Chapter 3 #2
Eveline studied the duke with narrowed eyes, admitting begrudgingly that she could see his appeal. And even if she could not, there was no doubt that Iris could.
“So, Your Grace…” Daniel’s brow scrunched as he studied the duke who walked back across the room to stand with Iris. “I must confess, I was surprised to hear that you were interested in Iris – that is to say, marriage in general. I did not think you were the type.”
“That’s because he is not,” Eveline said.
“Eveline!” Iris widened her eyes in warning. “Sorry, Your Grace. Please ignore my sister.”
He laughed and waved her down. “Think nothing of it. The truth is, it is only recently that I have decided that marriage is where my future lies. As a duke, and an only son, it is expected.”
“So, you are forcing yourself to marry?” Eveline said quickly. “You do not care at all about my sister.”
“Eveline!” Iris said again. “You are embarrassing me.”
“She is a fiery one, isn’t she,” the duke chuckled as if this was all so amusing and normal.
“But she should be praised for being so distrusting – worrying after her sister.” He winked right at Eveline, and she narrowed her eyes further.
“To answer your question, no, I am not forcing myself. It is a funny thing but once I decided to marry I realized how I have been wasting my life up until this point. And when I saw your sister two nights ago…” He took her hand, and his expression took on a loving visage that appeared real but had to be forced.
Surely, it is. “I knew that fate was what had made this decision for me, as the timing could not be more perfect. That an angel like this exists at the exact moment that I have decided to wed…” He sighed and shook his head as he gazed upon Iris.
“I only pray that your sister thinks of me what I do of her.”
“I do,” Iris said with an airy sigh of infatuation. “Oh, I do, Your Grace. So much.”
Eveline looked between the duke and her sister, her stomach sinking with desperation.
She had heard of how charming the duke could be, but she’d never imagined it would be this effective.
And to make matters worse, with Iris being as innocent as she was, there was little chance she’d see through the mirage before it was too late.
I need to stop this. I need to do something! Before it is too late. As to what that might be? She wished that she knew.
“Your Grace!” Iris cried from across the garden. “Hurry. I wish to show you something.” She waved for him to follow her and then crouched down by the pond.
“Coming my sweet!” the duke called out and waved, his smile touching his ears as it had done since he’d first appeared this morning.
“I know what you are doing,” Eveline accused him, no need to keep her voice down, as Iris was too far away to hear. “Do not think I am so easily fooled.”
“You do, do you?” The duke pulled his gaze from Iris and looked at her innocently. “Please, tell me, what am I doing exactly? Save me having to figure it out for myself.”
“You are taking advantage of my sister.”
“Am I?”
“You know you are! In your eyes, she is an easy victim for you to lure into your bedroom. Another reputation to ruin because you leave a trail of broken hearts behind you like dog leaves fleas.”
“How very poetic,” he chuckled.
“Do not mock me!”
“You accuse me of mocking you, yet you are perfectly happy to insult me as if your life depends on it. Was I not in such a good mood, I might start to take offence.”
“Oh please, take offence. I insist.”
“Alas, the day is too wonderful a one for such things as that.” He looked at the bright sun, shut his eyes, and let its rays bake him. “Why worry with such things as petty insults from a petty sister? ”
“I am not petty.”
“You are.” He snapped his head down suddenly, and the good mood he’d been wearing like fresh clothes faded, replaced by a stern glare of warning.
Then he stepped in front of her, blocking her off from Iris, who waited several dozen feet further in the garden.
“And judgmental to boot. You do not like me, that is clear. But have you stopped to consider that your sister does?”
“That is not –”
“Just as I like her,” he spoke over her. “I am not here because I am bored or because I wish to… I do not even know what you think. The simple fact is that I enjoyed meeting your sister, I wish to get to know her better, and things really are that simple.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Believe this.” He made sure to look at her. “I intend to marry this Season, Lady Eveline. And as things stand, your dear sister has caught my eye such that if things continue in this way, I see no reason that she won’t make for me a perfect bride.”
She looked at him aghast. Is he being serious? And how dare he if he is!
It was but twenty minutes ago that the duke walked into her home and upended her life – and her sister’s life, if she didn’t stop it.
Having announced his desire to court Iris, Daniel had little choice but to at least give the duke a chance.
The way Iris was fawning, he would have been considered the worst of people if he did not.
As such, the duke suggested a walk through the back garden, one he wished to take alone with Iris. But Eveline, not daring to leave them alone, insisted that she join as a chaperone.
They had only been walking for a few minutes when Iris hurried ahead toward the pond, for she wished to show it off to the duke.
He bade her ahead, promising to hurry in behind, which gave Eveline the perfect chance to get to the bottom of this.
To pry apart his lies and find the rotten core of the truth that he was hiding so expertly.
Annoyingly, it wasn’t going nearly as well as she hoped.
Either the duke was an expert liar, or he was telling the truth about his intent.
But he can’t be. There is just no way! Everything I know about him – that I have seen with my own eyes!
What is he playing at? And how can I get him to admit the truth?
“Do not… do not lie to me,” she tried next. “Tell me true, why are you are so desperate to pursue my sister.”
“I would ask why you are so desperate to keep her from me.”
“Because you are not serious!” she hissed up at him.
