Page 9 of Her Runaway Duke
“Your housekeeper?” she repeated, intrigued that he would have an estate. He must be someone with means, although his intentions might not be any better than those of the highwaymen. But he had saved her. “Who are you? And where are we?”
“Near enough to Chiswick,” he said. “Who I am does not matter.”
He turned his horse – Lucky, he had called him – back toward the way he had come, leaving her with the choice to follow or remain behind.
She looked behind her into the night, and then at the retreating back of the insufferably rude man in front of her. He had called her stupid, and yet he had saved her life. What was she to do?
She closed her eyes and let her heart’s intuition speak for her.
And took a chance.
Levi shouldn’t carewhether the girl followed him or not.
She was just a slip of a thing, and clearly frightened by him.
And she hadn’t even fully seen him.
The last thing he wanted was to take her back to his estate, but he couldn’t very well leave her in the middle of the road withnight falling. He was worried about her and had a strange sense that it was up to him to protect her.
Her story was far-fetched, and yet the gown peeking out from beneath her cloak was quite fine. Pieces of fair hair were falling out over her shoulders, but aside from her dishevelment, her delicate features and thin, fine jewellery were those of a well-bred woman.
He would give her a place to stay for the night and then return her to London and this despicable fiancé tomorrow. It was all he could do.
“I know you think me a fool,” she said softly behind him, apparently having decided that he was the less threatening option compared to the dark woods. “It seemed the best decision at the time, and I had a plan. It just… went awry.”
He said nothing, allowing her to keep talking. Her voice was sweet and melodic, flowing over him in waves, somehow soothing his tortured spirit.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” she asked.
“The army.”
“You were in the army?”
“I was,” he said with some hesitation, unsure if she would think that was a positive or negative. Not that it mattered.
“You are not anymore, then? Were you injured?”
“You are inquisitive.”
He supposed after the day she’d had, she deserved to know more about the man she was following.
But all she needed to know was that he was best to be avoided.
Siena studiedthe back of the man in front of her. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a build that tapered closer to his hips, although it was difficult to tell with his cloak billowing behind him. As darkness had fallen, he had lifted his head, no longer hiding his face beneath the brim of his wide, unfashionable hat.
Siena couldn’t help but be intrigued by this shadowy figure, as much as she should likely be fearful. His silence, compared to most people in her life, was something of a refreshing change, even if his grunts were frustrating.
She had more questions, but after the surge of unwelcome excitement, fatigue was beginning to set in through her entire body, and she had to fight to keep her eyes open. They must have closed for a moment for suddenly her entire body was jolting upright, her heart pounding once more as she realized she had nearly fallen off of her horse. Her companion never looked back, never turned around to see if she was still following him let alone still attached to the horse. He probably didn’t much care and was only now doing what was expected of him.
Siena was about to ask how much farther they had to go when a building rose up in front of them, seemingly from nowhere. The first thing she noticed was the portico, supported by columns with triangular pediments crowning on top. Beneath was a grand entrance, to the sides symmetrical wings fanning out with identical large, rectangular windows that had an odd look of eyes peering out into the night.
It must just be the light, she considered, wondering if the grey hue of the building was also from the darkness or if it was truly as dreary as it appeared.
Second-floor balconies adorned with wrought-iron railings stuck out of the sides like leering grins and Siena shivered at the sight of the cold, austere building.
She looked around, expecting to be led up an ornate drive trimmed in hedgerows similar to the estates she more currentlyfrequented, but instead, the landscape around them was nearly barren, borders of garden blocks the only signs of memories of previous opulence.
“Do you live here?”
