Chapter Eleven

C herish retired to her quarters to change out of her soiled gown and try to calm herself. Had she been too hard on this Silver Duke? She did not believe her injury was his fault. In truth, he had been sincerely concerned and rushed to help her.

But almost being trampled by Lady Albin’s beast of a horse brought back terrors of that fall off her own horse all those years ago. She was shaken and overset, and her head was throbbing at the sensitive spot she’d hit when falling as a child. Then Reggie had lashed out at his uncle and set her off further.

She understood Reggie’s concerns. What had started off as a fun bit of plotting between him and Fiona to match her to the Duke of Bromleigh had now gotten out of hand. Reggie did have the softest heart, and seeing her injured had upset him as much as it had upset her.

Everyone was now angry. Lady Albin, for one. The duke, for another. Reggie. Even sweet Margaret.

As for Fiona, Cherish expected to hear Lady Albin go flying out a window once her friend heard the full story of what had happened and got her hands on the woman.

It would be no less than that horrid countess deserved.

Cherish had just managed to remove her soiled gown and was standing in nothing but her chemise when she heard a knock at her door. “Who is it?”

“It’s Fiona. Let me in.” She opened the door a crack to make sure no one else was with her, then nodded and stepped aside as Fiona marched past her in a huff. “I cannot believe that woman!”

Cherish sighed. “I gather you heard what happened by the stable. Who told you, Gawain or Reggie?”

“Reggie told me. The witch might have killed you.” Fiona’s eyes were blazing, and she began to pace across Cherish’s room, but paused to stare at her when she saw that Cherish had a handkerchief pressed to her elbow and it was stained with blood. “Should I summon a doctor for you?”

“No, I am more shaken than seriously harmed. Truly, I can take care of this scrape myself.”

Fiona continued to stare at her, an eyebrow raised in question. “Will you help me bury her body after I strangle her?”

Cherish laughed. “Sure, why not? I keep a shovel at hand by my bedside for just such a purpose.”

They both had a chuckle.

“But seriously, Fiona. I am all right. Do stop pacing. You seem to be more upset about the incident than I am.” This wasn’t quite true, because Cherish was very much outraged and had unfairly taken her frustration out on the duke. “I promise you, I am just a little bruised, that’s all.”

“A little bruised? Cherish, will you listen to yourself? Your wrist is swelling…and there is blood pouring from your elbow.”

“It is not pouring. It is hardly worth noticing.” She had stopped most of the bleeding by now, she hoped. It still required proper tending, but Fiona was already seething over the incident and Cherish did not wish to add more reasons to inflame her.

“My head groom saw it all and confirmed what happened. I confronted that witch before coming to see you. I told her if she is not out of my house within the hour I shall burn all her belongings, and her along with them.”

Cherish grinned. “I’ll help you light the bonfire.”

Fiona laughed as she sank onto Cherish’s bed. “I am so sorry for my part in it. Gawain begged me to toss her out before she caused trouble, but I was enjoying watching him squirm and thought it would help our matchmaking cause to keep her here. I thought it would push him toward you that much faster.”

“It hasn’t. If anything, it has turned him off to any serious relations with women.” She sank onto the bed beside her friend. “I did not help matters either. I was so upset, I told him I never wished to speak to him again.” She flopped on her back atop the mattress. “Oh, Fiona! I said terrible things to him. He will never have me now. Perhaps it is for the best. He was never going to propose to me. We were all wrong to hope he would. And now I’ve fallen in love with him.”

“You have?” Fiona’s eyes widened, and she cast Cherish a smile of pure delight. “I’m so glad. He is not immune to your charms. In fact, I have never seen him so taken with anyone as he is with you. I cannot say for certain, but I think he may be falling in love with you, too.”

“No, he isn’t, and will never be.” Cherish sighed and sat up again. “I told him that if Lord Fellstone proposed to me, I would accept his offer. What a stupid thing for me to say. But I was overset.”

Fiona patted her hand. “I am sure he realizes it. He will not allow matters to remain this way. I would not be surprised if he sought you out within a few hours. He does not dare do it now while you are still riled.”

“He won’t ever.” Cherish took several deep breaths to keep from crying. “I’ve ruined my chances with him, assuming I ever had any in the first place.”

“Well, there’s always Reggie.”

She laughed. “Oh, the poor fellow. No, not Reggie. He likes Margaret, and she adores him. I will do all I can to encourage that match. She is a sweet girl, and I hope Reggie’s feelings for her turn into love. But I’m not sure he takes her seriously yet. He has been quite attentive to her recently, have you noticed? And do you know what Margaret asked me?”

Fiona shook her head. “No, what?”

