Page 16 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
Nathan’s eyes flitted about the hall. “I… I had business to take care of. It was… of the utmost importance.”
Magnus frowned. “Every night?”
Nathan paled, and the air around them shifted.
Just then, Lady Lily walked into the hall. Magnus turned around at the sound of her footsteps and found her standing there, watching them.
“I was just… passing by,” she offered.
Of all the things she wanted to do that day, joining their conversation wasn’t one of them.
Magnus held back a smile. “I was just asking the Earl why he is always away from home,” he said. “It seems that he is a very busy man.”
Lips pressed tightly together, Lady Lily looked between him and her brother, who was still avoiding eye contact. Her lips parted, and the sight sent a shiver down Magnus’s spine.
“Yes, it seems so,” she said with a forced chuckle, then turned to look at Nathan.
“I should go,” he blurted, before turning on his heel and making a beeline for the door.
No one stopped him; Magnus was busy staring at Lady Lily while she watched her brother leave.
How could one be so effortlessly beautiful? How on earth did she manage to stay unmarried until that age, despite her breathtaking beauty? Were her suitors blind, or did she simply reject all of them?
Lady Lily turned to him suddenly, as though she could hear his thoughts.
He looked away and cleared his throat, collecting himself.
What should I say now?
“The Earl doesn’t seem to be very comfortable with my presence, Lady Lily,” he said. “Perhaps I am not welcome here. Is that it?”
Lady Lily shook her head. “Of course you are, Your Grace. Always,” she assured. “I believe my brother is only still trying to grasp the situation and get used to someone… new in the house.”
Magnus nodded, before turning back to the portrait he had been studying earlier.
He didn’t need to be told that it was Lady Lily. He could tell from the light blonde hair, the icy blue eyes that had darkened as she grew up, and the smattering of freckles on her face. She was holding the stalk of a tulip, which just happened to match her wide juvenile eyes.
He didn’t know who the painter was, but they certainly did a remarkable job.
Magnus could still feel her standing behind him; he didn’t need to look back to confirm. The air felt hot and heavy as he breathed it in, but holding his breath wasn’t an option.
He wanted to look away from the portrait, but he hadn’t figured out what to say yet.
Right! Her search for a husband.
“Lady Lily,” he said, turning to look at her. “Have you found a match?”
Her chest rose and fell with a long breath. “Not yet, Your Grace,” she replied. “I still haven’t heard from the matchmaker.”
He took a step closer to her.Even though his mind screamed at him not to, his body wanted to be near her warmth and breathing in her lovely scent just to see if the unfamiliar feelings plaguing him were something he could easily overcome.
“You are slowly running out of time, My Lady,” he said slowly with a mischievous smirk.
Lady Lily looked away, visibly not knowing what to say, and he took that as a hint to leave her be.
“I shall leave you to it, then.”
He left her standing there and went up to his study.
