.
How very… composed for something so trivial.The scene was enough for him to pause briefly, if only to observe.
