Page 10 of Taming a Beastly Duke
“Good morning, Miss Barret,” she said with a sweet smile. “I hope you slept well.”
Adelaide blinked, surprised as that was an inquiry typically made by the host of the home. However, a glance at the duke’s sour expression told her that there would be no such courtesy from him.
“Yes, thank you,” Adelaide said, looking at her aunt. Lady Edith was kind enough. But she was still too flustered, both from the novelty of their new living arrangements and her encounter with the duke the previous evening, to feel at ease engaging in trivial conversation for any length of time.
Helena gave her a gentle nod, smiling brightly at the young lady beside her niece.
“Our chambers are lovely,” she said. “I just adore the colours of the drapes and the upholstery.”
Adelaide suppressed a chuckle with a bite of toast. If her chambers were any indication, that meant her aunt was referring to the pale-colored window curtains and matching carpet and chair upholstery. It was as if those rooms had been designed to be as bland and uninteresting as possible. Still, her aunt was right about one thing. They were comfortable enough, and they allowed her a restful sleep. Once her mind had settled into a measure of tranquility, that was.
The older women immediately began conversing about the beautiful weather visible outside the windows. Lady Edith went back to eating her meal in silence, seeming as uncertain about Adelaide as Adelaide was about her. The food selection was wonderful, including eggs, kippers and preserves, but her appetite was subdued more each time she glanced at the duke.
He was no longer looking at her with a heat she believed might compare to that in the eyes of a starved beast. Rather, she noticed as she watched him through her lashes that when he thought no one was looking, there was something visibly vulnerable in his eyes. His napkin also trembled in his hand when he raised it to dab at a line of sweat on his forehead. He, too, seemed rather distracted, something which she might not have noticed, had he not started subtly when Miss Potter approached with a polite smile to pour his tea.
“That is enough,” the duke said, indicating that the maid should stop pouring.
The maid frowned, giving her master an inquisitive look.
“Are you certain, Your Grace?” she asked, holding the teapot so that it continued a slow trickle into the glass. Her smile was warm enough, but there was something strange in her eyes, as though disappointed and frustrated with her master’s request.
“That is enough, Miss Potter,” he growled.
The maid understandably recoiled from her irritable master. But for just a moment, Adelaide thought she looked amused, rather than fearful. When she spoke, however, Adelaide realized she must have been imagining the expression.
“Forgive me, Your Grace,” she said. “As you command.”
The Duke grumbled, looking pointedly up at the maid. Adelaide thought she saw wariness as he glanced at her. Just as with Miss Potter’s strange expression, it was gone when she blinked. Was she going mad, imagining false emotions on the faces of the people whom she had just met? Had the strain of her scandal and the sudden relocation to Bath caused her to begin hallucinating?
“With all of us present, I would like to make a formal announcement,” the dowager said, dominating the conversation and gaining the attention of everyone at the table. “Well, it is more of an invitation. I am hosting a ball here in the next few days, and I hope that all of you will attend.”
Adelaide’s stomach dropped, even as her aunt smiled encouragingly at her. A ball was the last thing she needed to attend, particularly knowing that if her scandal had not yet reached Bath, it surely would begin to trickle in from London soon. She understood that the Duke and Dowager Duchess of Lochville must have known about the situation that brought her and her aunt seeking sanctuary at their home. But even if they did, she could not imagine that they would wish to hear about it all over again from guests from their own ball. She did not want to be the reason that the Lockhart family endured scandalous rumors of their own.
“No,” the Duke said, slamming down his cup onto its saucer, causing a nearby footman to jump and recoil. The contents of the cup splashed into the small plate and onto the table behind it, but he kept his gaze fixed on his grandmother. “I shall not have any involvement in hosting any ball. Or any party, for that matter.”
Augusta Lockhart gave her grandson a fond glance, shaking her head gently as she turned back to her granddaughter and guests.
“As I was saying, it will be in just a few days, and my colour selection is green and gold,” she said. “I am planning the refreshment menu as we speak, and I am happy to consider any requests that any of you have.”
Adelaide marveled at how serene the dowager’s smile remained, despite the growing agitation from the duke.
“Grandmother, we have no business hosting a party,” he snarled. “We already have house guests. That will be more than enough entertainment for you.”
The dowager duchess continued to smile as she looked at her eldest grandson.
“I would like you to accompany us, Marcus,” she said.
The duke’s jaw clenched visibly, and Adelaide saw the muscles twitching. It drew Adelaide’s attention to the strong line of his face, now more visible in the morning light and sending another rush of inappropriate flutters through her lower stomach. She pressed a closed fist firmly into her lap, discovering that it elicited a similar sensation to that which she had experienced when pressing below her abdomen the previous evening. Her cheeks flushed with warmth, yet she remained steadfast in her resolve, not shifting her hand. Instead, she looked at the duke again, who was studying her with both a fierce scowl and a ravenous stare.
“Adelaide, darling?” the dowager duchess said brightly, and loudly enough to startle Adelaide. “Would you like to accompany your aunt, Edith, Marcus and me to Madame Laurent’s?”
Adelaide’s complexion paled, the passionate energy between the duke and herself cooling instantly.
“Oh, please come with us,” Edith whispered, taking Adelaide’s hand and looking at her hopefully. “Nobody will say anything with me by your side. I will simply not allow it.”
Adelaide’s cheeks flushed at the young woman’s warmth and kindness. And although she was apprehensive about such an excursion, she could not bring herself to reject such an affectionate gesture.
“That sounds lovely,” she lied. “I would be delighted to go.”
