Page 35 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
“Your Grace, you and I both know that this would be easier on the both of us if you would just agree to what everyone else already wishes,” Lady Florence said. “You need not worry. You can have whatever you wish…”
With a dreamy look in her eye, Lady Florence pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and in a flash, she had pressed her lips to his.
Instinctively, James grabbed hold of her hips, meaning to push her away. Anger at how forceful she was being caused him to grip her tight and it was only when he heard the footsteps coming towards them, he did not need to hear the gasps of shock to know what came next.
“Your Grace!”
The exclamation of a nobleman was bad enough but when Lady Florence pulled away and James’ eyes flew open, he was disgusted to see the four people standing in the entrance to the centre of the maze.
Two women and two men, all of them flabbergasted. And further behind them still, James caught sight of Lady Florence’s maid, her head bowed and her face pale yet flushed with guilt.
“Your Grace, how dare you lay hands upon me?” Lady Florence yelled so loud that it was impossible for her words to be mistaken for anything else. She pulled back so suddenly that James almost stumbled with his rigidity.
He watched with dismay as Lady Florence grabbed the shoulder of her gown and made to pull it back up, covering herself as though she was terrified someone might steal her modesty.
“This is not as it seems!” James blurted, holding up his hands but the moment the words left his lips, he knew that he was done for.
Chapter 16
The way that Petunia burst into Melody’s bedroom told her all she needed to know about her friend’s visit. There was some gossip all over town that Petunia simply could not wait to tell.
Having just risen from her bed, still in her chemise and robe awaiting a maid to come and help her dress, Melody glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece across the room. It was not nearly late enough that she could say she had overslept, and she thought that her friend had to have been up at the crack of dawn to be dressed and over so early.
As if she saw the shock upon Melody’s face, Petunia said, “Jenkins let me up. I could not wait in the drawing room for you!”
Clicking the door closed behind her, Petunia hurried across the room, grabbed hold of Melody’s hands, and yanked her onto the bed with her.
“I have such shocking news!”
Melody rolled her eyes at her friend. All news was shocking news where Petunia was concerned. Neither of them lived very exciting lives. “What is it?”
There was something about the way her friend squeezed her hands, something about just how excited she was, that somehow unnerved Melody.
“There was an incident at Lady Fyling’s luncheon yesterday,” Petunia announced, and she looked ready to burst as she added, “It involved your friend, The Duke of Haston.”
“The duke? He…he isn’t my friend!” Melody blurted a little too quickly. Perhaps if her friend hadn’t been so intent upon the news she had to share, she might have been more suspicious about Melody’s reaction. Or maybe Melody was overthinking things due to the fact she could only think of what had happened in the gardens a few days earlier upon hearing mention of his name.
Hurrying to hide her reaction before her friend could think on it, she added, “Well then, tell me what happened?”
“Oh, Melody, it’s a scandal!” Petunia laughed. Melody’s heart skipped a beat. “A proper scandal!”
Nausea threatened to overwhelm Melody. She knew all too well what it felt like to be on the wrong end of a scandal.
“What is it is, I’m sure…” she began, meaning to suggest that The Duke of Haston could not possibly be deserving of whatever it was that was being said about him, yet something stopped her. She felt as though she should at least hear what it was before defending him too strongly. Even with her friend, she was always wary of being judged.
“He was caught kissing Lady Florence Thornton!”
Melody’s heart stopped. For a second she imagined she might have misheard. She had to have. It couldn’t possibly be true.
“Florence?”
“Yes!” Petunia insisted, nodding eagerly. “And they say if he knows what is good for him there shall soon be wedding bells!”
The pain that lanced through Melody’s heart then was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It was so painful in fact that she barely managed to stop from clutching at her chest.
“Did…did he force himself on her?” Melody asked, unable to stop from remembering how he had done just that to her in the gardens just a few days earlier. She remembered the words that had spilled from his lips and how he had all but professed his love for her.
How could I have believed a word that came out of his mouth?She wondered, thinking on his own admittance that he had wished only to cause trouble when they had first danced together.
