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Authors: Margaret Moore
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his form and figure!
How could she be so foolish, after all that had happened? “Your Grace, you should not—”
“Yes, I should,” he said firmly as he dismounted. He looked at her again, and she saw the determined resolution in his hazel eyes. “And I assure you, madam, this time I shall not leave until you have answered my questions.”
“This is my property, Your Grace, and you are trespassing upon it.”
He smiled slowly, knowingly, in a way that made her pulse quicken even more.
She must be strong! She must not let him linger!
“It was my understanding that the property went to your daughter upon your husband’s death. Shall I ask Jocelyn if I may stay?”
“No!” she snapped, inwardly cursing Eloise’sgossiping tongue. She should have guessed that what was already known about her business would go from Eloise’s lips to Galen’s ear. “Bring your horse and come with me.”
He nodded his acquiescence, so with brisk, determined steps, she led him around the side of the house farthest from the kitchen to the small carriage house at the back of the yard. She shoved open the heavy, creaking door, hoping no one in the kitchen could hear.
Inside, light streamed through the dusty windows and motes danced about like so many little bits of fairy dust. Although it had not been used since Daniel’s death, it still smelled of hay and horse.
Despite her annoyance and trepidation, when the duke entered and she closed the door behind him, she felt as if she were shutting out a world full of gossiping busybodies who would never understand what might compel a young woman to forget about duty and honor for a night of passion in the Duke of Deighton’s arms.
As she continued to watch him while he stabled his horse, she thought perhaps some women might.
Indeed, if half the stories Eloise had told her were true, several woman had been similarly tempted.
It did not comfort Verity to think that she had anything in common with the duke’s many lovers,and she would not allow herself to be tempted by him again, not even here.
Where they were alone.
He glanced at her as he tied his black stallion in the stall. “Not quite the place I would choose for this conversation, but it will have to do, I fear.”
“It must do. Nobody in Jefford knows that I’ve ever met you.”
He regarded her with calm equanimity. “All you need say is that we became acquainted at my cousin’s.”
Verity clasped her hands together so tightly her knuckles whitened. “Your Grace, I must again ask you to leave.”
His lips jerked up in a little smile. “What, no bogus offers to meet again at a later date?” His gaze roved over the unused building, hesitating a moment on the closed door. “A perfect place for a clandestine rendezvous, if rather dusty.”
“This is not a clandestine rendezvous!”
“More’s the pity.”
She pursed her lips. “This may be amusing to you, Your Grace, but I assure you a visit from you may have serious repercussions for me if it becomes known.”
His expression unexpectedly softened. “I know all about gossip. That is why I came through your charming wood nearly the whole way.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Verity snapped asshe crossed her arms over her chest, commanding herself not to be moved by the change in his manner.
He should not have invited himself here, he should not be alone with her, and he should not look so…so kind.
“However, I was not about to come to the back of the house like a peddler or beggar.”
He moved to block the only exit. “I also will not leave here and I won’t let you run away until you answer my questions,” he reiterated firmly. “The first thing I must know is, is Jocelyn my daughter?”
As the Duke of Deighton stood before her, his whole body braced as if expecting a blow, Verity saw the fierce determination in his hazel eyes. If that had been all she saw, she might have lied to him.
Yet there was more, a pleading, anxious look, a vulnerability
How could she be so foolish, after all that had happened? “Your Grace, you should not—”
“Yes, I should,” he said firmly as he dismounted. He looked at her again, and she saw the determined resolution in his hazel eyes. “And I assure you, madam, this time I shall not leave until you have answered my questions.”
“This is my property, Your Grace, and you are trespassing upon it.”
He smiled slowly, knowingly, in a way that made her pulse quicken even more.
She must be strong! She must not let him linger!
“It was my understanding that the property went to your daughter upon your husband’s death. Shall I ask Jocelyn if I may stay?”
“No!” she snapped, inwardly cursing Eloise’sgossiping tongue. She should have guessed that what was already known about her business would go from Eloise’s lips to Galen’s ear. “Bring your horse and come with me.”
He nodded his acquiescence, so with brisk, determined steps, she led him around the side of the house farthest from the kitchen to the small carriage house at the back of the yard. She shoved open the heavy, creaking door, hoping no one in the kitchen could hear.
Inside, light streamed through the dusty windows and motes danced about like so many little bits of fairy dust. Although it had not been used since Daniel’s death, it still smelled of hay and horse.
Despite her annoyance and trepidation, when the duke entered and she closed the door behind him, she felt as if she were shutting out a world full of gossiping busybodies who would never understand what might compel a young woman to forget about duty and honor for a night of passion in the Duke of Deighton’s arms.
As she continued to watch him while he stabled his horse, she thought perhaps some women might.
Indeed, if half the stories Eloise had told her were true, several woman had been similarly tempted.
It did not comfort Verity to think that she had anything in common with the duke’s many lovers,and she would not allow herself to be tempted by him again, not even here.
Where they were alone.
He glanced at her as he tied his black stallion in the stall. “Not quite the place I would choose for this conversation, but it will have to do, I fear.”
“It must do. Nobody in Jefford knows that I’ve ever met you.”
He regarded her with calm equanimity. “All you need say is that we became acquainted at my cousin’s.”
Verity clasped her hands together so tightly her knuckles whitened. “Your Grace, I must again ask you to leave.”
His lips jerked up in a little smile. “What, no bogus offers to meet again at a later date?” His gaze roved over the unused building, hesitating a moment on the closed door. “A perfect place for a clandestine rendezvous, if rather dusty.”
“This is not a clandestine rendezvous!”
“More’s the pity.”
She pursed her lips. “This may be amusing to you, Your Grace, but I assure you a visit from you may have serious repercussions for me if it becomes known.”
His expression unexpectedly softened. “I know all about gossip. That is why I came through your charming wood nearly the whole way.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Verity snapped asshe crossed her arms over her chest, commanding herself not to be moved by the change in his manner.
He should not have invited himself here, he should not be alone with her, and he should not look so…so kind.
“However, I was not about to come to the back of the house like a peddler or beggar.”
He moved to block the only exit. “I also will not leave here and I won’t let you run away until you answer my questions,” he reiterated firmly. “The first thing I must know is, is Jocelyn my daughter?”
As the Duke of Deighton stood before her, his whole body braced as if expecting a blow, Verity saw the fierce determination in his hazel eyes. If that had been all she saw, she might have lied to him.
Yet there was more, a pleading, anxious look, a vulnerability
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