“Miss Jenkins,” he sounded so much closer. “I said, look at me.”
She pulled the side of her lip again and again and shook her head in denial. This couldn’t be happening.
“Miss P.J.”
He was right in front of her. She could feel his aura suffocating her, feel the warmth coming off his body, useless against her cold skin. That changed rapidly. He raised his arm, the rustlingof his shirt echoing in the room. Then Prim felt his fingers catching her chin and forcing her to look at him.
A current like lightning travelled through her body when his skin made contact with hers. Gloves were not a fashion choice, they were armor. And now she was defenseless.
The Duke pulled her chin up. And given their height difference, Prim was forced to crane her neck, expose it completely. Still, her eyes were cast down, almost closed.
“Miss Jenkins,” he said lowly, the strength lined underneath a thrilling feeling. “You will look at me.”
“I didn’t write it!” Prim blurted out.
The shock was enough for the duke to release her.
“You didn’t write what?”
“I didn’t write the sheet,” Prim said, still avoiding his eyes. “I know you think I did for nefarious and indecent reasons, but I swear I never-”
“I know you didn’t write it.”
“Of course, I didn’t write it, Your Gra… Excuse me?”
“I know you didn’t write this letter.”
Prim’s eyes snapped to his so fast, she almost got dizzy. The Duke was looking down at her with a straight face.
“You…” Prim struggled to find words. “Everyone else seems to be under that impression.”
“Well, not me.”
Prim looked in his eyes again, inquisitively. His eyes searched hers with intensity, the firelight flickering in those bottomless blues.
He was sincere. This man, whom she didn’t know and whose name was dragged with hers into the mud, believed her to be innocent. Perhaps she was too hasty in judging him.
“I bet, Miss Jenkins,” he chuckled, “that this interferes with your insulting schedule.”
Or most likely she wasn’t all that hasty.
“I will squeeze all my insults in the next half hour, I promise,” Prim deadpanned. “How are you sure, I haven’t written that embezzled lie, Your Grace?”
“The seal. It’s wrong.”
Prim glared in confusion.
“Arrogance is the downfall of men,” The Duke scoffed.
“There are exceptions to this rule, unfortunately,” Prim murmured. “Please elaborate.”
“It’s true I ordered a new seal with the protruding tongue. It’s not here, though. So, whoever forged the article knows about the order, but not that I don’t actually have it.”
“I see,” Prim frowned and caught her chin with her finger in thought. “So, it’s someone close enough to know of the new seal but not close enough to know that it was not delivered. The article was not aimed at me.”
The Duke looked at her with amusement.
“Reasonable thinking. I know. Quite a shock,” she answered to his incredulous look. “Someone is after you. Then all I am is collateral?”
