Page 89 of The Untamed Duke
“No, I’m sure it wasn’t.”
Grace did not say anything else for a moment, afraid of bringing up the rather touchy subject of his father and Sebastian. The last time she’d dared resulted in Nicholas leaving Bellmar Abbey, enraged by her meddling.
Nicholas cocked his head. “I know full well what you are thinking, pet.”
Grace flushed, sipping her wine in an effort of hiding her discomfort. He read her so easily. “I pray you can resolve your differences in time. Sebastian has a right to know the truth, as much as you have a right for him to know it.”
Nicholas’s eyes shuttered themselves, but his tone remained calm, even, with no hint of anger. “Perhaps.”
Grace hesitated to take the matter any further. Absently, she pushed potatoes around the plate with her fork, aware of Nicholas’s intense scrutiny.
“What shall you do next, Grace?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that this—” he waved a hand between them— “has occurred. What shall you do next?”
Grace frowned. She’d not thought past this night. Past being possessed by Nicholas. What did happen next? Did she return to Bellmar and await his summons for their next interlude? Did she stay for a few days at his leisure? Did she travel on to Beaumont and pretend the most incredible thing that had ever happened in her life never occurred? Pretend her love for the man sitting across from her didn't exist? Deny that her heart didn't beat for him?
She honestly did not know what she should do next.
“I suppose I will go to Beaumont for Lord and Lady Bentley’s ball,” she said slowly. “Tristan escorted Ivy there from Belmar, but I came here instead of going with them. Only Ivy has knowledge of my whereabouts.”
Nicholas gave her a sharp glance.
“Tristan was there?”
“Yes, just yesterday. He confessed he asked you to sell Bellmar to him and begged again that I marry him. I told him I already knew of his plans and had made my own bargain with you. He was not pleased.”
“Fuck,” Nicholas blew out in a hiss.
“He’s as careful of my reputation as you are, Nicholas. He will not want anyone to know.”
“Perhaps, but he will probably be of a mind to challenge me on it.”
“That would be foolish and accomplish nothing.”
Grace realized she may have been hasty revealing her love for Nicholas. Tristan could react unpredictably, although he was usually very level in nature. She frowned and appeared so worried, Nicholas took pity on her. Reaching across the small table, his fingers tangled with hers. The twin dimples in his cheeks popped out when he gave her one of his rare grins.
“Tristan is a sensible sort, for all that he is momentarily infatuated with you. Perhaps we’ll simply stay abed...the man cannot challenge me to a duel here.”
“Truly?”
Nicholas’s green eyes softened. “Truly.” He considered her for a long moment, then said, “Are you up for an adventure?”
Grace nodded. “Of course. I’ll do anything you ask of me, Nicholas. You know that.”
A spark lit the depths of his eyes. Something dark and mysterious that sent the blood rushing along the inside of Grace’s veins like the wind and waves of a typhoon. Out of control. Wild.
“A dangerous bit of knowledge,” he murmured.
A short time later, Nicholas led Grace down darkened corridors, through the modernized sections of the huge castle and into the more ancient portions in an area she’d never seen.
The steps were steep, the halls dark and quiet, lit every so often with huge, iron lanterns that were medieval in appearance. Nicholas had instructed Grace on what to wear, and she giggled while following him, holding tight to his hand in the shadowy corridors. She wore her knee-high riding boots and one of his linen shirts, the hem reaching mid-thigh. She was sure she made a comical picture, but before they’d left the bedroom, venturing into the hall after a quick glance to make sure it was empty, Nicholas gave her such a heated look, she’d drawn the collar tighter at her throat.
“What amuses you, little bee?” he asked now over his shoulder, holding the lamp higher to illuminate the stone steps.
“Dressed as I am, I feared coming across someone. But unless you’ve a prisoner hidden away in the dungeons, I’m safe. No one other than you will see this ridiculous outfit.”
