Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2) (8 page)

Daniel gritted his teeth against the urge to storm to Silver and make love to her all over again.  Instead, he spun on his heel and left.

Chapter Seven

Silver dressed long before sunrise the next morning.  At quarter past three, she had given up on sleep all together and fumbled into her clothes.  The duke haunted her.  His scent clung to her sheets, keeping her wide awake.  She even tried sleeping on the chair, but when she closed her eyes, what they shared kept invading her mind. The constant throb between her thighs didn’t help matters, either.

While waiting for the sun to come up, she paced her bedroom, preparing herself to face Daniel at breakfast.  Oh, God, even the thought of his name twisted her stomach in knots.  Silver halted at the windows and glanced out into the darkness, shuddering at the memory of his reaction.  Had it truly been such a horrible mistake?  For him, yes.  But for her?  She wrapped her arms around her chilled body.  She could not call it a mistake.  Not when it had been so wondrous and beautiful.  Not when she would do it again if given half a chance.

By the time the sun peeked up over the horizon, Silver had changed her mind at least a dozen times.  She couldn’t remain in her room forever.  Aunt Prudence would suspect something if she didn’t show up for breakfast.  And her brothers...  She cringed.  No, facing the duke again would be inevitable.  She might as well get it over with before her brothers returned from market. 

Silver walked to the door and froze.  What would Daniel say to her?  How would he react?  Would he still be upset?  She pressed her forehead against the cool wood.  Would he simply ignore her?  Pretend nothing happened?

She spun around, shaking her head.  How could she face him?  She settled a hand over her pounding heart and glanced at the bed.  Reliving what had happened there over and over would drive her insane.  So, she couldn’t stay hidden in her room.  With a deep breath, she turned and opened the door before changing her mind again.

Each step became more difficult than the last as Silver made her way to the breakfast room.  Several times, she jerked to a halt, ready to scamper back upstairs.  But she quelled her panic and forged ahead.  Her whole body trembled as she stepped through the doorway.  She clutched the folds of her gray skirt and slowly looked up.

Not there
.  She exhaled the breath she had been holding for what seemed like forever. Only Garrett and her aunt were seated at the table.  Dizzy with relief, she made her way forward.

Garrett stood and held out her chair.  “Good morning, Silver.  I hope the storm didn’t keep you awake half the night?”

She forced a smile and took her seat.  “Good morn…” Her words died on her lips when Daniel stepped into the room.  She gripped her trembling hands together in her lap and looked away.

Thank goodness Mrs. Burns chose that exact moment to roll in a cart from the kitchen, breaking the awkward silence with at least two squeaky wheels and the rattling of china.  “Some storm, aye, Silver?” the housekeeper asked, transferring the heaping platters of ham and kippers onto the sideboard.

Keenly aware of the duke taking his seat directly across from her, Silver almost missed the question.  She cleared her throat, focusing on what had been asked, trying not to notice how the smell of food made her stomach roll.  The storm.  Last night.  She closed her eyes. 
Dear God in heaven.
  Last night.

Something touched her arm and she started.  Barely able to swallow back a gasp, she found Garrett studying her with worried eyes.  “Are you all right?”

No.  She was anything but all right.  Especially now that the whole room was staring right at her.  She could also feel the duke’s green eyes on her and fought the urge to jump up and fly from the room.  That would be way too suspicious.  Aunt Prudence was already scrutinizing her odd behavior.  Instead she summoned all her strength to force a calm, pleasant expression and nodded.  “Yes, I’m fine, Garrett.”

The meal went on for days.  Silver could only move the food around with her fork.  Daniel never looked back in her direction.  He spoke with Garrett and her aunt in his usual manner, giving no indication of what had happened the night before.  Silver couldn’t help but be perturbed by his composure.  Especially since she struggled so hard to remain calm.  She noticed from beneath her lashes he looked as though he had slept well.
Curse him
.  No dark smudges showed beneath his eyes, and his graceful movements gave no evidence of fatigue.

