Page 34 of A Scottish Bride for the Duke
“Instinct, Lady Isobel. And instinct rarely leads me astray.”
“Are ye saying I have secrets?” She cocked her head. “Then let me tell ye something, Your Grace. Weallhave secrets, and that means ye do too. Are ye willing to give up yers?”
He gave no answer, staring at her in the half-light.
“Good night then, Yer Grace,” she gave him a quick curtsy, looking like she’d expected his answer—or lack thereof—and made her way up the stairs after his mother.
Alone once again, Adrian ran a hand through his hair.
He shouldn’t be so consumed with thoughts of her, but he did not deal well with mysteries when the answer was not given so easily to him. She was hiding something, and something he fancied was important.
His secrets were not the same as hers. His secrets were ghosts from the past, and hers, he deeply suspected, were ghosts from the present.
Chapter Ten
“Of course, we must take you shopping,” the duchess said to Isobel at the breakfast table the next morning.
She had awoken far earlier than Isobel suspected was common for ladies of her standing; when Isobel had come downstairs, it was to find the duchess waiting for her.
“Shopping? But His Grace said?—”
“Preciselywhatdid he say?” The duchess’s eyes flashed. “Of course, if he suspected you had improper intentions, then it follows that he would not want me to pay for new attire. But you have discredited those assumptions, my dear, as I’m certain he would be happy to admit.
“Besides, I have my own pin money and more dresses of my own than I know what to do with. It will be a pleasure to dress a lady with a slenderer waist than my own. And such unusual coloring.”The duchess sighed. “It will be a delight to clothe the daughter of my dearest friend. I shall purchase you everything you might need for a Season.”
Isobel sat, for once feeling as though her problems had been taken from her. “Me maither suggested ye might so kind,” she said. “I brought some money.”
“Keep it. Better you have something to your name, and I have more money than I know what to with. Ah, Adrian,” she said as the duke entered the room. “I’m glad you’ve come. I’m intending to take Lady Isobel into town to purchase some new gowns. If I’m going to present her in society, she must look the part.”
Isobel expected the duke to inform his mother that she would be doing no such thing, but instead he merely sat, eyebrows climbing up his face. She tried to look at him as she might a foe, but now, whenever she saw him, she thought of all the ways they had once touched and how his lips had felt against hers.
“Town?” he asked.
“Well, where else would we find everything we need?”
His gaze flashed to Isobel, then away again. “You will need someone to accompany you.”
“Well, dearest, I had hoped you would volunteer.”
“Had you now?” he said dryly. “Andwhyis that, precisely?”
“You are the one who almost damaged Lady Isobel’s reputation. The least you can do is put it right. Besides, I’m positive you have errands to do, so we won’t be taking up too much of your time.”
After a moment’s consideration, he nodded, though Isobel didn’t miss the look of distaste across his face, as though the prospect of accompanying her anywhere did not fill him with enthusiasm. “Very well,” he said. “It’s best I keep an eye on you, anyway. To keep you out of trouble.”
“Splendid!” The duchess beamed. “We have a busy day ahead of us. And I had an invitation to a retreat tomorrow, so I must make sure we are prepared. Don’t you agree, Lady Isobel?”
“Yes, Yer Grace,” Isobel said.
“Excellent. Then it’s settled.”
The duke snapped his jaw closed and disappeared behind his newspaper for the remainder of breakfast. Isobel half expected him to leave the house before their shopping trip could begin, but although he said not a word to either of them, he was waiting in the hallway for them to arrive.
“Let’s get this over with,” he growled, handing them both up into the carriage.
His fingers wrapped around Isobel’s hand, and she had another shock of awareness. His eyes met hers, and the air hummed withenergy. She caught her breath and he looked away, handing her up silently and joining them.
“Do you like books?” the duchess asked pleasantly, ignoring her scowling son. “We could visit Hatchards.”