“She asked if I would help make her smarter. Being deprived of an education, even the most rudimentary knowledge of history, politics, the arts and sciences, has left her ignorant and feeling stupid. Are we not guilty of dismissing her for this very reason? But she is aware of her limitations and is afraid Reggie will never propose to her while he considers her nothing more than a charming peahen.”

“Oh, the poor thing.”

Cherish nodded. “I said I would help her out.”

“Good, I will do the same. She has a kind and compassionate heart, and I am so sorry we may have hurt her feelings.”

“She is too sweet ever to blame us. Well, I hope one of us ends up happily matched by the end of this week, and I would not mind at all if it were Margaret.”

Fiona patted her hand again and then rose. “I agree. But if it is to be only one of us, then I would rather it be you. Well, I had better see what Lady Albin is up to now. Hopefully, she is packing and will soon be on her way. She certainly came prepared with a complete change of wardrobe for every occasion. I never saw anyone bring so many clothes for what should have been a mere dinner party and a possible overnight stay. I feel as though I allowed in the Trojan Horse. It was a completely calculated ambush on her part.”

“Fiona, do you think she truly loves him?”

“Who, Gawain? Honestly, I don’t know. In my opinion, she does not. I am not sure she ever loved him or was ever capable of loving anyone other than herself. Are her actions not revealing enough? She could not have married Lord Albin and abandoned Gawain the way she did if she was a girl in love. No one coerced her, and her family was not in dire straits.”

“I see.”

“Cherish, she did not even approach Gawain after Albin’s death. So why is she suddenly desperate to do so now? No, the lady is a schemer and wants something from him.”

“I suppose we’ll never find out the reason now that you’ve kicked her out.”

“Well, the ton is rife with gossip. I may hear something within the next few months.”

“I suppose it does not matter. Come knock at my door once she is gone. Not that I am afraid of confronting her, but I dare not risk another outburst from her that spoils your party. Besides, I think I need to clean out my scraped elbow and see just how badly the rest of my body is bruised.”

“I knew you were hurt worse than you let on. Why won’t you admit it?”

Cherish pursed her lips, knowing she was being stubborn. But everyone already knew she was afraid of horses, and to now make a scene of having to leap out of the way as one bore down on her… Well, she did not want them to think she was a helpless weakling.

Fiona sighed. “I’ll send my housekeeper up to you with clean cloths and brandy for those wounds. But have her fetch me if it turns out to be something more serious than a few bruises and scrapes.”

Cherish shut the door after Fiona and then sat at the edge of the bed to steady herself, for she was feeling a little dizzy. The pins holding her chignon in place had loosened and her hair was looking quite a mess. Since she did not care to lie down with pins poking her head, she took them all out and let her hair tumble loosely about her shoulders.

She worked out a few knots with careful strokes of her brush, then set the brush aside and stretched out on the bed. Suddenly feeling exhausted and quite deflated, she saw no harm in closing her eyes for a minute or two in order to ease the throbbing in her head.

Her elbow had stopped bleeding, too. She did not need to keep a handkerchief pressed against it.

Perhaps her loss of blood was contributing to her headache. The best cure for that was simply to rest.

She must have fallen asleep atop the covers much longer than a few minutes, for the next thing she knew, someone was lightly shaking her awake.

She ignored the first few attempts, but this person was persistent. She grumbled as she opened her eyes, surprised to find the Duke of Bromleigh in her bedchamber. “Your Grace?”

“Cherish,” he said in that deep, rumbling voice of his that shot tingles through her, “I need to cleanse that nasty scrape at your elbow. I’m sorry I woke you. Fiona’s housekeeper was in here earlier to tend to you, but you were so lost in sleep, she was reluctant to disturb you. I felt treating your injury was too important to delay. Let me have a look at your elbow first, for it was bleeding and there’s dirt ground into it.”

She slowly sat up, her head still reeling a little. “I’ll take care of it.”

He frowned. “Look at me, Cherish. Why do your eyes look unfocused?”

“It is nothing. I fell asleep and am just waking up.”

He tucked a finger under her chin and gently tilted her head up so that their gazes met. “You hit your head when Lady Albin knocked you over, didn’t you? Tell me where it hurts.”

She tried not to wince as he ran his fingers lightly across her brow and delicately touched each temple. “Stop! I shall recover with a little rest. You needn’t poke and prod me.”

“That glaze in your eyes advises otherwise. Try to stay awake, for I fear you might have suffered a concussion.”

“No, it is nothing more than a little bump. I’ll be all right once you go away. Your Grace, you—”

“Call me Gawain, will you?”

“Why?”

“Because you are dear to me,” he said with such depth of feeling, she almost believed him.

“Me? Dear to you? How can you not despise me after those horrible things I said to you? I did not mean them.”

