Page 16 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
“You will be the first person I ask,” he assured her, knowing that would never be the case. Lord Grayhill, fiercely independent, stubborn to a fault, and not deserving of the kindness that his sisters or anyone else wished to show him, would rather swallow all his agony than cause his sisters one moment of panic or alarm.
That was his lot in life, and Daniel had long since accepted it. He just wished that everyone else would too.
Daniel arrived back at his manor a few hours later. It was freezing cold, and he cursed himself for not taking a carriage – for some reason, he decided on a horse, which had his entire body shivering despite the layers he wore. All he wanted was to get himself inside by the fire, to relax with a glass of whiskey, to put those thoughts which plagued him from his mind and start the evening afresh.
Unfortunately, the sight which greeted him as he steered his horse down the frozen drive was as bizarre as it was infuriating.
There was a small white and brown terrier on his doorstep. What was more, it urinated on his front door! It saw him coming too and was happy to watch as it cocked its leg and began to drizzle on the wood.
Why, if Daniel did not know any better, he might have sworn the mutt smiled at him.
“No!” Daniel leapt from his horse and strode across the drive, very nearly slipping on the ice. “Stop that!” he cried as he hurried up the steps.
The terrier took its time, giving its leg a good shake and not at all put out by Daniel charging its way.
“What are you –” Daniel reached the terrier and snatched it, grabbing the dog around the waist and lifting it from the stoop. “Oh… wonderful!” he groaned, noting the hot urine staining the door. “That is just…” He groaned. “Perfect.”
The dog stuck its tongue out happily, completely at ease with itself.
“Pickle!” a voice then cried from somewhere in the distance. “Pickle!”
That shout caused the little dog to squirm.
“What are you –” Daniel tried to hold it steady, but it kicked and bucked its head and then it bit him right on the hand. “Argh!”he yelped, dropping the dog which sprung up immediately and bound down the steps.
“Pickle!” The voice was closer now, and Daniel nursed his bitten hand as he watched it scamper up the drive and right into the arms of none other than Lady Alison. “Pickle!” She dropped to her knees and scooped the dog toward her chest. “Where did you get off to?”
Daniel watched the scene unfold with his mouth hanging open. What were the odds! All he wanted was to avoid Lady Alison, but fate had intervened as if it had a vendetta against him.
Although that seemed unlikely. The more logical explanation was that she was still annoyed with him, and this right here was some sort of revenge.
“Excuse me!” Daniel stormed down the stairs. “Does that mutt belong to you?”
She looked up, only just now seeing Daniel. “This mutt has a name.”
“A ridiculous name,” he snapped as he came for her. “But that is not nearly as ridiculous as the treat it left on my front door.” He turned and pointed at the urine stain.
“Oh…” She blinked in surprise as she looked from the door to her puppy. “Well, it is as they say: when one has to go, one has to go.”
“One can go anywhere they wish, so long as one does not go on my front door.”
“He did not mean it, I assure you.”
“I am sure he did not, which is why I hesitate to blame the mutt.”
“His name is Pickle.”
“His name might be St. Nick for all I care. The actions of a pet reflect on the owner, and in this case, I wonder why I am the least bit surprised. Perhaps I should be glad it was just urine and not something far more…” He scoffed. “Permanent.”
“Don’t speak too soon,” she said smugly, all the while scratching the dog under the ears. “Pickle is rather territorial and now that he has found a new bathroom, I wonder if you might receive an early Christmas present this year.”
It was only just now that Daniel realized what he was doing.
So annoyed had he been that he did not stop to consider the implications of confronting Lady Alison. What he should have done was simply left the situation as it was and gone inside. What he should have done was put as much distance between himself and Lady Alison as was possible.
Ah well… I suppose it is too late now.
She was dressed in a heavy winter coat with a scarf around her neck. But her face was exposed, and the chill of winter had her cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes were too big for her face and piercing blue. Soft features, a short nose, and messy brown hair completed her looks. But she was defiant and fierce as she faced him down, stubborn in ways that made his self-control wane beyond belief.
