Page 41 of Seduced By the Rakish Duke

“You know nothing of what men like me are capable of.” He towered over her. “If you learn one thing from me, Miss Bennett, let it be this—men like me are dangerous. We do things that can’t be forgiven. When you choose your match, make sure he is nothing like me.”

Jenny’s eyes widened, and she could barely hold back her tears. “You don’t mean that. How could you say?—”

“Because it is true!” he bellowed. “You said yourself you know your own heart. Well, I know my character better than anyone else. I am not who you think I am, and there are a lot more of my kind out there than gentlemen. I beg of you to find the latter, or else your life will be nothing but heartbreak. Now, stop acting like a child and go.”

Jenny stood there, bereft, confusion written all over her face. David stalked over to his tumbler of whisky and threw it back, letting the burn soothe his aching throat. He couldn’t bear to look at her despondent face anymore.

Curse her and her expressive features.

He didn’t turn around when the door slammed shut behind him. He didn’t sit when he heard her steps disappear into the night. He didn’t sleep when the footman he ordered to follow her brought back word of her safe return to her home.

Like it or not, this was his cross to bear, and if he couldn’t protect his sister, he would protect Jenny, even if it killed him.

CHAPTER 10

The knock woke Jenny from a restless nap. She had spent the past two days in bed, not knowing, or caring, when one day ended and another began. She kept track of the hour only by the bringing and taking away of breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates—which she had barely touched.

She looked at the door and called for whomever it was to come in. Her voice cracked from misuse.

“Jenny? It’s Frances. Are you alright?”

Jenny poked her head from beneath the duvet. “Define alright.”

Frannie came around and sat next to her on the bed. “You’re worrying me, Jenny. Thomas said he heard you come in late the other night. What on earth were you doing out at night by yourself?”

Jenny groaned. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone heard her. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to tell Frannie the truth. How could she begin to tell her that she agreed to such an arrangement, and with the rakish Duke of Marlow of all people? She had already sworn nothing was going on between them. Telling Frannie the truth and admitting her lie was too much to handle.

Not only that, but she was admittedly embarrassed that the rakish Duke was only scandalous with other women, not her.

The echo of his words still pierced her heart whenever she recalled that night.

“Now, stop acting like a child and go.”

“It was nothing.” She waved off the inquiry. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping, so I go out and walk the grounds at night when that happens.”

She didn’t dare to look Frannie in the eyes. Her sister-in-law was notorious for her ability to sniff out lies from even the most seasoned of liars.

Frannie sat for a moment. “I’m not sure if I believe you, but then again, my own lack of sleep is messing with my mind. I hardly know what I’m doing anymore.”

Jenny silently thanked Simon for being a fussy nighttime sleeper.

“So why have you spent the last two days in bed?”

Jenny pushed herself into a sitting position and rested her head on the headboard behind her. “Have you ever made a fool of yourself?”

Frances let out one of her loud laughs that shook her whole body. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course, I have! You have met me, right?” She couldn’t stop chuckling. “Oh, my poor dear. What did you do that has caused this much affliction in your life that you stayed in bed for days?”

Jenny closed her eyes and lightly banged the back of her head against the headboard. “Let’s just say I became interested in someone, and I made an absolute fool of myself in front of them.”

Frannie leaned in and gathered Jenny in her arms. “Oh, Jenny, I have been there. But trust me, matters of the heart seem so much more detrimental than they actually are. I’m sure you weren’t as foolish as you think.”

Jenny pulled away and flopped back down onto the mattress. The absolute horror and embarrassment she felt when she recalled the look of disgust on the Duke’s face when he told her to leave after she tried to kiss him again was too much to bear.

She pulled a pillow over her head. “I absolutely was. I showed my interest, and he turned me down on the spot.”

Frannie tugged on the pillow, removing it from her face. “If he turned you down, then he is the dumbest man to ever walk the face of the earth.”

Jenny groaned. “You’re just saying that because we’re related.”

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