Page 29 of Taken By the Duke of Stone

She looked thoughtful, "I think that is about right, Your Grace."

"I thought we had gone past Your Grace."

"Have we?" She raised a brow. "I thought that was for when it was just us."

"Do you plan on Your Gracing me into old age?" he asked.

She froze. Honestly, she hadn't thought past a few years from now. It was just now hitting her that she was going to spend years and years of her life with this man.

In an arrangement.

Not a marriage.

The breath sawed out of her and she turned away to comport herself, "I do not see Georgie anywhere."

"Patrick escorted her to get some fresh air. She did not want to be around for the whole display that was going to happen when you arrived," he looked at her, "they have been waiting for you."

"The sharks waiting for a taste of blood which in this case would have been a hint of weakness."

"Or my mother giving you the cut direct."

She sighed, "she does not like me very much, I can tell."

His jaw clenched, "she'll come around."

Lavinia could still feel eyes on her back and they left her feeling tense and too self-conscious. "How long will the curiosity last?"

The Duke winced. "Probably for the rest of your life."

Her jaw dropped to the ground. "For the rest of my life? Impossible. There will always be something new for them. Some new scandal. The interest of thetonis fickle."

They made a sharp turn away from the room and he slanted her a serious look, "Trust me, my lady, thetoncan multitask when they set their mind to it. They will always have their eyes on you, just waiting for you to do something completely unforgivable so they can collectively decide that you are not good enough or you are besmirching a great name."

There was something bitter in his voice that made her snap her head to stare at him. When she did, she found that his jaw was clenched tight.

It suddenly hit her that the title had been thrust unto Victor too early. Where everyone was marveled by the young, dashing Duke, she wondered who had ever pitied the youth who had to grow up too fast.

The responsibility must have been daunting to him. She felt her heart ache for him and she resisted the urge to slide her hand into his or hug him, or something as equally ludicrous as that.

"In that case, I shall have to leave you to deal with their curious eyes while I retire to the country and live out the rest of my days."

She felt him still momentarily, "I did not think you would fancy the country life."

Lavinia raised a brow, "What is not to like about riding with the wind in my hair, fresh air and an absence of nosy neighbors?"

"I thought it would be rather dull for someone like you."

"Why is that?"

He rolled his broad shoulders in a shrug, "It seems I do not know you all that well after all."

"It's a good thing you have several years ahead to find out then."

Right as the words left her mouth, she froze and she could feel how still he had gone too. It seemed that it was only just dawning on the both of them that there would be nothing temporary about their arrangement. They could choose to live apart the rest of their lives, but they would still be tied together.

Being tied to the man before her for the rest of her life, she mused, then ruthlessly squashed the hint of giddiness that came to life inside of her.

"I wonder what mysteries I may find," his voice was low, almost intimate and it slid down her skin like a touch.

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