Chapter 9
Pru
“Don’t look now,” Tempy slipped her arm through Pru’s, “but I think your rake has appeared at Hyde Park.”
“What? Soren is here?” Pru’s heart took up in a flutter so rapid that she wished she could release it from her chest. First one hand, then the other, she discreetly wiped her perspiring palms in her pockets.
“I mean, he’s not my rake.” Really, that should have been her first response.
Though her dreams from last night said otherwise.
All last night she’d been tortured by thoughts of Soren and the little pink book.
The combination had been alarming. In the morning she’d awoken with so many questions and far too few answers.
And even fewer resources for those answers.
How could she have been such a fool to let her heart loose last night at the ball?
How could such a short encounter open her heart up so much?
Upon first glance of him, she should have turned and ran.
Well…actually, that’s exactly what she had done.
But she should have done it again when she saw him in the library the second time.
Then she wouldn’t be here now, waging war within herself.
Because she had seen secondhand the damage they could do, rakes were not for her.
She should be stronger. She could be stronger. She would be stronger.
“Of course he’s not,” Verity said. “But your rake does seem to be heading directly toward us all the same.”
Not wanting to turn her head and spot him, she panicked. “Where is he?”
“Behind us.” Verity marched forward. “Just keep walking. We can still pretend we didn’t see him.”
“Hard to do when the man pulls a crowd everywhere he goes,” Tempy said with a grin that she tried to hide.
“His gaggle of dandies is here?” Pru asked.
Tempy checked over her shoulder. “No. A group of children have gathered around him. Looks like they’re in search of sweetmeats.”
“Good lord,” Pru muttered, even children were not immune to his charm.
They had only made it a few strides when the distinct sound of footsteps belonging to a man with a purpose could be heard.
“Don’t stop now,” Pru urged her sisters.
“I know this promenade was supposed to clear your head, but perhaps talking to the man would be more efficient.”
“I can’t talk to my—a rake. Don’t you understand? I can’t fall in love with the man. You’ve seen what happened to Fidelia.”
“One conversation won’t make you fall in love with him,” Verity chided.
“You don’t know him.”
“Prudence?” Soren’s voice rang out. A little too loudly. He was still a few meters away. Too far to be calling out to her. Surely heads were turning. Or they would be soon. What was her best course of action here?
Given a choice, she would select to first ignore him. Second, dismiss him. Third, hear what he had to say but not necessarily listen. Four, engage in conversation. Only if she must.
“You can’t give the man the cut direct, Pru.” Verity’s advice disqualified her first option.
“Fine.” She stopped, preparing to give him a setdown that would have him on his way.
Tempy touched her forearm. “Don’t be rude to him. Remember that even though he’s a rake, he’s still a duke. We won’t leave your side. We’re here for you, Pru.”
There went option two. But at least she had moral support.
With options three and four still on the table, and her sisters at her side, she turned around to face the deceiver.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to catch you,” Soren expressed with a grin and a small huff of breath that indicated he had indeed been chasing her. Her. A rake. Chasing her. The thought was mind boggling.
“May I have the honor of fending off any admirers while we take a short stroll?” Soren invited, arm outstretched.
“How charming,” Tempy sighed beside her, already backing away with Verity.
So much for her sisters having her back.
There wasn’t much else to do aside from taking his arm for a turn around Hyde Park.
They took a few steps in silence, which was really the most irritating thing. She didn’t need to feel the heat from his arm against her palm, nor listen to his strong rhythmic footsteps. And she certainly didn’t need to wait for him to speak first.
“Why are you here, Soren?”
“It’s a beautiful day,” he started to say and then obviously thought better of it. “I need to speak with you.”
“About?”
“I have a proposition for you.”
No clue what they meant, still she flinched at the words.
“It’s a good one. For both of us.”
“What is it?”
“I’m interested in your brother-in-law's horses.”
Pru scoffed. Horses. This was about horses? Of course it was. It all made sense now. The reason he had chased after her in the first place last night. Only, he hadn’t been able to discuss them given all the…interruptions…they had encountered.
“You should discuss the horses with him.”
“I have tried. But the man is very distrusting.”
“That’s how I come in, then, is it? You’ll use me to get to my brother-in-law?
” Fire like none other tore up her spine and singed her limbs.
If men didn’t take notice of her, that was fine.
But for a rake to think he could sprinkle a little attention on her and then massage out a favor was beyond the pale.
His voice softened. “Hey now, I won’t be using you. We’ll work together.”
“I’d rather work with a goat.”
His burst of laughter surprised her.
“Not sure you’d get anywhere with a goat. I promise that I’m much easier to work with than our caprine friends.”
“It’s besides the point. I don’t speak with Bart.”
“But you speak with his wife, your sister. You could help me.”
“Why would I do that?” In a desire for distance, her footsteps sped up, despite her hand being attached to his elbow.
“I could help you with something.”
She scoffed again. “What could you possibly help me with?”
But it was like she knew without needing to hear his answer what he was going to offer. And though she should loathe him for even suggesting it, she wasn’t exactly sure that she did.