Page 14 of Her Beastly Duke
“I was going for a walk. Would you care to join me?”
Briar immediately relaxed. She enjoyed walking even at night. It always calmed her nerves and lifted her spirits. By God, she needed her nerves to be calmed right now.
“I would like that, Your Grace. I enjoy the open, fresh air.”
The duke moved to the library door and opened it. “Shall we?” When he walked through the door, his powerful, well-built frame filled it. Briar could tell he was strong. He had effortlessly thrown her over his shoulders when she attempted to escape and carried her back to the house with such ease. She had a head start, but he still managed to catch up to her, and she wondered how a man so large could be agile. Briar followed the duke down the stairs and into the courtyard.
The duke led her down a cobbled pathway toward the rear of the house. As Briar walked by the well-manicured lawn witha colorful border of flowers, she felt a sense of serenity. The Monterey pine and mighty redwoods from the Americas cast a shadow with instant character and color. It was a lovely garden.
The duke turned to her, and Briar looked up to see the wind ruffling his hair. It made him appear a bit wild and fierce yet noble at the same time.
“Berkley Estate has beautiful grounds, and you will enjoy walks here. It is more than just my home. It is my peaceful place, though there is a bit of a contrast between the quiet and the natural sights and sounds.”
“We are of like mind, Your Grace. I do enjoy the wide-open space with peace and calm. Nature invites us to share its beauty. Do you walk here often?”
“I alternate between a morning ride or walk when the weather permits.”
Although they were discussing walks and the weather, Briar’s mind was consumed with thoughts of how this unconventional arrangement would work between them. She was hoping the duke would tell her soon. Broadly speaking, she understood what the duke wanted, but now that she was here, she wanted to understand the finer details.
A cool breeze touched her skin and caused her to shiver.
The duke abruptly stopped, and Briar turned to face him. “Are you cold, Miss Walcot?” He arched the brow not covered by the mask and waited.
“I am not. I will admit that I am a bit apprehensive about our arrangement.”
The duke chuckled. “I find it hard to believe that anyone so bold would be apprehensive.”
“Well, you could put my mind at rest by telling me exactly what you want, Your Grace.”
The duke resumed walking and Briar fell in step beside him.
“All will be revealed in due course, Miss Walcot. I quite enjoy what we are doing now, and I would like you to join me for dinner this evening. I often eat in the library, but now that you are here, I will revert to the dining room.”
“As you wish, Your Grace.”
Perhaps the duke is right. She should take it day by day and not worry too much about the future. Briar had only just arrived, and she had already missed her family. Surely, the duke must feel a pang of regret for not having a wife or children. She would need to ignore the loneliness that would creep up inside her when she longed to be with Duncan, Victoria, and Mama. It must be loneliness which drove the duke to want a companion. But she could not be his companion indefinitely. What would this truly mean for him?
The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, and Briar reveled in the warm feeling on her skin.
“I noted the uncanny resemblance between you and Duncan.”
“We are twins. Mama said I arrived first, so when we were children, I constantly reminded Duncan that I was older, and that held sway for a while.”
“I supposed that was only until he realized things were different for girls.”
“Exactly. I must say that we managed to maintain a close bond despite all conventions. Duncan and I have always been close and I suppose we always will be. You could say we share an irreplaceable, lifelong attachment.”
“And secrets?”
“Yes. We can always tell when something makes the other feel unsettled.”
“Interesting.”
“We understand each other better than anyone else could. I understand that Duncan did something foolish with thepainting, but he has been under such immense pressure since Father died. The responsibility of our situation is great for one so young.”
“I am also close to my younger brother Baxter, although, with all the advice he gives, you could not tell he was younger.”
A smile lit the duke’s face when he spoke of his brother.
