“There is what?”
“The fire. It exists inside of you, Miss Sophia. It is right there, begging to be released. I saw it yesterday, I see it tonight. All it needs is a little coaxing. A release, because once it is out and free in this world, I wonder what you will become.Thatis why I pester you.”
Sophia could feel the fire burning inside of her.
Oh yes, she was aware of it. For her entire life, Sophia had known of its existence. Whenever she was feeling upset or angry or frustrated, it simmered deep within, and she always made sure to dampen it because such things were not ladylike and her parents would never approve.
But in the face of the Duke, she felt the fire brim, she felt it build, and for once she did not try and stop it. He wanted to see another side of her? He wanted to know what that was like? It was time that Sophia showed him…It is time I show myself.
What happened next, she could not explain.
A lifetime of hiding who she was. A lifetime of being the good daughter and never once letting her emotions take over. As soon as she gave in and let that fire roar, she felt it swarm up her body and rip from her throat and then she did something she never thought herself capable.
Sophia stepped forward, propped herself up on her toes, and planted a kiss on the Duke’s lips.
His eyes widened in surprise, as did her own.
The kiss was short and sharp. Their lips barely grazed. But the moment they did, Sophia came back into herself, she smothered the fire, she wrenched her lips free, and she stumbled back as if pushed.
“I am so sorry!” she gasped, unable to look at the Duke.
He said nothing. He just looked at her, and because she refused to look at him in return, she could not say what he was thinking.
“I… that was… I did not mean…” Her body was hot, shaking, about to explode! “I should go.” Sophie put her head down, stepped around the Duke, and stormed back inside.
Thankfully, he did not follow her.
Not that it would have made a difference if he did. Sophia was so ashamed with herself, so embarrassed, that she found Helena, mumbled as excuse about needing to leave, and rushed from the manor before Helena had a chance to change her mind.
It wasn’t until she was inside the carriage on the way home that Sophia had a chance to think about what she had just done. And when she did, she wanted to feel shame, she would have liked to have felt embarrassed, and she yearned to experience disgust because that was not who she was!
Only… a smile touched her lips, a most unexpected thing. Her heart raced, her body was still warm, and the taste of the Duke was on her lips.
That was the first time in her life that Sophia had ever let her emotions get the better of her, and as strange as it was to admit, it wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, even Sophia was able to see the upside of it… just as she could see the obvious downside.
The Duke was unlike anyone she knew, and for the good of her future and her sanity, she needed to avoid him from now on. Not what she wanted to do, but what she had to. It really was that simple.
CHAPTER 4
“Your Grace, thank you so much for coming to see me. And on such short notice.” Mr. Allen reached across the table to shake hands.
Lord Gabriel St. Clair, the Duke of Rothbury, didn’t bother accepting the handshake. It wasn’t done out of a desire to be rude, but rather frustration brought about by having been called in this morning when he was certain that a letter might have done the trick.
“Let us get this over with,” Gabriel sighed as he fell into the seat across from his solicitor. “The implication was that this meeting could not wait, so let us prove the point, shall we.”
Mr. Allen was not only Gabriel’s personal solicitor, but he had also been his father’s. It was him who had been entrusted with Gabriel’s father’s last will and testament, as well as him who kept an eye on Gabriel’s leases and tenant agreements and most of his business dealings. He was a vital cog in the machine that wasGabriel’s fortune and inheritance, and that was the only reason that Gabriel had come to see him at such short notice.
What Gabriel would have rather be doing was…anything other than this. I have that garden party to attend later, and while I doubt it will yield any excitement, it cannot possibly be worse than this travesty.
“As you say…” Mr. Allen straightened and cleared his throat. “Before we begin, I would like it noted that I have across the last six months written to you on multiple occasions, all with the express request that you come and see me.”
“And every single time, I responded that I would when I had the chance,” Gabriel sighed. “It wasn’t until you made the matter seem life and death that I finally figured ignoring you wasn’t going to work.”
Mr. Allen laughed awkwardly. “Perhaps not life and death, Your Grace, but still a matter of utmost importance.”
“Is this not why I pay you as I do…” Gabriel rubbed his eyes as if fighting back a headache. “So that you can take care of these matters without having to refer to my council?”
“That is true, Your Grace, however –”
