No, he would not have liked to join her. Alistair’s mind was a mass of confusion and doubt. Twisted lies that made no sense. Muddled with thoughts that he should not be having and did not understand why he was.
A shame that he was so stubborn, and that he could not afford to lose face. Also, if this gave him a chance to spend more time withMiss Norleigh, perhaps it would not be so bad? At least then he could work through his thoughts and his feelings and hopefully come out the other side with answers that made sense.
Either that, or it will make things worse. Really, I should be doing everything that I can to avoid the woman.
“Yes, I think I will.” He stood tall and proud, as if this was always part of the plan. “If it is fine with you?”
“I invited you, did I not?” She shifted across the carriage and indicated for him to join her.
With no choice, Alistair did just that. He climbed inside, he closed the door behind him, and the carriage took off down the driveway and onto the road.
Yvette eyed the Duke across the carriage, her curiosity well and truly piqued.
What is he really doing here? I don’t for a second believe that he wants to see my father.
When the Duke had come streaming from the house just now, panic was what Yvette felt. All morning, her thoughts had been plagued with memories of their conversation the previous night, and embarrassment flooded her because of the way that she had acted.
In truth, she had considered avoiding the Duke for a few days. She worried that they were starting to grow too close and too familiar, worse that it was all in her own head, and that to separate herself from him would give her a chance to reassess what she was doing here and what she wanted.
Hugh is why she was here, and he was who she had to keep her thoughts on.
But then the Duke snapped at her, then he hastened for an excuse, and then he lied so that he could join her. But why?
She studied him across closely. She noted how awkward he was. She saw through his feigned confidence and his lies both. And slowly, so very surely, she started to accept that what she was feeling was not nearly as imagined as she had thought.
As utterly insane as that is to admit.
“What did you and my father have to speak about?” she asked him.
“Hmm?” He was staring out the window but turned when she spoke, as if he had not realized that she was there.
“You and my father,” she repeated. “What was so important that you had to see him.”
“Oh…” He crossed his legs and fidgeted with his hands. “That is… for his ears, I’m afraid. Nothing too serious, however.”
“Of course not,” she laughed softly. “So very unserious that you sprinted from the house to join me.”
“I did not sprint.”
“Walked quickly then.”
His brow furrowed at her, and she raised an eyebrow in return. As with last night, the silence between them was tense, and what she would not have given to know what was on his mind.
“How is Hugh this morning?” he asked in a clear effort to change the topic. “Have you spoken with him?”
“I have,” she said slowly. “He is quite fine. A little bruised from his fall, but he will recover.”
“Good,” he said. “I am glad.”
“I know you are.” Her smile was warm, and she wanted him to see it. “Perhaps you will see to him when we return?”
“I am sure that I will.”
“He will like that, I am sure,” she said.
Again, silence fell between them.
Slowly, the Duke regained composure, and as he did, the mood shifted. He sat himself up, he stopped fidgeting, and she felt as if he was trying to reassert his dominance over her and the situation both.
