Page 62 of A Duke for Stealing
“No,” he quickly replied, and turned her around to face him. “You are many things, Rose, but you arenotfoolish.”
The smallest smile touched her lips. His body grew warm as her gaze slowly moved down his body, making him so hot he was sure that he’d dry his own clothing then and there. He noticedher gaze lingering on his chest, and he glanced down to see what had her attention. It was only then that he noticed his shirt had become transparent, and the soaked fabric had clung to the ridges of his abdomen.
Normally, at this time, he would smirk, make some sort of jest at being an Adonis or such. This time, though, he only let her stare, feeding into her intense gaze. Slowly, he brought his fingers up to his shirt and pulled it off for her to have a better view. Her breath hitched at the sight of his naked chest, and he languished in her rapt attention.
With seeming effort, Rose brought her eyes back up to his after a time.
“I want you to hold me,” she whispered.
The urge to shoot his arms out and snap her to his chest was immediate- but he fought it. Instead, he roamed his fingertips over her blanketed arms, massaged her shoulders, and gently pulled her to him.
Lust pounded deep and heavy within him, but now there was something else, too.
“I want to believe you,” she whispered, snuggling into his chest. “But you are going to have to prove yourself.”
“Tell me how,” he implored.
“I do not know,” Rose replied. “All I know is that you must.”
When Tristan left Rose’s rooms, he roamed the hall until he found Mrs. Mulberry.
“Your Grace, I heard of the mistress’s fall. Is she alright?” Mrs. Mulberry asked.
“She will recover,” Everett answered quickly, “But that is not why I came to search for you. I need answers about a woman. Blonde, full-figured. Said she used to work here for my brother.”
His mind raced to remember her name, but again he drew a blank.
“Name starts with a P, I believe,” he finally recalled.
Mrs. Mulberry’s concerned look fell into one of disgust.
“You mean Penny?” She asked.
“Yes.”
“Horrible trollop,” Mrs. Mulberry said gruffly, shaking her head. “Tried many advances with His Grace, but the Duchess, bless her soul, kept giving her chances. Everyone knew she was lying when she announced she was with the Duke’s child. He never looked at another woman the way he looked at our Duchess.”
“So the child is not my brother’s?” Everett asked.
“Heaven’s no! The child’s father is one of the miller’s boys. Take one look at him and you’ll see the resemblance,” Mrs. Mulberry replied. “Sad story too. Tried to take the boy under his wing, but Penny wouldn’t allow it. Always thought she’d scale the ladder by scandal, and I suppose if she came after you today, she is still trying.”
Everett relaxed, but only slightly. So it was a desperate woman trying a play.
“She was on the grounds this morning, came up to us while we were at the lake,” Everett explained. “If anyone sees her set foot on the estate’s property again, I want her promptly removed. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Mrs. Mulberry said promptly with a determined look. “I shall let the others know straight away.”
“The Elusive Duke,” Tristan sang, greeting Tristan as he walked into the gentleman’s club.
Everett smirked and joined his table with his friends.
“You’ve been gone,” Dominic noted.
“I’ve been busy,” Everett retorted.
Hugo picked up the bottle in the center of the table and tilted it toward an empty glass.
“If that is for me, I believe I shall pass,” Everett said.
