Page 29 of An Accidental Bride for the Duke
Yet,it feels good, truth be told, but that itself is a problem…
One he would deal with later because for now all he cared about was that Iris would feel better. The good girl that she was, she deserved nothing less.
Chapter Ten
“Mr. Tibbitt, might I ask you a question?” Iris began as she spread marmalade across her toast; she liked it spready thickly, smothering every inch of toast that she could.
“Of course, Your Grace.”
“How far from here is the local village?”
“Oh…” Mr. Tibbitt blinked. “Not far, Your Grace. Just half a mile down the main road.”
“Wonderful.” She picked up the piece of toast and prepared to take a bite. “I might wander that way once I am finished here.” She nodded once at the decision and moved the toast to her mouth, only to pause when she saw the Head of Staff grimace. “Is something the matter?”
“You mean to head into the village?”
“I do.”
“Alone?”
She laughed. “I think it will be perfectly fine, Mr. Tibbitt. This is Philip’s duchy, is it not. And they are his tenants. What could possibly go wrong. Besides, I would very much like to meet some of them. It is right that I do.”
“It is not that, Your Grace.” Mr. Tibbitt was fidgeting nervously with his hands. “There is no danger, per se.”
“And yet you are behaving as if I asked to go swimming with sharks.”
He chuckled awkwardly. “The truth of the matter is that His Grace expressly asked that I warn you off heading to the village. In fact, the implication was that he forbade it.”
She scoffed. “Did he now?”
“He did, Your Grace.”
“And when did the two of you have this conversation?”
“The evening that you arrived, Your Grace,” Mr. Tibbitt told her. “He was quite adamant about the fact.”
She laughed and shook her head, not in the least bit surprised. “Where I have no doubt that His Grace said such things, I am inclined to believe that much has changed since then.”
“But, Your Grace?—”
“This is not a conversation, Mr. Tibbitt.” She raised an eyebrow at him and laughed to see him so stricken with panic. “I am doing this, and there is nothing you can say to stop me. And despite your reservations, I am certain that Philip will not mind nearly as much as you seem to think.” She smiled at that. “Not anymore.”
“As you say, Your Grace…”
Iris was not at all surprised by Mr. Tibbitt’s warning, just as she was not surprised to hear when it had been given. Four days ago, when Iris had still been a stranger in this house, the duke as much of one to her, had been rather strict concerning what she could and could not do.
Granted, she still would have done as she planned, even if she thought it would upset Philip.As I made perfectly clear the last time, this is my home and I am to treat it as such.
However, she also didn’t think it would be a problem, and that Mr. Tibbitt’s reservations were somewhat outdated. Four days ago, such things were perfectly predictable. Now they were a thing of the past and not worth the worry.
Oh, how quickly things had changed.
What had happened between Iris and Philip that morning in her bedroom was indeed the catalyst. A most unexpected moment that Iris had convinced herself she did not want until it was upon her. Even now, four days later, and rarely did an hour pass where her mind did not go back to what she and the duke had done. How he had tempted her, teased her… and punished her because of it.
There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted it to happen again. But not just the kiss. She wanted more. She could not stop thinking about how he had called her a bad girl, the threat of punishment, and she wondered just how far he was willing to go…
Her sickness had drawn the duke to her bedroom the following morning, and that had changed everything. Perhaps the previous day was the spark but her illness was the match, and it had lit between them a mode of companionship that Iris was still wrapping her head around.
