Page 11 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

“Well, h-how can I help you?”

The Duke pursed his lips. “My only clue to her whereabouts is a few pages written in German. Besides that, I find that I… that I am not as well-acquainted with my sister as I thought I was.”

Did she detect a hint of uncertainty in his voice? If she did, it quickly vanished.

“Well then, you can send me the pages you have found. I’ll translate them and send you a letter.”

“Too risky,” he said quickly. “I have already taken a risk by coming here. Whatever this matter is, it has the potential to ruin my sister’s reputation. I won’t risk the letters getting lost until I know their contents. They will not leave my house, so you will have to translate them there.”

Thalia blinked. “Surely you don’t mean…”

“I mean exactly what you think I do, Lady Thalia. You will have to come to me, I’m afraid. And if you agree, I will make every problem you have disappear.”

Her eyebrows flickered. “Well, my biggest problem is currently an irritating duke keeping me captive on my own balcony.”

Is that really your biggest problem?

The Duke’s lips curled into that smug smile once more. He stepped towards her, moving into her space, and she felt her breath catch in her throat.

“I can make any problem disappear,” he murmured. “Do not underestimate my power or my ingenuity. I can do a great deal to help you.”

She shook her head, taking a step back. “Your Grace, you must realize that j-just having this conversation could ruin me. And once I’m ruined in the eyes of Society, even you cannot help me.”

“Oh, I don’t know. There’s always something.”

She scowled at him and drew in a deep, grounding breath. That was how she’d learned to manage her stutter all of those years ago. At the time, it had felt as though she would never master it. Jonathan had certainly given up hope.

But no, her hard work had paid off, so long as she concentrated and kept herself as calm as possible. And now, this wretched man was here, making strange demands of her, making her feel strange.

Yes, he was definitely making her feel ill at ease. There was something about his intense, unblinking stare, the way it seemed as though he was about to break into a wide, toothy smile at any moment—a knowing smile.

Enough, she scolded herself. Enough of these imaginings.

He cleared his throat, dragging her attention back to him.

“Please,” he said, voice catching. “My sister is in danger. This is the only way I have to help her.”

Thalia briefly closed her eyes.

For Laura. Only for Laura. This is to help my friend.

And perhaps to help me, too.

She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. “Very well, I w-will help you. But that f-f-favor you mentioned? I would like it repaid now.”

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “That’s a little unorthodox.”

“If you want my h-help, you’ll agree.”

“Very well. What do you want?”

She breathed out, steeling herself. There was really no way to soften what she had to say. Better to just get it over with.

“I want to be yours for the next month.”

CHAPTER 4

Of course, he’d misheard. That went without saying. There was no way that a shy, nervy young woman like Lady Thalia had just said that to him.