And to Addy’s astonishment, Dandy stopped before him and sat down, as calmly as if she had been following Marchingham’s edicts all her life.
The duke reached into his pocket and extracted something small, tossing it to Dandy, who eagerly caught it in her jaws and swallowed it down.
“What are you feeding my dog?” Addy demanded, outraged.
“Cheese,” he said, his demeanor and tone as grim as if he had just announced a death instead of elaborating upon the treat he had just fed Dandy.
Then he sketched an elegant bow, as if he were in a ballroom. Even hisbowswere perfection, for heaven’s sake.
“Oh,” she said, her ire instantly deflating. “I was hoping it wasn’t poison.”
He gave her a scathing look as he straightened to his formidable height. “Do you think I would harm your mongrel?”
“You wanted her to sleep in the stables,” Addy pointed out. “Dandy, come here. You ought not to accept cheese from the enemy.”
Aunt Pearl chuckled. “It looks as if His Grace has a new admirer.”
Dandy was indeed gazing up at the duke in an adoring manner, ignoring Addy’s entreaty.
Marchingham reached into his pocket and extracted another small lump of cheese, tossing it to Dandy, who eagerly devoured it.
Addy glared at him, trying not to think about how his lips had felt upon hers, masterful and smooth and demanding. Nor how much she had liked his kisses.
“I do believe you are bribing my dog,” she said. “How did you know she likes cheese?”
“All dogs like cheese.”
“I thought you didn’t like dogs. How would you know anything about them?”
He gave her a hooded stare. “I had a dog myself once when I was a lad.”
A hint of sorrow laced his voice. There was something to that story, and she found herself longing to know.
“Would you care to join us, Your Grace?” Aunt Pearl interjected cheerfully. “Addy and I were enjoying the warmth of your fire and admiring your library’s vast collection of books. We did so miss you at dinner.”
“Aunt Pearlmissed you at dinner,” Addy corrected. “I hadn’t even noticed you weren’t there.”
“Adelia Louise,” her aunt scolded quietly at her side.
She was being rude and she knew it, but she was rather nettled that Marchingham had avoided dinner after kissing her so passionately, only to reappear this evening and woo her beloved dog with cheese. And withpocketcheese! It was hardly ducal to go about carrying cheddar in one’s coat. She couldn’t think he ordinarily did so.
“I did notice after Aunt Pearl commented upon it,” she added with feigned sweetness.
“I am dismayed that my presence is so easily overlooked,” he said stiffly, his gaze meeting hers.
Had she hurt his feelings? She couldn’t tell. His face was unreadable. She hadn’t supposed he could be so easily offended. He seemed quite inured to her at all times.
Except for when he had been kissing her.
Addy banished the wicked thought.
He strode past Dandy, entering the library fully, dashing Addy’s hope that he would excuse himself and leave her to her peace with Aunt Pearl. Dandy followed at his heels as if she were loyally trailing after Addy.
All because of pocket cheese and one cunning duke.
“Apparently your presence isn’t easily overlooked bysomeone,” Addy said with a pointed look in her beloved dog’s direction. “To think I have been replaced in her affections all because of a few hunks of cheese from your pocket. It was likely covered in lint.”
His lips twitched as he seated himself in the empty chair at her side. “I must admit, I’m wounded by your poor opinion of the state of my pockets, Miss Fox. I can assure you that they never hold anything as disagreeable as lint.”
