Page 6 of Her Duke By Accident
The man held her as though she would be contagious. “This is improper, my lady,” he snapped through the disgust.
Alicia turned towards him, feeling the energy fade from her limbs. She swayed again, swallowing down the sickness in her throat. “I said,” she repeated, “I did not need a lesson on propriety.”
The gentleman tried to yank his hand away but to no avail. Her grip was like stone, and she was too far gone to be able to let go of him.
“I—” she breathed before her eyes rolled back, a soft exhale leaving her parted lips.
CHAPTER 3
“Finally,” Matthew muttered with an annoyed look. “Thought you would slumber for the rest of the ball.”
The strange, fainting woman blinked as she came back to reality. She reached up, rubbing her forehead. Matthew held her up with one arm, his other resting at his side rather awkwardly. He kept her from falling onto the library floor, but it was scandalous enough to have even walked into the room. Politeness swayed him from leaving quickly.
“I beg your pardon, sir,” she finally said.
“It’s Your Grace,” he corrected.
She raised her eyebrows at him. “Excuse me?”
“It is notsir,my lady. It isYour Grace.” Matthew straightened and smirked sarcastically, not feeling patient enough forconversation. “Surely your governess taught you how to address a duke?”
The girl’s head shot up in surprise, intense green eyes staring at him. “Pardon me, Your Grace,” she whispered. “I had no idea?—”
“That’s obvious enough,” he interrupted without a moment to lose.
She gaped at him but shut her mouth quickly, meeting the cold stare he threw at her. “I apologize, Your Grace,” she said, “but might you extend your kindness and help me to my feet?”
Matthew eyed her. “Of course,” he said. He glanced at the door. There was a creeping sensation of something lurking around the corner as he loitered in the library with the nameless woman. The best solution was to leave as soon as possible.
Matthew gripped her elbows gently, helped her stand on her feet, and waited till she stopped swaying. She pulled herself away on her own, standing as still as possible.
Satisfied with her ability to stand independently, Matthew stepped away, bowing as he walked backward towards the door. “Thanks to you, at least I can leave Benedict House being thoroughly entertained,” he said. “Good evening, my lady.”
“Entertained?”
“Why yes,” he replied, almost about to open the door, “this is novel enough.”
With a furrowed brow, she frowned at him. “What do you mean by that?”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Matthew replied instead. “I’ll take my leave.”
“I demand you explain yourself, Your Grace!”
His eyebrows raised. “You demand?”
“You sound,” she began, a delicate hand pressed against her stomach, “as if you wish to accuse me of something.”
“Is there something to accuse?”
The girl shook her head as though something rattled within her. “What did you mean by being ‘thoroughly entertained’?”
“My lady,” he began, arms crossed behind his back, “I believe it is your goal to swindle me into overstepping propriety’s bounds until I am caught in your grasp, where you might force me into an advantageous marriage.” Matthew raised his finger. “And let me be clear. It would be advantageous foryourather than forme.”
The girl gaped at him. “How dare you?”
“Do not act so surprised, my lady, of the accusation. Why are you surprised you were discovered?”
“There was nothing to discover!” she shouted. “You know nothing—” the girl began, her voice getting louder. “You—” she caught herself off again, pressing her fingertips against her forehead. She rapidly blinked. “Forgive me,” she mumbled, “for I feel terribly dizzy.”
