Page 89 of Stolen By the Duke of Ice
With expectant faces the twins and Chastity listened as Dahlia read the lines of her story. Helena, who leaned against Dahlia’s bedpost, smiled, obviously happy that her friend had gotten over her difficulties in the story and in her characters.
Everyone was quiet, their full attention on Dahlia’s reading. Only when she had read the entire chapter did the others speak again.
“Oh, I quite enjoyed that chapter!” Claire exclaimed. “I would never have thought that the Duke of Snowdon would marry! But look at him now!”
“And the detectives are in league with him. Finally!” Mary added.
Dahlia smiled appreciatively at their positive words. She had rewritten the chapter so many times that she had despaired of ever finishing it, but she finally had and was now gratified that it garnered such reactions.
“Dahlia.” Chastity frowned. “The Duke of Snowdon sounds awfully familiar.”
“Whatever can you mean, Chastity?” Dahlia swallowed.
“Well, he really reminds me of the Duke.”
“That’s because heisthe Duke, silly!”
Dahlia pretended to misunderstand her. Deciding it safer to change the subject, she continued, “Who would like some refreshments? I shall ring for tea.” She stood up, but Chastity was not to be deterred.
“No, I mean the Duke of Icedale, your husband. Now that I think about it, the way he speaks certainly reminds me of His Grace.”
Dahlia shot Helena a look of help.
“Even his words during the sledding scene are very similar to His Grace’s yesterday whenwe, ourselves, went sledding!” Chastity continued. “The way he had scolded us for not wearing our complete snow wear and how he ordered us to put them on or else the activity would need to stop.”
“That was just a coincidence! Sledding is a very common activity you know.” Dahlia stood up from her chair and put her book away lest Chastity asked to read it again.
“A coincidence?” Chastity asked, unconvinced.
Dahlia had forgotten how persistent Chastity could get when she was convinced that she was right.
Like a dog with a bone.
“Well, I do base some of my scenes from real life happenings, you know. I must get inspiration somewhere!”
“So, you admit that your inspiration for the Duke of Snowdon is your husband?”
Evading Mary and Claire’s questioning looks, Dahlia went to the bell pull and rang for Biddy. When she turned to her friend again, they all looked expectantly at her, waiting for her answer. Helena, she noticed, looked apologetic.
Dahlia took a deep breath.
“Of course, Peter is not the Duke of Snowdown! For one thing, he is so much more than the character. He is–he is more complex and not nearly as brooding. As a matter of fact, Peter can be quite a thoughtful and caring person.”
“I’m not so sure,” Chastity replied. “He still seems like the same person to me.”
“How you do go on, Chastity,” Helena said berating her sister. “Come, let us go back to our chambers; we must get dressed for dinner.”
The younger sister shrugged her shoulders and stood up as she followed Helena out. Mary and Claire looked at Dahlia thoughtfully.
Claire was about to say something when Biddy entered the room.
“We—we shall see you at dinner, Dahlia,” Mary said instead.
Dahlia smiled at them in reply.
“Shall I ring for tea, Your Grace?”
“No, thank you, Biddy.” She moved to the window and looked out. Turning to Biddy again, she continued, “Actually, I would like to rest for a while before I prepare for dinner. Would you mind coming back again later, dear Biddy?”