Although she tried to repress them, images of what they shared flooded her mind yet again, making her body tingle.  Silver pressed her lips together, determined to ignore any attraction she felt for the duke, and glanced away.  If he could sit there so calm and act as though nothing had happened between them, then, by God, so could she.

“How did you fare last night?”

Silver nearly dropped her teacup.  “Pardon?”  Knowing she had little choice, she looked up and tried in vain to focus solely on her aunt.

“I’m certain the storm was a frightening affair,” Prudence said with narrowed eyes.  “Do forgive me for not coming to you, child, I felt unwell.”

She noticed her aunt’s untouched plate and frowned.  “You needn’t apologize.”  Her throat tightened.  “I managed.”  Daniel gave no indication he had overheard the conversation as he lifted his teacup to his lips.  She shifted her focus back to her aunt.  “Shall I send for the doctor?”

Prudence shook her head.  “I feel much more the thing this morning.”

Silver nodded, absently rubbing her damp palms over her skirt.  Something wasn’t quite right.  Could her aunt know what had happened?  She found her gaze once again on Daniel as he sliced the ham on his plate.  His fingers were long and slender, the backs of his hands smooth except for a small crescent-shaped scar near the middle knuckle of his right hand.  Visions of his beautiful, nude body assaulted her mind.  She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed her cheeks weren’t shining like two ripe apples.

Aunt Prudence spoke again.  “Would you care to assist me with my embroidery this morning?”

Silver chanced a peek at the duke, certain he still ignored her.  Instead, her gaze crashed into glinting green eyes full of raw hunger.  With a swift intake of breath, Silver jerked to her feet, nearly upsetting her chair, and fled the room.  Being in Daniel’s presence tore at the core of her soul and made her yearn for something so deeply she couldn’t stand it.  Perhaps staying away from him would give her tattered heart some time to mend.

Two hours crawled by.  Even though Silver’s fingers cramped and her back ached like the devil, she remained beside her aunt, needle in hand.  But this was sheer torture!  Nothing was worse than embroidery.  Walking five miles in the snow barefoot was preferable.

Movement to her left caught her eye.  Silver plucked off her spectacles and glanced out the windows.  A horse disappeared around the corner, and she rose to her feet, stretching her arms high into the air.  “Aunt, I believe my brothers have returned.  I’ll finish this later.” She rushed toward the door, eager to welcome them home.  Well, eager to do anything but sew another rotten stitch.

Silver threw the back door open and gasped.  “Connor?”

“Och, tha’ canna be my Silver I’m seein’?”

She ran into his arms.  “I didn’t expect to see you.  Duncan said you wouldn’t be home for another couple of months.”

“Weel, tha’ changed.”  He hugged her tight then pulled back.  “I dinna expect tae see you, either, lass.”  His eyes held a question.  He wanted to know why she had come.

The betrothal.  She had come to tell her brothers about her upcoming marriage.  To Victor Merrick.  Her stomach flopped over.  She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.  And she knew she would not tell her brothers.  But how could she not tell them?  She knew perfectly well the dangers if she said nothing until after the wedding.  Her brothers might show up in England out for blood.  Probably march to her door and demand to know why she didn’t inform them of an engagement while she had been in Scotland.  She bit her lip, uncertain what to do.

Perhaps she could send them a note about the engagement after she left here.  Her brothers didn’t need to know exactly when she got engaged, did they?  Surely, allowing them to think it happened when she got back to England wouldn’t bring about any harm, would it?  Yes, that might be the best way to handle this—this problem. 

Instead of answering the question in Connor’s eyes, she looped her arm through his and led them into the house.  “So, tell me of my good fortune and why you have come home early.”

Connor shut the door.  “It was the most fantastic thing, Silver.  We saved the Duke of Kenbrook’s daughter from kidnappers.”

“You were involved in Lady Megan’s rescue?”

Silver turned at the sound of Daniel’s voice and swallowed hard.  He didn’t seem to notice her.  He focused his attention squarely on her brother.

“Who are ye?” Connor asked, as his brows snapped together and his lips pulled down.

