“Yes, of course, you may,” she said to Josephine.
“But you don’t have permission to open the gate and go outside the garden,” he said. “Understand?”
“Don’t worry, we won’t. Thank you, Your Grace.”
Then, suddenly, without warning, the girl rushed him, threw her slender, still-childlike arms around his waist and hugged him tightly for about two seconds before turning loose and stepping away. Napoleon took that as a sign he should show appreciation too. He jumped up on Griffin’s leg and barked.
“Josephine!” Miss Swift exclaimed. “You shouldn’t have done that. Napoleon sit!”
The girl’s action surprised Griffin as much as it did Miss Swift, but he didn’t mind. Though he’d much rather it had been Miss Swift’s arms around him. He patted the girl’s head a couple of times and then the dog, who had obeyed his master and rested on his haunches.
“You must never touch the duke again,” Miss Swift reprimanded Josephine.
“I wanted to thank him,” she argued convincingly. “I hug you when I thank you.”
“That’s because I am your sister. It’s not the proper way for you to thank a duke.”
Josephine rolled her big green eyes up at him and said, “I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
“I never mind a hug from a young lady, Miss Josephine. You did nothing wrong in showing your gratitude.” He nodded his head toward Miss Swift and said, “Your sister is too prickly.”
“She sure is.” Josephine gave Griffin another big smile and whirled away. “Come on, Napoleon, I’ll go get my coat and we’ll go outside and play.”
As the two ran down the corridor, Miss Swift turned to him. “She shouldn’t have been so familiar with you. The only justification I have is that her father was a very affectionate man. I’m sure she didn’t realize that was inappropriate. We haven’t been around a lot of men for me to explain to her that it shouldn’t be done.”
“You are fretting for no reason, Miss Swift. It was only a hug, and a brief one at that. No explanations or apologies are necessary. My sisters have been hugging me since before they left the nursery.”
“That’s kind of you to say. I do appreciate you being so nice to her about it.”
“I like hugs, don’t you?”
With those few words spoken so casually, the atmosphere around them changed in an instant. The intense yet gentle look in his eyes made her breaths come fast and choppy. “I, well, of course I do.”
“Then, tell me, Miss Swift, when was the last time you were hugged?”
She didn’t know for sure.A long time,she lamented to herself, but softly asked, “What?”
Griffin found himself wondering if she had ever been held in the arms of a man and kissed. Passionately. The way he wanted to hold her and kiss her right now. It didn’t matter whether or not she had, but for some reason, he wanted to know.
He inched closer to her. “You heard me. When was the last time you were hugged? From someone other than your sister, or your mother or father.”
Her eyes grew wide. “I’m not exactly sure,” she hedged, not wanting to tell him the truth that she hadn’t ever been.
“Recently?”
“Probably not. But I really don’t see how that is any of your concern, Your Grace.”
It wasn’t, but he still wanted to know. “I’m curious.”
“And I’m not going to answer such a personal question or continue further on this subject. I’ll just say I’m pleased you’re not upset with Josephine’s fresh behavior and leave it at that.”
He was right when he’d thought that Miss Swift would know just how to keep him in line. That was good, because with the least bit of encouragement, Griffin could so easily cross that line of what was acceptable where she was concerned. She reminded him that she was not available for him to pursue.
He watched her inhale. He had no doubt she knew what he was thinking. He’d wanted to kiss her. Hellfire, he’d wanted to since the first time he saw her. Everything about her had drawn him to her when he first saw her, and that hadn’t changed.
Suddenly there was barking from the front of the house. An ear-piercing scream shattered the stillness. It was followed by a loud crash and then something rumbling down the stairs.
Chapter 12