“I know.” He caressed her cheek. “Besides, I am quite thick-skinned. You weren’t saying anything I did not deserve.”

Her cheeks warmed to his touch, which was exquisitely gentle and quite dangerous to her composure. But in the next moment, she realized they were alone in her bedchamber.

Was there no chaperone? Where was Fiona? Or her housekeeper, the reliable Mrs. Harris? Her situation was already intolerable and would only get worse if he was found in here. “Oh dear. You must go. I cannot be alone with you.”

“Fiona will be up here shortly. Cherish, I am not going to compromise you.”

She laughed in disbelief. “What do you call this?” She groaned and glanced down at herself. How could he overlook her bosom practically spilling out of her chemise? If that flicker of heat in his eyes as she sat up was any indication, he had definitely taken notice. “I am not even dressed.”

He strode to her armoire and took out her robe. “Here, let me help you put it on.”

“No, I can do it myself,” she insisted, knowing she would melt in his arms if he touched her.

“All right.” He sank his muscled frame into the chair beside her bed and watched as she struggled to don the garment by herself. It pained her to raise her arm, but she was not going to admit it to him. He sighed, probably knowing it had to hurt. “For what it’s worth,” he said, his voice gentle, “I have already seen whatever there is to be seen of you, so it matters little how thoroughly you now choose to cover yourself up.”

She frowned at him. “A gentleman would not have come in here.”

He trained his dark emerald gaze on her, his look as hot as it was determined. In this moment, Cherish felt the full extent of his power and the granite resolve behind it. “I am no gentleman. And I still need to cleanse that wound.”

“Fiona will do it.”

He cast her a wry smile. “But I am here now, and Fiona and her staff are still busy tossing out Lady Albin.”

“Good grief. How long does it take?”

“Quite a while, apparently, since she is reluctant to go. I have no idea what she wants of me, or why she refuses to be honest with me. But it seems being truthful is no longer in her repertoire, assuming it ever was. This makes me all the more determined to thwart her objective.”

“She wants to marry you. That is her objective.”

“If so, it is not for any reason other than she wants something from me.”

She nodded. “I am constantly amazed by the stupid things people do. Whatever her motives, she is better served by simply telling you the truth. Well, I am one to talk, since I have made an utter mess of my own situation. How long was I asleep?”

“No more than half an hour, I expect.”

“That long?”

He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Yes, that long. And Lady Albin is still here. She is a leech who will suck the blood out of anyone foolish enough to draw close. As we are all finding out, she is hard to dislodge once she sets herself in a place. But this is Fiona’s home, and Fiona has finally had enough of her. She’ll have Lady Albin out within a few minutes, I’m sure. It cannot be long now. I would assist, but I think my presence will only inflame the situation. Reggie is taking charge.”

“Good for him.” Cherish studied his expressively handsome face and the frown now on it, which was quite severe. “You were once in love with her. What are you feeling now?”

He shrugged. “I suppose if I feel anything, it is relief. I cannot help thinking what my life would have been like if she and I had married. Ours would never have been a happy union. You saw her behavior. Is this how a duchess conducts herself?”

“For the most part, those of your rank can do whatever they want.”

“You are an earl’s daughter, born just as entitled as she was. Yet there is only caring and compassion in you despite your difficult circumstances. She has everything and tramples on it. Perhaps I ought to thank her for marrying Albin and setting me free. She did me a great favor in spurning me.”

He poured brandy onto one of the clean cloths the housekeeper must have brought in while she was sleeping, and doused it so that it was thoroughly soaked. “This will sting, Cherish. I’m sorry, but it cannot be helped.”

She closed her eyes and emitted a yelp when he applied the cloth to her elbow. “Is this revenge for the horrid way I spoke to you earlier?”

“Never. You are too sweet for me ever to hurt you.” His voice softened to a silky rumble that shot more tingles through her. “You had every right to be angry with me. Did you mean it when you said I had claimed your heart?”

“What do you think?”

He cut a strip of bandage and tied it around her elbow. “I think you see me clearly for who I am, not a duke but a man who is quite a bit bullheaded and cynical, and who trusts few people. I’m glad I have stolen your heart despite my faults, and I would still like to hear the confirmation from your lips.”

“Why must you hear it again? Are you not tired of hearing constant love declarations from the women you have spurned? I think you are sufficiently filled with conceit and do not need my admission of love to further inflate your already swelled head.”

“Ah, Cherish. You certainly know how to flatter a man,” he said, chuckling at her sarcasm.

She sighed. “Is it any wonder I am still a spinster? The women all flock to you like moths drawn to firelight, and it galls me that I am no different.”

To repeat her hopeless declaration of love would only serve to further humiliate her. Oh, how she wished to feel nothing for him.

