Read Online Accidentally Compromising the Duke by Stacy Reid - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stacy Reid
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cannot imagine my life with a man I have no knowledge of, one who has said I should not entertain the notion of future love between us. One who looks at me with nothing but emptiness in his eyes? I see no admiration…only a resolve to be honorable. We are ill-suited.”
Evie gasped and sympathy filled her eyes. “I sincerely sympathize with your distress, and I am so very sorry,” she whispered.
So am I.
It took a lot of courage and ingenuity on Adel’s part to enter the orangery unseen. It was barely eight in the morning, but several guests were already up. She was grateful most were still abed, no doubt tired from the late night’s entertainment. Adel colored, remembering how she had added to their amusement.
She pushed open the glass door and espied Mr. Atwood in the far left corner. Her heart soared. Surely it was a good omen he had made the effort to meet with her. At the sound of her footsteps he spun to face her, and Adel was distressed to realize the exhilaration she normally felt at seeing him was decidedly absent. Images of the duke’s cold mien filtered through her thoughts, and she gritted her teeth until they ached. “Mr. Atwood, I am so relieved you were able to slip away. Thank you.”
He nodded stiffly, his normally smiling face stern with disapproval.
Her heart sank. “I am not sure if you’ve heard—”
“I did!” he snapped. “And I will be made to be a laughingstock for it was known I courted you.”
“Mr. Atwood, I—”
“It is on everyone’s tongue how you compromised the duke. I must admire you for setting your cap so high.”
A pang shot ’s heart. Surely he didn’t believe her capable of such wanton social climbing. “I most certainly did not. I thought I was slipping into your room, Mr. Atwood,” she said honestly. She had thought such a confession would have soothed him, but instead he stiffened.
“Did he take your virtue?”
She blushed. “ Nothing happened .”
The smoky taste of lips flavored with the hint of brandy, the feel of his throbbing heat…had been incredible, but instead she focused on what she would lose today. Mr. Atwood’s face was becoming more mottled, and disappointment was settling into her stomach. Every instinct was shouting that if Mr. Atwood truly had genuine feelings for her, he would have acted upon them, and they would now be making plans on how to weather society’s scorn. “I could not have been in His Grace’s chamber for more than a few minutes before Lady Gladstone entered.” Adel was still unsure of how long she had actually been in the chamber. The sherry had muddled her thoughts more than she realized.
“A few minutes are all it takes,” Mr. Atwood growled in obvious agitation. “To think of that mad bloody scoundrel touching you, kissing your fair lips is enough to make me want to call him out.”
Mad bloody scoundrel?
Her heart lurched. “Don’t be silly. His Grace is innocent in all of this. Everyone seems to be forgetting I thought it was your room. Don’t you see, Mr. Atwood? I thought if we were caught in a compromising position, father would make us wed.” She took a deep breath. “There is no avoiding all that has happened, but the question is, do you still wish to marry me?”
A sharp pang of loss cut deep into her heart. If she were to marry James, the chaotic need the duke had aroused in her body would never be experienced. She angrily pushed such thoughts aside. She had already betrayed James with her body’s reaction to the man; she would not do so with her thoughts.
He froze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he seemingly struggled to swallow. “We cannot, Adel, I—” He thrust fingers through his hair in obvious frustration.
She firmed her lips to prevent their trembling. “I see. I never realized society’s opinion was so very important to you. You were so eager to wed me, and Papa was so against our union, I thought if the countess knew I had been alone in your room even for a second, she
Evie gasped and sympathy filled her eyes. “I sincerely sympathize with your distress, and I am so very sorry,” she whispered.
So am I.
It took a lot of courage and ingenuity on Adel’s part to enter the orangery unseen. It was barely eight in the morning, but several guests were already up. She was grateful most were still abed, no doubt tired from the late night’s entertainment. Adel colored, remembering how she had added to their amusement.
She pushed open the glass door and espied Mr. Atwood in the far left corner. Her heart soared. Surely it was a good omen he had made the effort to meet with her. At the sound of her footsteps he spun to face her, and Adel was distressed to realize the exhilaration she normally felt at seeing him was decidedly absent. Images of the duke’s cold mien filtered through her thoughts, and she gritted her teeth until they ached. “Mr. Atwood, I am so relieved you were able to slip away. Thank you.”
He nodded stiffly, his normally smiling face stern with disapproval.
Her heart sank. “I am not sure if you’ve heard—”
“I did!” he snapped. “And I will be made to be a laughingstock for it was known I courted you.”
“Mr. Atwood, I—”
“It is on everyone’s tongue how you compromised the duke. I must admire you for setting your cap so high.”
A pang shot ’s heart. Surely he didn’t believe her capable of such wanton social climbing. “I most certainly did not. I thought I was slipping into your room, Mr. Atwood,” she said honestly. She had thought such a confession would have soothed him, but instead he stiffened.
“Did he take your virtue?”
She blushed. “ Nothing happened .”
The smoky taste of lips flavored with the hint of brandy, the feel of his throbbing heat…had been incredible, but instead she focused on what she would lose today. Mr. Atwood’s face was becoming more mottled, and disappointment was settling into her stomach. Every instinct was shouting that if Mr. Atwood truly had genuine feelings for her, he would have acted upon them, and they would now be making plans on how to weather society’s scorn. “I could not have been in His Grace’s chamber for more than a few minutes before Lady Gladstone entered.” Adel was still unsure of how long she had actually been in the chamber. The sherry had muddled her thoughts more than she realized.
“A few minutes are all it takes,” Mr. Atwood growled in obvious agitation. “To think of that mad bloody scoundrel touching you, kissing your fair lips is enough to make me want to call him out.”
Mad bloody scoundrel?
Her heart lurched. “Don’t be silly. His Grace is innocent in all of this. Everyone seems to be forgetting I thought it was your room. Don’t you see, Mr. Atwood? I thought if we were caught in a compromising position, father would make us wed.” She took a deep breath. “There is no avoiding all that has happened, but the question is, do you still wish to marry me?”
A sharp pang of loss cut deep into her heart. If she were to marry James, the chaotic need the duke had aroused in her body would never be experienced. She angrily pushed such thoughts aside. She had already betrayed James with her body’s reaction to the man; she would not do so with her thoughts.
He froze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he seemingly struggled to swallow. “We cannot, Adel, I—” He thrust fingers through his hair in obvious frustration.
She firmed her lips to prevent their trembling. “I see. I never realized society’s opinion was so very important to you. You were so eager to wed me, and Papa was so against our union, I thought if the countess knew I had been alone in your room even for a second, she
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