Page 82 of Her Duke By Accident
Matthew stared at the letter again.Tainted virtue.His head shot up. “Penelope,” he whispered.
“Her Grace’s sister?”
“I cannot allow this to transpire,” he said, a fervent rush in his voice that he hadn’t expected. “If this is true, she would ruin her family, and I cannot allow that.”
Miss Ayles scoffed. “Ifit is true?”
“This letter doesn’t sound like the duchess at all, Miss Ayles.”
“They are her words, Your Grace.”
“Then I will have her repeat them to my face,” he snapped, suddenly aware of how close the governess was standing beside him.
She shook her head. “I do not see that to be wise, Your Grace. She knew very well what she felt.”
“Do you understand what this letter means?”
The governess tilted her head innocently at him. “She does not love you.”
Something stung deep within him. “No, Miss Ayles,” he said with a grimace. “It means Her Grace is in a sorrow deep enough to disregard her family’s well-being, as well as her own.” Matthew held the letter up, glancing over its words again before crunching it within his fist. He met the governess’s eyes with a glare. “And I will not let her do such a thing alone.”
“You are too kind, Your Grace,” Miss Ayles said sweetly.
Matthew stared at the crumpled piece of paper. “I am not kind,” he muttered angrily.
“Do not let Her Grace’s words taint you so,” she continued, standing just beside him. Miss Ayles crept closer silently, till she stood directly in front of him, staring up to meet his stare. “She has given you an escape, Your Grace. It has been the only graceful thing she has done since coming to Garvey.”
He avoided her poignant stare. “You are mistaken.”
The governess tilted her head, practically blocking his sight of the letter. A smile slipped its way across her ruby-red lips when she finally grasped his attention. “No, Your Grace,” she whispered. “You have only been swayed by the duchess’s spell.”
“What?”
“Was it not you who accused her of tricking you into a marriage?”
“That was long ago.”
“Who's to say you were wrong?” Miss Ayles asked, still smiling. “I find it curious that one act of selflessness has you wooed, despite how it all began. Don’t you, Your Grace?”
Matthew took a step back. “I find your lack of proper decorum to be curious, Miss Ayles.”
“Forgive me, Your Grace,” she said. “I only felt that you had been robbed of something as precious as matrimony, and today was the proof of it.” She took a few steps to close the gap between them. “I have been here for Lady Lucy, Your Grace. I have been here on the days when you are weighed down by the duties placed upon you as the duke. I know how to help you.”
“I doubt that you do.”
“Do not underestimate me, Your Grace,” she confidently stated. “You could only imagine the wonders I could do… given a change in position.”
“Miss Ayles,” Matthew said, unable to hide the shock, “are you suggesting that Her Grace is not adequately fulfilling her duties as my duchess?”
The governess twisted her arms innocently behind her back, gazing up at him through lowered eyelids. “I can suggest that,” she whispered, “if it pleases you.”
Matthew felt his eyes go wide. “Stop this, Miss Ayles, before my surprise becomes aggravation!”
“I’m on your side, Your Grace,” she said softly.
As his stomach twisted with disgust, Matthew tightened his jaw and began to cross the room to the door. “I’m going to go after the duchess,” he snarled. “And when I come back, we will discuss your future here at Garvey!”
Matthew reached for the door, but it snapped shut in a whirlwind. Suddenly, the governess stood in his way, her arms extended on either side of her. She thoroughly blocked the only exit with a confident composure that struck an impatient nerve within him.
