Page 55 of Duke of Myste
“I have other matters requiring my attention,” Richard replied, already moving toward the door with what looked suspiciously like haste. “Should you have specific inquiries about the arrangements, you may consult with Harriet and Mrs. Crawford.”
He was gone before Jane could say anything else, leaving her alone in the morning room with nothing but the lingering scent of sandalwood and a growing determination to discover what had frightened him badly enough to make him flee his own lesson.
One thing had become crystal clear during those charged moments: whatever Richard claimed about duty and propriety, the connection between them was not one-sided. He felt it too—that spark of awareness that transformed ordinary moments into something electric with possibility.
As Jane sat in the empty morning room, she found herself thinking of Harriet’s words about Richard’s fear of losing control. Perhaps it was time to show her husband that some things were worth the risk of surrendering that control, even for a man who spent all his life perfecting the art of self-preservation.
The thought both thrilled and terrified her, but as she rose from her chair and smoothed her skirts, she had already made her choice. She refused to spend the rest of her marriage dancing around the edges of intimacy with a man who clearly desired her more than he was willing to admit.
The only remaining question was, how preciselydoesone go about convincing a duke that his perfect control might be the very thing preventing him from achieving the happiness he claimed not to want?
CHAPTER 17
“The weather is perfect for a walk,” Jane declared, adjusting her bonnet as she emerged from Myste Hall, Harriet and Diana flanking her while Pippin dashed energetically around their feet. “Your impromptu visit was perfectly timed, Diana. I was hoping for a chance to introduce you to one another.”
“The grounds here are simply magnificent,” Diana commented. “Richard has excellent taste in estate management.”
“Richard has excellent taste in everything,” Harriet corrected. “Unfortunately, he also has a knack for making mountains out of molehills when it suits him.”
Jane’s chest tightened at the mention of her husband. Three days of careful politeness and studied avoidance had left her feeling more isolated than ever.
“How are you, Jane? Truly,” Diana said carefully, glancing between her sister and Harriet with obvious concern. “You seem rather… subdued.”
“I am perfectly well,” Jane replied with forced brightness, though she caught Harriet’s knowing look out of the corner of her eye. “Simply adjusting to married life and all its… complexities.”
“Complexities,” Harriet echoed with a slight smile. “What a diplomatic way to describe my impossible brother’s latest bout of emotional cowardice.”
“Harriet,” Jane warned, though without real heat.
“Oh, please.” Harriet waved off the gentle rebuke with characteristic directness. “Diana is family, and family members should, at the very least, be honest with one another. Richard is being ridiculous, and we all know it.”
Diana’s eyebrows rose, but before she could respond, Pippin suddenly lunged forward. The lead slipped from Harriet’s hand, and the spaniel bounded away across the grass, chasing what appeared to be a rabbit.
“Pippin!” Jane called, gathering her skirts as she hurried after him. “Come back here this instant!”
The spaniel barked joyfully and quickened his pace, clearly viewing this as the most exciting game imaginable.
“This way!” Harriet laughed, lifting her skirts and running after them. “He’s heading for the lake!”
Diana surprised them all by getting ahead of the runaway spaniel, her arms spread wide. “Here, Pippin! Come, boy!”
But Pippin had other ideas. With a playful leap, he launched himself directly into the shallow end of the ornamental lake, sending up a spray of cold water.
“Oh no!” Jane exclaimed.
“We have to get him out,” Diana said, already kicking off her boots. “We can’t let him drown!”
“Diana, you cannot possibly…” Jane began, but Diana was already wading in.
“The water’s not that deep,” Diana called. “Just… cold!” she yelped as a shiver ran through her. “Pippin! Come here!”
Harriet began unlacing her own boots. “Well, I suppose there’s nothing for it, then. We can hardly let Diana rescue our puppy by herself.”
“This is madness,” Jane protested, even as she followed suit. “We’ll all catch a fever!”
“Probably,” Harriet agreed cheerfully. “But what a story it will make!”
The water was indeed colder than she had imagend. Every time one of them came close to capturing Pippin, he would swim just out of reach, wagging his tail in glee at getting the women to participate in a new game.
