Then she looked at him, again with a sense of disappointment. She wanted him to stay, Alistair was sure.
“Good day,” he spoke into his chest.
Head down, he rushed from the house and made for the carriage. He did not dare to turn around, and he did not dare risk seeing Miss Norleigh again. His heart thumped, his legs shook, and his breathing rattled as he stumbled and fell into the carriage’s depths.
“Go!” he commanded, still refusing to look out the window.
It wasn’t until the carriage was on the way that he braved the window, catching sight of the house as it grew small behind him. And there, standing outside, watching as he left, was Miss Norleigh. She was far away, almost impossible to make out clearly, but he saw on her face the same look that she had worn moments earlier: disappointment.
She wanted him to stay and dammit, so did he.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was early in the evening, and Yvette walked through the manor on her way to Hugh’s bedroom. Supper would be served soon, and she wished to check that he would be ready.
His room was at the end of the hall, the door was closed, and she made for it, humming merrily to herself the whole way. She was in a good mood and had been now for several days. Things were going well with Hugh, she had found a place of comfort when speaking with the Duke, and she knew that should this path continue…honestly, I do not know what will happen. But that excites me, rather than terrifies.
She had seen the Duke several times since he came to her home earlier in the week. Each time she saw him, he was happy to check in on her; exchanging a little small talk, and making it clear to her that he enjoyed her company.
Every time that he did this, Yvette walked away with a smile on her face. The Duke was not what she had thought, he seemeddetermined to prove this as fact, and she could only think of one reason why he would want to do such a thing.
Careful, Yvette, do not get carried away with such outlandish thoughts as that. There is more of a chance of pigs sprouting wings and learning to fly.
The Duke was firmly in her thoughts, comfortable and familiar, and it was for this reason that when the Duke suddenly stepped out of Hugh’s bedroom and into the hallway, that Yvette did not balk or shy away. Rather she beamed and continued toward him.
“Hugh, you’ve grown,” she joked. “Three feet at least since I saw you last.”
He started at the sight of her coming but relaxed almost immediately. “You don’t know where the washroom is, do you? I’m all turned around in this house.”
“It is certainly not in there.”
“Ah…’ He sucked through his teeth. “Then you might want to send for a maid.”
She rolled her eyes. “Saying goodnight to Hugh? It’s a tad early for that, is it not?”
“Under normal circumstances it would be,” he agreed. “Alas, I won’t be here later when he turns in for the night, so I thought Ishould see to him now.” He looked back at the closed door, and a smile touched his lips.
He really was growing into the role of father. She had seen the Duke and Hugh spend more time together since the incident with the horse, and while they were far from perfect, they were getting better with each day.
The Duke wanted to improve his relationship with his son, and that was what mattered. That was why Yvette knew he was different.
“You won’t be here?” she frowned. “Do not tell me, you have a romantic evening planned with a lucky lady.” She chuckled at what was supposed to be a joke, only for the Duke to turn away as if this embarrassed him.
“Something like that…” he said sheepishly.
It was only then that she noticed what the Duke was wearing. He was always well-dressed, but tonight he wore a dark suit with a deep-red waistcoat, his hair was freshly combed, and she could smell the musk of his cologne. He looked, in her opinion, as handsome as she had ever seen.
For that reason, Yvette gawked a little longer than she meant to. Her eyes roamed him, her mouth hung open just a little, and she blinked a few too many times as if doing so might see him suddenly vanish. And that said nothing of how his scent broke her…
“It is nothing too serious,” he hurried to explain. “Just a night at the theatre.”
She shook her head and forced herself to stop staring. “And who is the lucky lady?”
“Lady Emily Pierce,” he said awkwardly, almost as if he was ashamed.
“Oh, yes…” Yvette had heard of Lady Emily before, just as she had heard vague rumors about the two courting. However, since she had been staying at the manor, she’d seen little evidence of the woman’s place in the Duke’s life, and she wondered if it was still going on.
Not that I should wonder… not that it is any of my business.
