Page 44 of A Rescue by the Rakish Duke
Revenge.
Even Evan wasn’t smiling like usual. Instead, a deep frown creased the middle of his forehead. He had mounted his horse just as quietly as Damian did, his eyes also fixed on the horizon.
Damian nodded at him, his expression grim. His man was right, no matter how he looked at it.
“We’ll proceed as planned. You are right. The source isn’t trustworthy. So, we need to stay vigilant. I’ll be damned if I let down my guard this time.”
Evan looked at him curiously, but Damian only glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye. They both knew that he wasn’t referring to only revenge this time. Damian had let his guard down, and now he couldn’t stop thinking about Gwendoline.
Her moans. How she felt when she reached her pinnacle on his fingers. How her walls clenched around him.
Damian stifled a groan and refocused on the path ahead. The two men rode out of the estate. The rhythmic sound of horses’ hooves was the only thing that could be heard. Damian wondered how they would disguise the sound once they were close to Montrose’s abandoned estate.
They navigated narrow lanes before turning onto wilder and broader terrain. Damian knew he should be concerned, for they were venturing into unknown territory and putting their lives at risk. However, he was more concerned about the woman he left behind.
What happened between them didn’t feel like the end, and he couldn’t wait to stop Montrose if it meant his freedom to choose his life and destiny.
Earlier that morning, Gwendoline was restless. She couldn’t explain it, but something about that day pulled her out of bed before dawn.
She was right.
She saw Damian and Evan preparing their horses. They also had water and what she suspected to be a few supplies with them. They were about to go on a journey, one so secretive that they didn’t want to bring the coachman with them.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, breathing heavily from running toward them.
Damian inhaled deeply before answering. Gwendoline suspected that he was holding back from saying his usual words.
“It’s a business trip,” he said coldly, acting so different from the man who made her see stars with his fingers.
“Then why are you not taking the carriage? It would be easier. What if it rains? Would you be able to seek shelter? How far away is the?—”
“You don’t need to know these things, Duchess. Make yourself comfortable in your chambers. It is still early and cold.”
Huh.
Gwendoline didn’t even notice the cold. She was so focused on catching up to the two men and finding out what they were doing.
“Your Grace, don’t you think your duchess needs to know?” Evan asked tentatively.
“Drake, remember that you are under my employ and not hers,” Damian snapped.
Gwendoline did not take offense this time. She kept quiet, which she believed was the best strategy. She pretended to return to her chambers, but she only went somewhere she could observe the two men undetected. She was fortunate to see Hannah passing by the corridor she was hiding in.
“Hannah,” she called, urgently beckoning the maid over.
“Yes, Your Grace?” Hannah asked, hurrying toward her.
“I need you to fetch me a plain riding habit. Something dark. I need it at once,” Gwendoline said, ensuring her voice remained soft despite the urgency of the situation.
The maid rushed to get what she asked for and was back in no time.
Dressed in her riding habit, Gwendoline felt more confident that Damian wouldn’t notice her. She didn’t worry about Evan, who could be persuaded to take her side.
She waited until the two passed the gates of the estate before following them. She knew enough about riding horses to gauge how much time she needed to reach a distance behind them where she wouldn’t be noticed.
It was not an easy task.
She had to keep her mare’s pace steady and her movements quiet. The thrill of rebellion spurred her on. However, she couldn’t ignore her growing unease as they ventured farther and farther from Greyvale.
