Page 36 of The Duke of Fire
“Your Grace, I will have you know that I am not in favor of killing innocent animals for sport. What will people be hunting at this hour anyway? Foxes?”
“You will find out soon enough,” the duke replied with a smirk.
He turned his gaze to the front panel of the carriage as if it held more interest than she did.
Infuriating man.
Amelia crossed her arms, watching him out of the corner of her eye. The flicker of lantern light caught on the sharp cut of his jaw and the high bridge of his nose. His profile was sculpted, aristocratic, and irritatingly perfect.
Why did he have to look like that?
She bit the inside of her cheek. This was not the time for noticing such things. Not when he was clearly enjoying keeping her in thedark—literally and figuratively.
A hunt under moonlight.
She shifted on the bench, the velvet cushions offering little comfort for her restless limbs. “So do you think this…event… is something I will enjoy?”
“No,” he said simply, his gaze dragging over her as if assessing her anew. “But I think it will show me what kind of woman you really are.”
“Is that what this is?” she shot back. “A test?”
“Everything is a test, Miss Warton,” he said smoothly. “You just do not always know when you are taking one.”
The carriage jostled slightly as they turned down another gravel road, and for a moment, Amelia stared into the duke’s face, lit by a sliver of moonlight through the curtained window. There was something about him tonight—unreadable, yes, but also… feral. Untamed.
A shiver slid down her spine. Whether it was anticipation or dread, she was not sure.
She closed her eyes briefly, trying to calm her breathing. It had been a long day of managing Octavia’s endless demands, and this… secret outing was testing the limits of her composure. She let her eyelids close for a moment.
Eventually, a bump woke her from her nap. She startled until she remembered where she was. They were turning onto a long, gravel drive. The house that the carriage was approaching loomed over them, looking like something from a gothic novel. It was a centuries-old, sprawling mansion three stories high. The windows were draped, so it was impossible to see inside.
As they emerged from the carriage, Amelia could not help but breathe out, “A ball? But I thought we were attending a hunt?”
“Do you trust me? All your questions will be answered. Here, let me help put your mask on,” the duke offered, stepping behind her to secure the pretty piece.His fingers brushed the soft skin at the back of her neck, and she shivered.
He did not really answer her question, leading her to believe that he would not be offering any information to her. So, she focused on the dimly lit entrance. A mysterious amber glow made her feel even more uneasy. She did not like going into situations she was not certain of, but she would have to trust him.
A butler opened the door even without them having to knock. He seemed younger than Amelia expected. In a deep voice, he greeted them. “Welcome toThe Arrangement.”
The man opened the door wider for them to enter. Amelia realized that the violin arrangements were darker than the ones she was used to. She suspected that this arrangement—this hunt—was a lot more different from the balls she was used to.
The house was dimly lit. It seemed that the candles were relegated to the sides, creating atmosphere rather than illumination. Sofas, settees, and even beds were arranged in the ballroom, already signaling the fact that tonight was not about dancing.
What is this place?
Amelia’s eyes widened to see some couples kissing passionately on the sofas. Some were locked in tighter embraces, moans escaping their lips as if they were not afraid that everyone else would hear—because they were not. They anticipated it.
As they went further into the house, Amelia found herself shrinking closer to the duke. Fear and excitement mingled within her as she realized that the couplings were becoming even more intimate as they ventured deeper into the house.
The masks made sense. A woman wearing a crimson dress and a matching mask laughed as a man in a black mask pressed her against the wall. They were still fully clothed, but the man’s hips thrust into hers. Another pair disappeared behind the velvet curtains, the fabric swaying faintly with movement.
But what shocked Amelia more than anything else… was that not all the participants were couples. There were threesomes. Foursomes. Silently watching. Some merely lounged and observed with champagne in hand, their masks concealing not only their faces, but their expressions.
The duke put an arm around her, squeezing her hip closer to his side. Amelia should be pushing him away, but she felt comforted. Despite how his actions were to the contrary, he had never made her feel unsafe.
“Nobody will dare come close to you as long as you stay by my side,” he whispered.
Even as he said those words, a thrill ran through her. She had never been exposed to such flagrant displays of lust. At that very moment, she also wondered what it would be like to experience desire at least for once in her life. She had never dared to attempt anything with a man.But now… Now, her body felt far too aware of itself.
