Page 14 of The Duke and the Widow
“I have my moments,” she said, teasing him.
His brow relaxed, and he smirked at her. “That you do.”
Shifting the conversation back to his brothers, since that was a far safer topic of conversation and might keep him from looking at her in ways that continued to make her thighs damp, she spoke again. “I assume you informed them of where to find you.”
“I wrote to the school and to the boys before I departed and informed my household to ensure any correspondence was delivered to me immediately.” His brow furrowed again, but he shook it off. “I know they will be all right. But I have cared for them since they were but seven years old.”
Pain marred his expression for a fleeting moment before he schooled his features.
She opened her mouth to speak, to ask him about his parents, but Lord Duncan, a viscount who had been paying extra attention to Lady Juliet—not that she appeared to accept his suit—took the seat on the other side of His Grace and engaged him in conversation.
Rosina focused on her breakfast and ignored the gentlemen’s conversation. She couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of curiosity about what had happened to the duke’s parents. The whole of society did not know the details about their deaths, and she only heard whispers indicating injuries of some kind. The duke appeared to harbor a lot of responsibility for his brothers, which was admirable. It left her wondering why he didn’t wish to wed.
She pushed aside the thoughts and questions. It was of no matter to her why he didn’t wish to wed. He had his reasons, and they were of no import to her. She only wanted him for the pleasure they could experience together, and the rest of it was his business.
Once breakfast was finished, she made her way out to the stables with the duke fast on her heels. She knew he was behind her since his intoxicating scent of sandalwood was just as strong as it had been from where he sat beside her at the table.
Not glancing back, she continued on her way until she was outside. He fell into step beside her as they approached the stables. Once they arrived, a groom set off to saddle a horse for each of them and Rosina placed her riding bonnet on her head and secured the sash beneath her chin.
The groom positioned her horse by the mounting block, but the duke gripped her hips and lifted her into the saddle. When he removed his hands from her, she instantly felt the loss of his touch. She caught his gaze where he stood below her, her chest rising and falling as their eyes held.
The sound of other guests approaching reminded her of where she was, and she grabbed the reins and better positioned herself in the saddle. The duke mounted the horse beside her, and they sat in silence as if neither were quite sure what to say to each other.
A quarter hour later, the rest of the guests had joined and had all mounted their horses for the riding party. Their hosts led the way, and the group paired off in smaller groups, following behind. She half expected the duke to trot off and seek the company of a gentleman in attendance, but he trotted beside her, their horses falling into the same pace.
She glanced at the other guests and noted that Miss Stone had paired off with Lord Percy. She spoke up at him through her lashes and seemed to have decided that her efforts would be futile with the duke. Something about that realization made Rosina grin.
“Should you be seen spending so much time with me, Duke? I am quite scandalous, if you didn’t know.” Her tone was one of jest, but it was true that he had already spent a lot of time in her company.
“It’s one of my favorite qualities about you,” he teased. He glanced over his shoulder and then continued. “Besides, I am a duke. I shall threaten anyone who wags their tongue with the cut direct.”
She gave him a sideways glance. “I wondered how long it would take for you to embrace your role as the not-to-be-crossed duke.”
“Might as well use it to my advantage.” The mirth in his tone had returned, which was in stark contrast to the threat the man had just made.
They rode together in silence for several moments. Rosina noticed the clouds in the sky, and that one looked almost like an elephant. She laughed to herself and then a wave of emotion washed over her and tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Trying to avoid the duke seeing her, she glanced away and attempted to wipe her eyes.
“Is something the matter?”
No such luck.
“It’s nothing.” Her voice caught on the last syllable as much as she tried to fight it. She drew a deep breath and regained control of herself.
“Rosina,” he said, his tone softer than she’d ever heard him. The tenderness threatened the hold she had on her memories and her tears.
She shook her head and focused her gaze forward.
“Something has upset you. Please tell me what it is. Just because our arrangement is one of a physical nature doesn’t mean we can’t speak as friends.”
“It’s nothing you wish to hear, Your Grace.”
“Allow me to be the judge of that,” he urged.
She sighed a deep exhale. “See that cloud just there?” she asked, pointing to the sky.
He glanced in the direction where she pointed. “The one that looks like an elephant?”
Her heart panged, and she swallowed hard. “My husband used to see shapes in all the clouds. He’d point them out to me when we rode together. Sometimes I swore he just made up something ridiculous, and other ones, like that one there, were more obvious.”
