Page 37 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
"Lady Fyling," he said firmly, hoping that using her formal title might make her see just how serious he was. "I shall not be bullied into a marriage by the gossipmongers. Nor will I be forced into a match by you or anyone else for that matter."
"James, you must listen to me," she protested, her face paling as though she had begun to sense that her words were truly falling upon deaf ears.
James lifted a hand and cut her off with a shake of her head. "I need not listen to anybody else. I have listened to everyone else for long enough. Now, I am a very busy man, and I would appreciate your leaving so that I might get on with my work."
Lady Fyling opened her mouth, closed it again, and then picked herself up from her chair. She curtseyed low before saying, "I beg you reconsider."
With a huff, James turned his attention down to the papers on his desk and snapped, "Good day, Aunt."
He had had quite enough of everyone. Yet, there was one person on his mind still, the only person he wished to see, and he could barely fight the urge to go to her.
That fight did not last long after his aunt was gone. He reached the door of the Thorntons house not half an hour after his encounter with her.
Knocking, his heart raced at the thought of seeing Miss Thornton’s beautiful, freckled face.
"Your grace," the butler greeted him formally. "Forgive me but was Mr Thornton expecting you?"
"He wasn't," James stated, shaking his head. "I was hoping that I might call upon Miss Thornton."
James thought he saw dismay or even perhaps suspicion flash through the butler's gaze but just as quickly it was gone as he stepped out of the doorway and gestured him inside.
"Please wait a moment while I see if she is accepting callers, Your Grace," the butler announced and somehow, James thought the man far cooler than before. Perhaps he was imagining things or maybe the man had also heard the gossip spreading about town.
I shouldn't be here, he thought even as the butler disappeared.
Presently, he returned, a grim expression on his face, and he shook his head. "Forgive me, Your Grace, but I am afraid Miss Thornton is not accepting visitors right now."
"Is she unwell?" James blurted even though he knew well what was truly wrong. She had heard of what had happened and she was upset with him. Rightly so, he thought, as he could only imagine what she must be thinking after hearing only one side of the story.
"Sir…Mr J…Jenkins, was it?" James asked and when the butler nodded, he added, "If you might return to your mistress and explain to her that I have come here myself to do just that, to tell her what truly happened at the Fyling luncheon, I would be much obliged."
"Your grace," the butler said in a hesitant yet sympathetic tone that made James' skin crawl. "I fear it would do no good."
Teeth gritted with frustration, James conceded. With a bow of his head, he made to leave, only waiting for the butler to open up the door before he flew back down the steps.
It would be best to get away from that house as quickly as possible but with every step he took, he felt as though he was drawing further and further away from her. More than that, he felt as though he was walking away from light and love and everything good that he had ever had in life.
He wanted desperately to turn right around and force his way through the house to her, to demand that she listen to him, but what good would that do? And what kind of message would it send to those who had already spread so much misinformation about him?
After all that had happened, all he had already put Miss Thornton through, he would not have her name dragged through the mud all over again.
Chapter 18
For two days and two nights, Melody moped about in her room. She was sickened at the thought that the duke had the audacity to arrive on her doorstep just a day after Lady Fyling luncheon. Yet, she was even more nauseous at the fact she had had him turned away.
Though her mother insisted she come out, especially as her father was still home for a short while, she made up excuse after excuse.
It was only news of a new visitor, one who had never before set foot beneath their roof, that made Melody stray from her room on the third morning after having heard the news.
Finding Lady Florence awaiting her in the drawing room, her hands placed calmly upon her lap, Melody had to give a double take to be certain she wasn't seeing things. Even when her maid had come to her to announce the fact, she had asked the woman to repeat herself several times.
"Lady Florence," she said in greeting, forcing a smile onto her face as she entered the room. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh, come, cousin!" Lady Florence said, swishing across the room in a flurry or pale pink silk. Melody's eyes almost bulged out of her head when Lady Florence grabbed her and pulled her into a familial embrace.
She even pinched herself, though when she realised she was not dreaming, she desperately wished she had been, as this was nothing but a nightmare.
"This family feud has been going on for long enough," Lady Florence said when she pulled back to hold Melody at arm's length. "Don't you think?"
