“Watch me,” she said. Matilda let out a small, surprised laugh that sounded like relief.
“You have avoided me from the moment you arrived at the estate,” Duncan said the moment Charity entered the small dining room.
Charity noted that he did not bother with a greeting. That was very much like him.
He liked to always get to the point and not bother with niceties. Strangely, it brought her some relief. Everything around her was complicated enough, and at the very least, she did not have to guess when it came to Duncan.
“You will have to excuse me. I was with my sisters,” Charity replied, sitting on the chair that had been pulled out. “They are still adjusting to everything.”
“Still.”
“I just didn’t have the time, really,” she sighed. She wanted to tell him that Augusta was being terribly difficult, and she did not have the tools to deal with her at this time. But then decided against it.
“Right,” Duncan said. “So you concede that you were not avoiding me?”
“Not on purpose,” she said, but it wasn’t entirely the truth either. In earnest, she felt a bit nervous to speak to the duke. Now that she was in his estate, their little arrangement suddenly felt very real.
“Shall I take your word for that?”
“Well, to be honest…” Charity sighed, clasping her hands together. “I was not sure if you wanted to see me, either. After what had happened during the journey.”
“Did you assume I would be angry?” he asked. “That you got out of the carriage, and did not listen to me?”
Charity nodded, not meeting his gaze.
“I was angry,” he nodded. “But then I realized that you were not the one who made the choice, and it was your sister.”
“You were quite perceptive for someone who was facing off with the thieves,” she said, surprised. “I thought you might blame me, or perhaps be angry.”
“I don’t know what has given you the impression that I am this unreasonably angry man,” Duncan shook his head. “I don’t have siblings of my own, but I know how young people can be. It seems that your sisters are…”
She looked up at him, wondering what he would say.
“They do not meet my eyes.”
“You must excuse them,” Charity sighed. “They… it is a lot for them to take in, and they hardly know you. I suppose that they are frightened.”
She was worried that Duncan might take her words the wrong way, but instead, he simply nodded his head.
“I suppose that they have reason to be.”
“Yes, they saw you.. with those men…” Charity sighed. “And even though you were only protecting us, which I am very grateful for, they saw how ferocious you can be. I suppose that sort of thing is enough to settle anyone.”
“If I didn’t act in the manner that I did, those men would have never left us alone,” he admitted. “You will have to understand that I have to take on a different role when it comes to dealing with outer threats, and that has no bearing on how I might deal with you or your sisters.”
“I can understand that,” she sighed. “But it will take them a while.”
Duncan’s gaze sharpened.
“I was justified,” he said.
“That may be true,” she said, “and it may still have frightened them. Even now, you only asked me to come see you. They are being kept in the dark, and that only makes them more anxious, especially Augusta.”
Duncan did not argue that point, which made Charity more on edge.What was he thinking?
“You asked why they are not dining with us,” Duncan said.
“You made that decision without speaking to me,” Charity replied. “Maybe it would have been different if you had consulted me, at least. But you did not think that might matter to me.”
