“My name is Miss Bell. And you haven’t been listening, Your Grace. I dohave a choice. And my choice is not to marry you. In fact, I’ve just decided that you’re the last person on earth I’d be induced to marry. Ever.”
The duke remained unimpressed. “Four days. The ball is in four days. Get used to the idea. Then we will make the announcement.”
She opened her mouth totell him off, when he switched tactic. He stepped forward from behind the chair. There was a glint in his eyes.
“I don’t understand why you’re so upset at my proposal. You yourself as much as propositioned marriage to me not so long ago. In addition,” his voice turned silky, “to giving me a kiss.” There was a minuscule curl in the left corner of his lips, so tiny that one needed a magnifying glass to see it, but it was there. “Your very first kiss, if I recall.”
A hot blush spread over her entire body. If she could crawl under the Persian carpet to hide, she would. She covered her burning cheeks with her hands.
“It was a kiss for Henry the gardener and not for you. Besides, that was before I knew who you were. It doesn’t count in the least, and I’ll do my best to forget it ever happened. You deceived me. You lied to me. You’re being ungentlemanly and o-odious to remind me of this.”
“Very odious of me, indeed.” He clearlyenjoyed himself. “The kiss didn’t count, hm?” He stood right in front of her.
“Oh! You! I am. Very. Very. Very. Angry.” She tipped her forefinger against his waistcoat to emphasise the ‘very’.
He caught her hand in his in a crushing grip and pulled her towards him. “Stop fighting, Lucy,” he murmured.
His eyes shone with a disturbing light. The beehive in her stomach began buzzing again. Her mouth dried. She forgot to breathe. If he held her even closer, and lowered his head, precisely as he was doing right now,she’d think he was just Henry and do the unthinkable by kissing him again.
That wasn’t to be borne.
Lucy struggled and freed herself. He dropped his hands.
“We will make the announcement at the ball.”
“Bah.” Thoroughly rattled, Lucy whirled around and intended to underscore her point with the satisfying slamming of the door. Alas, she was denied this gratification. Felix must have heard her stomping approach, for the door opened magically to let her through.
Throwing Ashmore a last thunderous scowl, Lucy turned to see him do something utterly shocking.
He grinned.
Lucy stumbled.
With a kitten-like mewl, she whirled out of the library.
Chapter 13
Lucy threw two dresses, a shawl and her reticule into her carpetbag. Arabella would have to forgive her for taking the dresses. She had several coins left, enough for the stagecoach to Bath. She would beg on her knees for Miss Hilversham to take her in. Without the duke’s letter.
Lucy slipped out through the servants’ entrance. No one saw her leave. She hurried through the forest to the main road. It would be a long walk. She needed to arrive at the inn before night set and someone noticed she’d left.
Marriage!
Lucy laughed harshly.
The irony of it all. Arabella’s silly coins in the wishing well had almost done the trick.
Lucy increased her speed. The carpetbag pressed on her shoulder like a load of stones. Her heart felt heavier and heavier… until tears fell.
She wiped them away angrily.For heaven’s sake, he’s a duke. He’s a duke. He’s a duke.That was the rhythm she chanted to herself, but her brain refused to believe it.
He’s Henry, he’s Henry, he’s Henry,her heart replied.
She turned around and saw Ashmore Hall between the trees. The sandstone glinted orange in the light of the setting sun. How grand it looked, how proud. How impossible it all was.
She walked backwards, unable to tear her gaze away from the building.
Then she fell. The bag hurtled out of her hand and she somersaulted several times down a seemingly endless hole. Not having paid attention to where she was going, she’d strayed off the path and fallen down a deep ditch.
