Page 20 of Unmasked By a Captivating Lady
Miles walked into his chambers, throwing himself across his bed. The dinner gong would sound within half an hour, and he should be getting changed into his evening attire. But he felt strangely inert, as if he couldn’t do a single thing at the moment.
As always, his thoughts drifted back to Ara Nott. It had been a peculiar afternoon tea, to say the least. Ara had been just as beautiful and feisty as he remembered, but it had unsettled him when her mother had pressed for details about the upcoming ball. There was more to pretending to be the Duke of Lancaster than he had thought of.
He turned over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. And then her father had appeared, with her beloved horse, all the way from Dorset.
His heart tightened just a little, thinking of her joy when she had been told. It was as if she had been informed it was her birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.
If he hadn’t realised how passionately she loved the horse then, he had realised as soon as they had gone to the stables to see Pem. Her eyes had filled with tears, and she had whispered to him lovingly as if she were greeting an old friend.
He had been unable to help himself. For some inexplicable reason, he had wanted to share in that moment with her. Stroking the horse was natural for him; he loved horses as much as she did. But the moment when he had placed his hand over hers had been something else entirely.
It had been as if lightning had struck him when he had felt her skin for the first time. There was simply no other way to describe it. His loins had tightened uncomfortably, aching with need. And he had suddenly, vividly, recalled his dream about her, from the night before, when she had been naked in the lake, alluring, calling to him to join her…
He knew she had felt the same thing by her violent reaction. She had jumped back, blushing furiously, so unsettled by it that she simply did not know what to do. And he knew that as a young lady of her class, she probably didn’t know what it was that had happened to her. Perhaps she had never experienced anything like it in her life. Young ladies were trained to be ignorant of such things. They were trained to ignore such feelings and think that they were somehow wrong.
He sighed, turning restlessly. He had known, instinctively, that she would be a passionate woman. He could see it in her eyes, and the way she moved. He could see it in her love for her horse. He could see it in her feisty manner, as if she were an unbroken horse that was forever resisting being tamed.
Suddenly, he sat up. He was so churned up, he needed to write his feelings down. He had a journal, which he used from time to time. Perhaps it would make him feel better if he wrote it all down.
He got up, sitting down at his desk. He got out the notebook, picking up the quill, dipping it into the inkwell. But it came out dry.
He sighed, ready to put the journal aside. But then he thought of Andrew’s desk. He had an inkwell, and his brother wouldn’t care if he borrowed it.
***
He knocked at the door. “Andy?”
There was no answer. He should leave and forget this entirely. But then he pushed the door open, walking to his brother’s desk in the corner.
The inkwell was full. He was just about to pick it up and depart, when he saw a list of some sort, lying in the middle of the desk.
He smiled slightly, peering at it. It was obviously the guest list, for the upcoming ball. His smile widened. If only he had read this before going to visit Ara today. He could have memorised a few names, at least, to appease her mother, and make him sound like he reallywasthe Duke of Lancaster who knew something about his own ball.
His eyes ran down the list. It was the usual crowd, with few deviations. He recognised most of the names, even if he didn’t know them personally.
Suddenly, his heart seized. He stared at the list, not believing his eyes. In the column titledEligible Ladiesthere was a name that he recognised, only too well. A name that was seared into his heart.
Miss Lucy Edge.
A fierce anger overtook him, so fierce that it took all his strength not to grab the list, crumple it, and haul it at the wall.
“Miles? What are you doing?”
He spun around. Andrew was standing there, frowning, looking at him with concern.
Miles picked up the list, waving it at him. “What is the meaning of this?” he hissed. “Why issheon here?”
Andrew’s frown deepened for a moment. “What do you mean, old chap?”
“This.” Miles put the list on the desk, pointing at it. “Clearly, here it is, in black and white.” He took a deep, ragged breath. “Lucy Edge.”
Understanding seemed to dawn on Andrew’s face. “Oh, yes,” he said uncertainly. “She is on there, isn’t she? You know that Briggs did the list for me.” He paused. “I’ve barely looked at it myself…”
Miles’ face tightened. “But how can she be on the list?” he whispered, his eyes glittering. “She is not an eligible young lady. She is married!” Even saying it made his heart twist slightly.
Andrew coughed uncomfortably. “It seems that she isn’t, Miles. Briggs would not have made a mistake like that. Lucy Edge is still single, old chap.” He paused. “I’m sorry.”
Miles could barely think anymore. He started walking out of the room.
