He was just so big. In the darkness, it was hard to make out his face, but he was like a growing shadow that absorbed the light. A mountain rising from the earth. A rabid wolf stumbled upon in the deepest and darkest of forests. There was a danger about him… and Lord Farfield knew it.
The repugnant lord said nothing. He did not try and argue. He did not try and defend himself. Shaking terribly, he let forth a terrified squawk and then hurried back inside as if his life depended on it.
As for the duke who rescued her? He stayed where he was, watching her silently. Again, it was too dark to make out his face, but she saw his eyes sparkling as they assessed her. Was he judging her like everyone else? Was he here to do as Lord Farfield had intended?Surely not.
A shiver ran up Thalia’s spine…
“Th—thank you,” she stammered. “I… I do not know what would have happened if you had not come along when you did.”
“I do.”
She frowned at the sharpness of his comment. It was not said rudely, but matter-of-factly, almost as if it was her fault that this had happened. But Thalia was determined not to rise to the bait, seeing as he had quite literally saved her.
“Yes, well…” She gave a nervous chuckle. “I suppose it is lucky that you came along when you did. My…” She swallowed. “My hero.”
Again, he said nothing.
But he continued to watch her, his eyes narrowing in cool assessment. Thalia was as confident as they came, and she never much worried about what others thought of her. In the moment, however, she became suddenly embarrassed by her gown, how she was shaking, and that she had found herself in such a situation to begin with.
“Your name,” he said finally. As he did, he took a step closer. “You are Miss Carstone?”
“Yes…”
“I have heard of you.” Another step forward and she had to fight the urge to take one back. He was just so big and intimidating, shrouded in darkness, it seemed to grow around him.
“And?” she said, waiting for the snide comment.
“With a reputation like you have, you should not have come out here alone as you did.”
Again, she felt a spike of anger. “So, it is my fault that this happened?”
“I did not say that.” Another step closer.
“You implied it.”
“I did not mean to.”
“Then what did you mean?”
He took a final step toward her, now less than three feet away, and when he did the shadows fell from his face and she saw him clearly for the first time. His messy auburn hair. The large features that made his face; hard like granite, and unsmiling. But mostly, she saw the scar that ran along his chin, and she gasped before she could help herself.
“People tend to assume things,” he said, either not noticing the shock on her face, or choosing to ignore it. “I know better than most what a reputation does to a person.”
Her mind raced as she tried to put the pieces together. Lord Farfield had called him a duke… Thalia knew most of them… and she knew of only one who was said to be scarred like this. One who, if rumor was true, was best to be avoided at all costs.
Her eyes widened with realization. “You are the Duke of Westvale…”
“I am.”
Her heart was racing. A part of it was fear, because he truly was terrifying. Another part… was that excitement? A sudden realization of what this might mean. Thalia had come here to meet a suitor who might rescue her from her situation. And who better than a duke? One who she knew for fact was without a wife… although the reason for that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
“I…” She tried to catch her nervous breathing. “You are correct. I wasn’t thinking. And again, thank you.”
He frowned. “No need to thank me. But the next time you find yourself in a situation like this…” He looked down at her, his green eyes hollow pits that sent a shiver through her spine. “Don’t be.” And then, he turned to leave.
“Wait!” she called after him.
He turned back. “What is it?”
