Page 8 of An Innocent Maid for the Duke
She gazed at her friend, at her kind and worried expression. She had to tell someone. Had to. ‘You promise you won’t tell.’
‘Cross my heart and hope to die.’
Rose managed a weak smile at the childish oath. Where to begin? She peeked out of the pantry door. No sign of Cook.
‘I met a man.’
Flo squeaked with excitement. ‘You are walking out?’
Rose shuddered at the very thought. ‘Oh, no.’
Her friend glowered. ‘If the bastard took advantage, I’ll scratch his eyes out, so I will.’
‘Nothing like that,’ Rose hissed. ‘We danced a bit. He kissed me.’ She touched her lips at the recollection. ‘He was lovely.’
‘So...where’s the problem?’
‘He’s a gentleman. Oh, Flo, I tried on the gown and the mask and he caught me waltzing around in it. I think he thought I was one of the lady guests. He wants to meet me.’
‘So meet him. If you like him, that is.’
‘How can I?’ She gestured to her faded gown. ‘He’s a gentleman. One of the nobs.’ Worse. Far worse. He was a duke, but she did not dare mention that or Flo would guess his identity. ‘What would he think if he saw the real me?’ The thought of his disgust had her heart sinking to her shoes. All her life she’d been disdained. An unwanted orphan. Child of sin. ‘Perhaps he’ll think I tricked him on purpose. I can’t lose this job.’ Or her small room in the boarding house. She was barely able to afford it as it was. She’d have to start all over again and this time with no character. She’d be lucky not to end in the workhouse. Or worse. ‘I should never have put on that dress.’ She sank on to the hard wooden chair. ‘What am I to do? He’d said he’d wait every night until I met him. What if he really is waiting?’
Flo tilted her head, her blue eyes perceptive. ‘You like this man.’
She’d be lying to her friend if she said no and that she did not want to do. ‘He was nice.’ More than nice. He made her heart do somersaults and her body tingle in wicked places. That last, though, was something she would never admit to anyone.
‘Then the real question is...do you want to see him again?’
Dreadfully. The longing in her heart would not be denied. ‘I feel horrible every time I think of him waiting.’ The back of her throat burned at the idea she would never see him again, except maybe from a distance. ‘I should at least let him know meeting him again is impossible. But how could I, dressed like this? I’d be too ashamed. Oh, why, oh, why did I try on the dress?’
Flo ran a glance from her head to her heels. ‘You’re right. That dress certainly won’t do. Leave it to me.’ She bustled away.
Rose mopped the water from the floor and she plunged her hands back into the hot soapy water.
Her heart picked up speed at the thought of seeing His Grace again. She took a deep steadying breath. She couldn’t. No matter what Flo said. It was an impossible dream. Hadn’t she learned long ago dreams were not for the likes of her?
Of course he would not be waiting.
She’d heard all the rumours about him. How he was before he came into the title. He was a man who loved the ladies. All different sorts of ladies. Never faithful to one particular one. Always out for a good time. There were darker rumours, too. Those she’d ignored.
Oh, he might have shown up once, she supposed, shrugged his shoulders at her non-appearance and moved on.
If only her foolish heart didn’t keep wanting to know for certain. And hoping.
* * *
Only a fool would spend three nights sitting on a cold stone bench waiting for a woman who had made it pretty clear she wouldn’t meet him.
A fool indeed.
Not to mention that the last thing he needed was to become entangled with another man’s wife. Dukes didn’t do that sort of thing. So what if she’d felt so right in his arms, had eyes the colour of peridots and her kisses tasted of honey and innocence? He had responsibilities now. Duties. The days of dalliance and enjoyment were done.
Besides, he didn’t deserve them.
And yet, still he sat here, watching the gate in the wall leading into the garden from the alley. This was the very last time. He’d said it last night, but tonight he meant it.
He got up and paced around the lawn, letting the blood flow back into his backside, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension. Though why he’d be tense he didn’t know. All the paperwork he’d ploughed through earlier in the day, no doubt. He needed a drink to relax him, instead of hanging about here like some lovesick swain.
