Page 51 of Her Runaway Duke
Levi nodded curtly as he told one of the footmen to stoke the fire in the grate. The man appeared confused, but a nod from Thornebury, standing in the doorway, sent him action.
Soon enough, they were all sitting awkwardly in the small, intimate, feminine drawing room.
Levi had taken one of the armchairs near the fireplace, Fitz the other. Siena, Lady Eliza, and Lady Willoughby were squished together onto the sofa.
Siena was fidgeting, her hands fisting her gown, and Levi longed to reach out and place his hands over hers to quiet them.
But he couldn’t in front of an audience – for so many reasons.
“Thank you for having us,” Lady Willoughby began, far too brightly.
“I never invited you,” Levi replied, and Fitz leaned forward, likely to attempt to soften Levi’s words, but there was no need. Levi had no intentions of making these people feel comfortable in his home.
“What His Grace meant to say was—” Fitz began, but before Levi could stop him, Siena jumped in, likely sensing Levi’s discontent.
“H-how are my mother and father handling my disappearance?” she asked, to which Eliza and her mother exchanged a glance.
“They are concerned, of course,” Lady Willoughby said, although her face belied something else altogether.
“Are they most concerned about breaking the commitment to Lord Mulberry, or about my welfare?” she asked, looking at Eliza, and Levi could sense the trust between them, although he wondered how galling the truth was going to be.
“The former,” Eliza said, placing a hand on Siena’s knee, likely to try to soften the blow. “You know you are too good for them.”
Levi growled, causing the stares once more.
He couldn’t help himself. Even though he knew such marriages were arranged more often than not, the thought of parents using a woman such as Lady Siena, so innocent, honest, and loyal, in such a manner, was nearly incomprehensible.
“Of course,” Lady Willoughby interjected, “that still does not excuse this ruse my daughter put together for you to avoid the wedding, Lady Siena. To send you out travelling alone!” She shook her head. “If only Eliza had confided in me, then I would have made sure to send a few footmen with you.”
Eliza and Siena both turned abruptly toward Lady Willoughby, mouths open in shock.
“You would have helped me?” Siena asked, blinking, and Lady Willoughby leaned in with a warm smile.
“You are not my daughter, Lady Siena, but if you hated this man so much to leave your entire life behind, then of course I would have helped. From where do you think my daughter received her daring nature?” Her eyes flicked over toward Levi before returning to Siena. “You must now tell me how you ended up here.”
“It is quite the story,” Siena said before starting in on her tale. Even though Levi had been there throughout most of her escapade, when she spoke of becoming lost and then the highwaymen discovering her, his heart hammered hard in his chest at the memory of her in such danger. He wasn’t alone – they were all completely horrified.
Lady Eliza was biting her lip, a sheen of tears covering her eyes.
“Siena, I am so sorry,” she said hoarsely. “This is all my fault. I was so concerned about you leaving that I never stopped to consider the dangers that could befall you. The map should have taken you right to Streatham, but I could have made a mistake.”
“This is not your fault at all, Eliza,” Siena said. “I am a grown woman and can make my own decisions. I decided to leave, nomatter the consequences. And while my journey was rife with danger, it led me here, where I have never felt safer.”
Levi noted their incredulous stares, which he wasn’t surprised about, although it seemed Siena couldn’t quite understand it.
There was too much goodness within her.
He didn’t deserve her – but for the first time, he was wondering if, perhaps, he might have to find it within himself to fight for her.
CHAPTER 19
Moisture had been gathering at the nape of Siena’s neck as she sat in the drawing room with the gathered party.
She was surprised by her overwhelm from the scrutiny of both her closest friend and the man she was falling for. Siena could practically feel the curiosity radiating from Eliza as she sat beside her on the sofa, struggling to keep all of her questions inside until the two of them were alone.
Then there was Levi. The weight of his stare was heavy, and she could practically hear what he was thinking – that this was the reason he hadn’t invited her in to stay with him, as her presence would invite others and their judgement.
The next time they had a moment alone, she would have to convince him that if there was anyone who would allow him to keep his peace and his secret, it was Eliza and her mother, who were nothing like what one would expect from most women of theton.
