“Oh, I’ve been paying attention,” he said, his voice lowering slightly. “More than you might think.”
Her heart caught in her throat again.More than I think?Was there some truth to what Leopold was saying before?
She did not speak a word after that, only kept her head turned towards the window. He must have thought that she was not interested in speaking further, but in reality, she just did not want him to see just how much she was blushing for him.
CHAPTER 13
“Ithought I’d find you here.”
Violet nearly jumped out of her seat at the words. She looked up from her book to find the Duke staring down at her. It was early morning, and she was in the library catching up on some of her reading.
Between her responsibilities and her increasingly conflicting thoughts about her own husband, it was the one place that offered her the most reprieve.
Of course, he had to come here as well.
“How did not I hear you walk in?” she asked, begrudgingly closing her book.
Nicholas shrugged his shoulders, titling his head to look at the book title she had in her hands. “You were likely just tooengrossed in your reading material. Another scandalous one, Violet? You’re naughtier than I give you credit for.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I amnot.”
“Not what? Reading scandalous books or naughtier than I give you credit for?”
Her cheeks burned yet again. “Is there a reason you’re here to see me?”
Nicholas leaned against the edge of the table, his dark eyes glinting amusement. “As a matter of fact, there is. I came to inform you of a ball we’ll be attending in a few days.”
“Aball?” Her face dropped instantly.
“Yes. It’ll be quite grand, actually. It’s being hosted by the Earl of Blackwood, and as his guests, it would be rude to decline.”
Violet groaned softly, setting the book down with a resigned sigh. “I haven’t attended a ball since before our wedding. And, if I may remind you, I hardly enjoyed myself then.”
“Ah, yes. Let us pray then that this one is not as fateful as that,” he chuckled, “or we will find ourselves in even more trouble.”
Her cheeks burned. It was the ball that had changed everything for her—and him.
“In any case, I have no desire to attend another ball. Surely, my absence wouldn’t be noticed.”
“On the contrary, Violet. You’re a duchess now, a figure of importance. Your presence will be not only noticed but expected.”
Violet bit her lip, her irritation growing. He was making it hard for her to get out of this. “But I don’t even have a gown.”
Her marriage had been arranged so hastily that it had not given her mother any time to have ball gowns made for her as would have been the case with other normal marriages.
“I thought as much,” Nicholas said, straightening. “Which is why we’ll be going shopping this afternoon.”
Violet’s jaw dropped. “This afternoon? Have you decided on everything without even so much as consulting me?”
“Of course,” he said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I wouldn’t leave such an important matter to chance.”
“I do not think there’s a need for it. If anything, I’ll repurpose something old I have. I am sure if I look for it, I’ll find something that suffices.”
“Violet.” His voice suddenly grew deeper. “You are the Duchess of Bernight. You cannotsuffice.You must dazzle. Now, pleasesee to it that you’re prepared to go to the shops with me before the end of the hour.”
With that, he left her just sitting there.
“This is unnecessary,” Violet murmured. “You didn’t need to bring me here.”
