Page 32 of In Compromise with the Earl
“And you are the paragon of virtue?” Aphrodite asked. “I have heard the stories, Your Grace, the rumors that slither through theton. You have more mistresses than there are grains of sand on the beach.”
“Lies,” he scoffed. “Women like to brag about being with me for clout. I have never touched one of them. You should know a thing or two about that, should you not? Others have rumored that you are a lightskirt as they think I am a rakehell.”
The line in the sand is that the rumors about me are lies, yours are true, no matter how you try to downplay it.
Oswald’s lips pressed tightly; it seemed that Aphrodite was holding her own against the Duke—why was he there at all? He nearly headed back when the Duke reached for Aphrodite and tugged her close. “How about you drop this coyness, hm? Let me kiss you the way I know you want me to.”
“What?” Aphrodite gasped. “No. What makes you think that?”
“Stop fighting it, love,” he said.
Oswald was already in motion, and he strode to them. “I think the lady has said to stop, Your Grace. It would befit you to listen to her.”
The Duke spun and snarled. “And what are you doing here? Were you spying on us?”
“I don’t think there is any law against going for a late-night stroll?” Oswald said, looking pointedly to Aphrodite. “And rescuing a damsel in distress.”
“I was not in distress,” Aphrodite said.
“And she is no damsel,” the Duke spat.
“Excuse me!” Aphrodite exclaimed. “How dare you impugn my honor?”
Oswald held her back, while the Duke, seeing his mistake, rushed to apologize. “I did not mean it the way I said it, Aphrodite—”
“LadyAphrodite,” Oswald grated.
“I meant that you are no fainting lily,” the Duke railroaded. “Of course, you’re chaste. That was never in question, but you do not need someone barging in to rescue you. You are not that type of weak, helpless damsel.”
“You’re a bas—”
“Take some time and rethink your actions,” Oswald cut in, overriding her curse. “Meanwhile, I will be taking Lady Aphrodite back to the Manor. I imagine dinner has already started.”
Without another word, he dropped his hand to the small of her back and led her toward the Manor. Through the back of her dress, he felt that Aphrodite’s body was stiff and even trembling. They made it inside before she said a word and when she did, she was angry. “What a rapscallion,” she huffed. “Under all that class, he is nothing but a barbarian.”
They entered the dining room, just as the guests were moving off to the tables and while a few shot them curious looks, Oswald pretended not to feel Lady Fairchild’s glare heating the side of his neck. Their gazes landed on the Duke who hurried in after them and now the wondering looks turned speculative.Did they think there was a squabble between us three?
He pulled out her chair before sitting beside her, unwilling to let the Duke take his place and harass Aphrodite anymore. There were questions, confusions that perplexed him and had to be bothering Aphrodite.
Why was it that after telling her they could not be any good for each other and that she should stay away from him, he was always finding her?
It made no sense and yet, he could not stop himself from seeking her out in a crowded room, or despising others when they said a harsh word about her. It was not that she was so innocent with a brave face, or that her father’s actions had hobbled her in life, or that she had qualities he prized in a lady—it was because he sensed a kindred hurting soul.
Duke Strathmore was glaring at him over his glass of wine and Oswald coolly met his heated look with an icy one of his own. If this pretender thought he was going to cower Oswald down, he had confronted the wrong target. Even worse, Lady Pandora was attending the dinner and her consternation was another point of tension in the room.
While swirling his wine, Oswald’s brow lifted daringly and the Duke sneered before turning away. The exchange had not gone unnoticed by others and Oswald knew that by the next day rumors would start to make their rounds. When dinner ended, Lady Pandora requested, “Lord Tennesley, may I have a moment?”
Aphrodite gave him a concerned look, but he gave her the tiniest headshake. She did not have to worry about him, despite whatever trouble he may have brought upon himself. Whatever scathing rebuke the matchmaker had for him, he could bear it.
The guests wandered out, with Aphrodite being one of the last ones. Lady Pandora asked, “Would you mind telling me why Duke Strathmore was trying to light you afire with his eyes?”
He put down his wine and settled back in his seat. “If you are tactfully asking if something untoward happened with the three of us, you are wrong. Actually, it was the opposite. I was taking a walk when I saw Lady Aphrodite looking decidedly uncomfortable, so I kindly reminded them that dinner was starting.”
For a Lady, her gaze was sharper that any cutthroat mercenary Oswald might have the bad luck of coming across. “And that was it?”
“You doubt my word?” Oswald asked. “If you speak to Lady Aphrodite, I am sure she will tell you the same. Mayhap His Grace was looking unhappy because of the interruption.”
“You’re sure, My Lord?”
