Page 39 of How to Seduce a Duke this Autumn
A rustle.
She jerked upright. The orangery was hers alone—no one ventured here unless she was here, which meant someone entered while she was away. She twisted toward the sound, calling. “Who’s there?”
For a moment, there was only silence. Then, another shuffle, the faintest scuff of a shoe against the floor. A shadow moved between the leaves. Charlene rose swiftly, snatching up a small garden trowel as if it could be used as a weapon, absurd as the thought was. Who would break into an orangery!
Then, a head popped out from between two large potted ferns, dark curls tumbling into view. “Oh, you’re here,” Maddie said, blinking as if she weren’t the one caught somewhere she shouldn’t be.
Charlene dropped her trowel with a huff. “Maddie? What are you doing here?”
Maddie stepped fully into view, brushing soil from her hands. “Looking for some herbs for my medicine.”
She crossed her arms. “In my raised beds? Shouldn’t you go forage in the park or something?”
Maddie smiled, entirely unrepentant. “Yes. You never know what gems you might find.” She gestured around as if she had full claim to the space. “Also, you let me plant some here.”
She did? Well, she probably did.
Charlene sighed, pressing her fingers against her temple. “You nearly gave me a fright.”
Maddie studied her for a moment, tilting her head. “Were you lost in thought?” A pause. “Why do you look like that?”
Charlene stiffened. “Like what?”
“Like you’ve just crawled from the barracks of trade ships,” Maddie said, arching a brow. “Or lost some great battle, perhaps?”
Charlene scoffed. However, thinking back—which she refused to do!—she did do some crawling. At least, a near form of it. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Maddie stepped closer, peering at Charlene as though she were inspecting a wilting plant. “I don’t think so. You look positively wrecked.”
Charlene turned away, fussing with a nearby sprig of lavender. “I do not.” And what’s with that word wrecked? Did she look wrecked? Well, her thoughts, if she were to admit, might be a bit wrecked. Urgh.
She was not wrecked!
“You do,” Maddie countered. “And since I know you haven’t been dueling in the garden—unless you have?—that leaves only one possible explanation.”
Charlene refused to take the bait. “I daresay there are a thousand different explanations?”
Maddie grinned. “A man.”
Charlene’s hands froze mid-motion. Maddie let out a delighted gasp. “It is a man! Oh, how thrilling! There can only be—”
“No one,” Charlene cut in swiftly. No. One. To admit to her friend she’d been frolicking in the park would be like admitting her worst failure, would it not? She plopped back down into the chair.
Maddie hummed, entirely unconvinced. “No one, you say. And yet, here you are, looking as if you’ve been emotionally trampled.” She leaned in. “It wouldn’t happen to be a certain Cross brother?”
Charlene shot her a glare. “Please don’t say his name.”
“Well, according to the M-Press this morning, the twins may be reunited after all.” Maddie bent down and inspected some plants. “Is this digitalis?”
But Charlene couldn’t focus on the seedlings. “What do you mean the twins reunited?”
“Oh, you know those gossip columns. One day they say David Cross is back and then they say he’s gone forever.” Maddie waved in the air.
“Oh, David,” Charlene said, curling her lip in disgust. “But Adam is… Adam is…”
Maddie’s grin widened. “So, it is the duke. Finally, you admit it?”
Charlene groaned, rubbing her hands over her face. “Don’t you have herbs to forage?”