Daniel straightened with a wince, pressing a hand to his ribs.  “I am Daniel Claiborne, the Duke of Huntington.  Lady Megan and I…”  He broke off his words and shook his head.  “I know the lady well.  Tell me, what happened?”

Silver bit down on her lip until she tasted blood.  She might as well have been a hall tree.  Daniel ignored her, almost as if she were completely invisible, while he talked with her brother.  She could parade around naked in front of him, and he still would not notice her.  For a brief instance, last night’s memories flashed in her mind.  Heat crept up her neck to her face, and she placed her hand against the wall for support.  Her feelings for the duke suffocated her.  She loved him desperately, but he didn’t love her, would never love her.  He had a goddess like Lady Megan to cherish.  A duke’s daughter, no less.  The perfect match. 

The men disappeared into the study and closed the door.  Silver gripped the sides of her ugly gray dress and moved away.  She would never, ever measure up.  Her legs trembled as she shuffled into the drawing room, her body cold and numb with despair.  Earlier, she had harbored a smidgen of hope in a tiny corner of her heart—hope that Daniel would somehow rescue her from her vile aunt and uncle and keep her from having to marry Victor Merrick.

But that hope had disappeared.  Doused like a bucket of cold water over a candle flame.

Looking across the room, Silver found her mother’s portrait smiling down at her from above the mantle.  Wavy red hair, deep blue eyes.  She made her way forward, halting a foot away, wishing her mother could be here to tell her what to do, how to make the scorching pain in her heart stop.  Her throat closed up and her eyes stung.  Why did everyone she love either leave her or send her away?  Why?

Behind her, the door creaked open.  Silver whirled around and found Daniel standing there with his eyes on her.  Every muscle in her body stiffened. 

He stepped into the room and closed the door.

“W-What are you doing?” she asked, burying her trembling hands in her pockets.

He wore a blank expression, dull eyes, chiseled lips, and looked right through her as he spoke.  “I made a grievous error last night.  For that, I apologize.  The blow to my head must have impaired my judgment.  I never meant for the incident to happen. And no matter how much I wish otherwise, I cannot undo it.  I can, however, offer you something.  The chest of gold is yours.”

Silver could not utter a single word.  This wasn’t Daniel speaking, this was the Duke of Huntington.  She stood rigid, unable to believe her ears.  Did he think her a woman of easy virtue who could be bought off?  Dear God, how could he think that of her? “Both you and your gold can go to the devil,” she choked out and fled the room through the side door.

She marched to the gazebo with her fists balled at her sides.  She sat in a numbed silence, unable to focus her jumbled thoughts on any one thing.

“There you are, child.  I’ve been looking for you,” Prudence said.  “I forgot to mention earlier that we must begin packing if we are to leave on time.”

Silver blinked, then drew her brows together.  “Leave?”

Prudence pursed her lips.  “Have you forgotten?  Our ship will depart soon, and we had better be on it.”  She paused and crossed her arms.  “Or have you decided to remain here with your brothers?”

Oh, how she wished for that!  But an image of five fresh graves came to her mind, dashing her wish to pieces.  Her uncle had made it clear her brothers would be killed if they interfered.  He was evil enough to do it.  He could also send Prudence away.

Silver shook her head.  “You know I cannot remain here.  Uncle Edward would never allow it.  He is determined to see me marry Victor Merrick.”  The words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Her aunt’s expression softened.  “Sadly, I agree.  God knows I’ve tried to change his mind, but Edward is holding firm to his decision.  It would kill him to have to return the gold Mr. Merrick settled on you.  Have you told your brothers?”

“I-I don’t think that would be a good idea.  I think I should wait and send them a note after we leave,” she choked out.

Prudence took the seat beside her.  “Do you think that wise, child?”

“If I tell my brothers in person, I am convinced they will know how unhappy I am about this arrangement.”  She pressed a sweaty palm to her stomach.  “They may try to interfere.  Uncle Edward would—” she stopped and took a deep breath.  “No, I had better wait and write them after we return to England.  They don’t have to know when the engagement began.”  She shook her head.  “I don’t know why I ever thought I could tell them face-to-face.”