Read Online The Perfect Duke by Dawn Ireland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dawn Ireland
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“She says if I’m not good, a dragon will come and eat me.”
He smiled. “Really, well, we wouldn’t want that.” With a final pat to Storm’s flank, he crossed to the stable’s wainscoted tack room, then lifted a barrel and set it near the door.
“Come here, Caroline.”
She skipped to the entrance, sunlight illuminating the dewy softness of her skin and catching the golden highlights in her hair. He grabbed her beneath her arms and hoisted her onto the barrel, her legs dangling under layers of skirts and petticoats.
He crouched down so he could look into her sherry-colored eyes. “I want you to do something for me.”
“What?” She appeared so serious he had to keep from smiling.
“I want you to learn to be a lady. Like the princesses in your fairy stories. Will you do that for me?”
Caroline nodded, her curls bobbing around her head.
“Good, because I’m going away for several years, but when I come back, you’re going to be my wife. Do you know what that means?”
An impish grin lit her face. “We’re going to live here, like Mama and Papa live at Attridge Manor.”
“Not here.” Garret shuddered. Only the Duke of Kendal lived at Belcraven. His older brother would one day have that dubious honor. Edward appeared to thrive on the strictures society placed on a peer; even Grandfather thought he would one day be the perfect duke.
Caroline made a face that resembled a worried cherub. “A knight needs a castle.”
“We’ll live at Eberston.” Garret chuckled. “It’s not a castle, but it is on the ocean. Would you like that?”
Caroline nodded and started to rock, banging her heels against the barrel. “Can we collect shells? Papa says you can hear the ocean in a shell.”
“If you wish.”
Silence descended. Caroline stopped smiling and chewed on her lower lip. “If you’re going away, I should give you this.” She reached up, untied the blue satin ribbon from her hair, then handed it to him as if it were a gift of rare value. With an expression of concentration on her pert little face, she recited something her nurse must have taught her. “This will keep you safe. As my knight, you must keep it always.”
He solemnly accepted her favor, then ruffled her curls. Perhaps, in a way, he was her knight. “Now, I have things to do.” He lifted her down and made sure to turn as he stuffed the ribbon in his pocket. “Stay over here while I groom Storm. If you get under foot, I’ll tell your nanny where you are and she’ll find one of those dragons you’re so afraid of.”
Caroline had scurried off to a hay mound, a slight pout to her lips. She’d plopped into its center and her natural smile had reasserted itself as she laughingly made a game out of throwing fistfuls of hay into the air.
Garret grimaced at the memory. He hadn’t been much of a knight. With his free hand, he groped for the pocket that held its well-worn ribbon. Thinking about that time made him feel as if the last fourteen years had been a nightmare. Her laughter had seemed so real.
Devil take it, he did hear a girl’s laughter. It had to be Rachel. Why was she in the stable? He straightened and hurried down an aisle between the stalls. “Rachel.” He hadn’t meant for it to come out in a roar, but all his frustration bundled into that one word.
By the time he’d turned the corner, his niece couldn’t be found and Cara sat demurely on a bundle of straw. Did she think to play games with him? He strode to the set of hooks on the back wall, turned one, and yanked the panel door open. As he suspected, the cobwebs still fluttered and tiny feet had disturbed the dust. It would do no good to call her back now. He’d deal with her later. He shut the tunnel entrance and faced Cara. “Did you think to trick me into thinking my niece had not been here?”
“Of course not, but I did think it prudent for me to speak with you before you saw her.”
“And what could you possibly say?” He held up a hand
He smiled. “Really, well, we wouldn’t want that.” With a final pat to Storm’s flank, he crossed to the stable’s wainscoted tack room, then lifted a barrel and set it near the door.
“Come here, Caroline.”
She skipped to the entrance, sunlight illuminating the dewy softness of her skin and catching the golden highlights in her hair. He grabbed her beneath her arms and hoisted her onto the barrel, her legs dangling under layers of skirts and petticoats.
He crouched down so he could look into her sherry-colored eyes. “I want you to do something for me.”
“What?” She appeared so serious he had to keep from smiling.
“I want you to learn to be a lady. Like the princesses in your fairy stories. Will you do that for me?”
Caroline nodded, her curls bobbing around her head.
“Good, because I’m going away for several years, but when I come back, you’re going to be my wife. Do you know what that means?”
An impish grin lit her face. “We’re going to live here, like Mama and Papa live at Attridge Manor.”
“Not here.” Garret shuddered. Only the Duke of Kendal lived at Belcraven. His older brother would one day have that dubious honor. Edward appeared to thrive on the strictures society placed on a peer; even Grandfather thought he would one day be the perfect duke.
Caroline made a face that resembled a worried cherub. “A knight needs a castle.”
“We’ll live at Eberston.” Garret chuckled. “It’s not a castle, but it is on the ocean. Would you like that?”
Caroline nodded and started to rock, banging her heels against the barrel. “Can we collect shells? Papa says you can hear the ocean in a shell.”
“If you wish.”
Silence descended. Caroline stopped smiling and chewed on her lower lip. “If you’re going away, I should give you this.” She reached up, untied the blue satin ribbon from her hair, then handed it to him as if it were a gift of rare value. With an expression of concentration on her pert little face, she recited something her nurse must have taught her. “This will keep you safe. As my knight, you must keep it always.”
He solemnly accepted her favor, then ruffled her curls. Perhaps, in a way, he was her knight. “Now, I have things to do.” He lifted her down and made sure to turn as he stuffed the ribbon in his pocket. “Stay over here while I groom Storm. If you get under foot, I’ll tell your nanny where you are and she’ll find one of those dragons you’re so afraid of.”
Caroline had scurried off to a hay mound, a slight pout to her lips. She’d plopped into its center and her natural smile had reasserted itself as she laughingly made a game out of throwing fistfuls of hay into the air.
Garret grimaced at the memory. He hadn’t been much of a knight. With his free hand, he groped for the pocket that held its well-worn ribbon. Thinking about that time made him feel as if the last fourteen years had been a nightmare. Her laughter had seemed so real.
Devil take it, he did hear a girl’s laughter. It had to be Rachel. Why was she in the stable? He straightened and hurried down an aisle between the stalls. “Rachel.” He hadn’t meant for it to come out in a roar, but all his frustration bundled into that one word.
By the time he’d turned the corner, his niece couldn’t be found and Cara sat demurely on a bundle of straw. Did she think to play games with him? He strode to the set of hooks on the back wall, turned one, and yanked the panel door open. As he suspected, the cobwebs still fluttered and tiny feet had disturbed the dust. It would do no good to call her back now. He’d deal with her later. He shut the tunnel entrance and faced Cara. “Did you think to trick me into thinking my niece had not been here?”
“Of course not, but I did think it prudent for me to speak with you before you saw her.”
“And what could you possibly say?” He held up a hand
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