Page 15 of A Duke for Stealing
Why not? After all, he was her husband now.
Rose was not sure if it was seconds, minutes, or hours that had passed since Everett reached for her, but when he did pull away, Rose swayed on her feet and found it difficult to pry open her eyes. Everett was gazing down at her with a warm but self-satisfied smile. It renewed her annoyance, and this time she did push him away.
“Do not be so pleased with yourself,” she muttered as he chuckled. “It was just a kiss.”
“Was it your first?” He asked, again with the self-satisfied grin.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Do you not have something to do?” She countered.
Everett chuckled and took a step back. With him came fresh air, and Rose called her senses back. She now saw how women gave in to him so easily. He was an effortless flirt.
“Indeed, I do,” Everett replied. “And I am sure you would like a moment to yourself after today’s festivities. Take a moment. Gather yourself. I shall go tell the girls you will be in to meet them shortly. They are in the east wing of this floor. You will know the nursery by the pink door.”
“Do not tell me what to do,” Rose retorted, and again Everett chuckled.
“You are wonderfully goading, Rose. I believe this marriage shall be rather interesting.”
Rose only glared at him in response, and in return, Everett waved his fingers as he gave her a flirtatious smile, then left. She waited until the door was closed before she moved to the bed and sat on the edge, her fingertips moving to her swollen lips. She darted her tongue to her bottom lip and closed her eyes as she caught the scant taste of Everett’s kiss.
Her married friends had told her about kisses. Read about them too. About how they could steal breath and thought, but she never really thought it was true. Howwrongshe was.
She needed to be careful.Verycareful. For even if Everett had mentioned the possibility of being faithful to her, she doubted such a thing could actually be true. And the last thing she needed to do was fall in love with a rake.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Pink door,” Rose murmured aloud, stopping in front of it.
Her mind still reeling from Everett’s kiss, Rose gave a soft knock and then turned the knob.
“Hello?” She called, opening the door. “Good evening, girls, my name is-”
Rose’s words tore away with a gasp as a small arrow flew at her head. She ducked, barely missing its dull point, and looked wide-eyed into the toy-littered room. Her eyes immediately landed on two identical blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls; one wearing a man’s gray top hat that nearly swallowed her head, and another with pearls draped in several strands around her small neck, with elbow-length white satin gloves that were far too big for her tiny arms and hands.
“Halt!” The girl with the top hat commanded, pulling another arrow back on her child-sized bow, “And state your name and business!”
Everett quickly forgotten, Rose put up her hands in surrender.
“I am Rosalind Gravesmoor Duskwell, Duchess of Stapleton, and I have come to offer my introductions-” she paused for a moment, then quickly bowed as she added, “Oh, courageous knight.”
The girl in the top hat smirked and lowered her bow.
“I shall let you pass,” she stated, holding her chin up high, “But only because you have recognized me as I am. A knight.”
Rose bowed graciously again.
“Thank you, kind knight. Now, might I ask your names?”
“I am Leah Duskwell, Knight of the Round Table, and this is my baby sister, Diana.”
The girl in pearls frowned deeply at Leah.
“I am not a baby!” She yelled.
“I am seven minutes older than you,” Leah scoffed, adjusting her too-big top hat. “Therefore, youarethe baby.”
Rose froze as their bickering ensued, a bit overwhelmed by the squabble. However, she quickly recovered and hurried between them.