“But I am,” he said, his tone turning suddenly sincere.
He frowned, and his expression softened.
“Whatever it is you think you know of me is irrelevant. People change, and where you think you know me, you could not be more wrong. My goal here is marriage, and as I am certain Lady Iris is of a similar mind, I would expect from you not hostility but your blessing.”
“I…” She gaped, still unable to see through his lies. “I… no. There is nothing you can do or say to make me believe you.”
“Ah, so it is personal.”
“No! It is practical.”
“Your Grace!” Iris called from across the garden. “What are you doing over there?”
“Coming!” He winked at Eveline, who was still gaping as she tried to comprehend what was going on. And then, he turned and started back across the garden.
Eveline stared after him in shock. What if the duke was telling her the truth? That he did wish to marry Iris? That he was done with his old ways, and he wished to start afresh with someone innocent and pure, who he considered good for him? Was such a thing possible?
She bit into her lip, wondering what to do… No. He is lying to me. He has to be. And if I allow myself to be tricked, I will never forgive myself.
“Wait!” Eveline rushed after him, stepping around the duke and putting herself before him so he was forced to come to a halt.
“Please, just tell me the truth. I know you are lying.” She scowled up at him, trying to see tall despite barely reaching his chin.
“And if you think I am going to allow you to… to trick me! Then you do not know me as well as you might think.”
The duke frowned down at her, amusement in his eyes. “You truly are something, you know that?”
“You have no idea.”
“You know, I thought at first that you were simply concerned for your sister. An honorable trait. But now…” He looked past her, taking note of where Iris was still crouched by the pond. “Now, I am wondering if there is another reason you are so against my courting of Lady Iris.”
“What do you mean?”
He chuckled. “Oh, come now, Lady Eveline…” His voice dropped to a whisper, and as it did, he stepped into her, his hand quickly going to her waist. She gasped and caught her breath, frozen to find him holding her body into his. “Do not think I did not notice the way you have been looking at me.”
“I…” Her eyes widened when she realized what he was saying. “That is – I have not been!”
“Are you sure about that?” His grip on her waist tightened, and although she struggled to push him away, he would not budge. “You are jealous. Furious that my attention has found its way to your sister.”
“That is –” She grabbed his arm to push it down, but he was too powerful and his grip held strong. “Let me go.”
“I don’t think you want that…” He leaned down as he spoke, his eyes flashing with mischief. Those same eyes then looked her over, hungry and wanting, his tongue licking his lips as he drank her in. “In fact, I know exactly what you want.”
“I…” Her pulse quickened, and she felt her body begin to shake. Eveline told herself it was anger that did it, fury at being spoken to like this. But deep down, she sensed it was something else… “I was right about you!”
“Me?” he flashed his eyes. “You are the one trying to undermine your sister but flirting with me. Shame on you.”
“I am not!”
“Oh?” He leaned in closer, and she tried to pull back, but he held her.
Her body was quivering, her skin tingling, a warmth spreading across her body in ways she did not recognize.
“What if I were to change my mind? If I turned my attention to you? All this tension between us, perhaps it is best if we expel it in the way I am sure is sitting right on your mind.”
“How dare you!” she gasped, while feeling her heart leap through her throat.
His laughter was a deep chuckle. “How dare I? I am just trying to figure out what you want, Lady Eveline.”
She could feel this moment spiraling, the way the duke was toying with her, how unserious he was about taking her objections. And trying to fight him was not working. I need another tact…
“Please,” she started instead, calming herself as she tried to pull back. “All I ask is that you stay away from my sister. I will do anything. Just… just leave her be.”
“Anything…” His eyes lit up and, with a quick glance to make sure Iris was not watching, he leaned in so his lips brushed her ear.
She shuddered to feel it, and gasped again when his lips wrapped her earlobe and sucked before pulling away.
“For someone who claims they do not want me, that you are offering yourself like that is quite strange. Not that I mind…” He squeezed her a final time, and his tongue licked over her ear, which made her knees buckle.
She moaned and felt herself giving in. What is happening to me? This was not like her. She hated this man! But they were so close, he held her – he had her! And where she wanted to fight, she sensed that would only make things worse…
“With that in mind –” The duke suddenly released her and stepped back. “I am not interested. And despite how desperate you are for me, your sister is who I want. Sorry to disappoint.”
Eveline’s body was rebelling against her in ways she did not understand or comprehend. The duke clearly knew this, smirking at her while flashing his eyes with triumph at the reaction he had caused.
She wanted to accuse him. To shout at him. To announce that he was everything she thought and then tell her sister! But he did not do anything. Not enough to suggest his true purpose. I am the one who… she tried to shake that thought from her mind, but her body continued to shake.
“We will be by the pond when you care to join us,” the duke said with a knowing smirk as he stepped around her. “Or don’t. Although from what I know of you, you’ll do as you please.” He laughed and walked away, leaving her there gaping with confusion.
Eveline finally forced herself to turn and watch after him, frowning at how he smiled and laughed as he approached Iris. A stab of jealousy – No! She would not allow herself to feel that. It was anger that stabbed her, fury at being played. The duke was a liar and a cheat and she would prove it.
When I do… I just need to be on my guard. Whatever that was, it cannot happen again. For Iris’s sake as well as my own.