But she adored everything about him.

“I’m glad you care for me, Cherish.” His gaze was still fixed on her, the smoldering heat in his eyes completely unraveling her resolve. But she had to be strong and not succumb to him.

Why was he here? What did he want of her?

And why was Fiona taking so long to join them?

She shook her head, trying not to wince. “I won’t say it again to you. I have made enough of a fool of myself. It is your turn next.”

“To pour my heart out to you?”

He did not look in the least inclined, but she ought to have expected no less from this Silver Duke. Still, it wounded her to know she was not at all special to him, even though he made her feel that way. “Do you have any feelings for me?”

“Of course I do. You are lovely.”

“Lovely enough to marry?” She wiped away the tears that had formed when feeling the sting of the brandy applied to her elbow, although some of those tears were for herself and her hopeless situation.

Why did she have to fall desperately in love with him?

In a matter of days, no less.

“Never mind, that is just my misery talking,” she said. “You’ve known me less than a week. Even I think it is too much to ask of you in this short time.”

He reached out his hand and lightly touched it to her hip. “You struggled when walking earlier. Let me see your hip. I need to make sure it is merely bruised and nothing worse.”

She gave a mirthless laugh and skittered back a little on her bed. “No! That is indecent.”

“Keep the rest of your body covered up, but I must look at you, Cherish. You might have fractured it when you fell backward. You took a bad spill, much worse than you are letting on.”

“The hip is just bruised.”

“Cherish, you are hurting all over.”

“I am not,” she insisted, which did not sound convincing at all, since she was now sniffling and wincing every time she moved.

He cast her a look of exasperation. “Stop being stubborn, will you? You are incapable of hiding your feelings from me…or anyone, for that matter. I am not going to look at your rump. I give you my word of honor.”

“You have already seen too much of my heart and probably too much of my body. It is more than I can bear just now. Please, go away.”

“No. We need to talk and you need to stop scowling at me.” He rose and crossed the room to close the door, an outrageous act that would certainly seal her ruination.

She frowned at him. “Open it at once. Are you mad?”

“Possibly, but we still must talk, and I do not wish us to be disturbed.”

“What sort of a conversation are we going to have while I am half naked and we are alone in my room?” She curled her hands into fists, determined to punch him if he thought to take advantage of their situation. “Being in love with you does not mean I will allow you to take liberties. Go downstairs. I will be along in a few minutes.”

Whatever he meant to say to her next was drowned out by a sudden commotion downstairs. The shouts filtering up from the entry hall were loud enough to reach their ears despite the door being closed. “What in blazes?” the duke muttered, striding to the door he had just closed and flinging it open. “Stay here, Cherish. Let me see what is going on.”

Fiona’s housekeeper rushed in just as he was about to step into the hall to investigate. “Your Grace,” she said, emitting a soft cry. “Oh, this is simply awful.” Her face was ashen as she stared in dismay at Cherish.

Cherish’s breath caught. “What is it, Mrs. Harris?”

“Your uncle… He is here.”

Her stomach churned. “What? But he isn’t due back for another week yet.”

“I’m so sorry, m’lady. But he’s here, quite angry, and charging through the house in search of you. The footmen are trying to restrain him, but he is in quite a temper. Oh, Lady Cherish, you mustn’t come downstairs. Your Grace, keep her safe. Don’t let that ogre get his hands on her. There’s no telling what he will do if he finds her.”

Cherish scrambled off the bed and stood shakily. “I am not going to hide like a coward and allow him to ruin Fiona’s party. I had better—”

The duke growled, interrupting her. “Are you mad? Did you not hear what Mrs. Harris just said? You are to do nothing at all.”

“How can you expect me to sit here like a helpless lump while he storms through Fiona’s house?”

“You were almost trampled by a horse not an hour ago. Is this not enough excitement for you in a day? I will deal with him.”

“You? No, I must take care of this.” She cast him a look of defiance that he promptly ignored while he peered down the hall again to make certain her uncle was not approaching. But she could hear the horrid man still bellowing and slamming doors downstairs, creating chaos while on his rampage. Fortunately, the hour was early, so most guests were still safely tucked in their rooms, although his noisy presence must have awakened them all by now.

“Cherish, do not argue with me. Promise me you will stay here while I deal with him.”

“No. If you go downstairs, then so will I.”

He strode back to her side and gently nudged her onto the bed. “Don’t you dare. Why are you being so stubborn? Don’t you realize you are in danger?” He put an arm around her waist when she shot back up and tried to dart past him.

She frowned at him. “I am not a child who needs to be coddled. Let me go!”

“No.” This time, he drew her up against his body and held her fast when she tried to escape his grasp. “Do you hear me, Cherish? You are not to go to him. Nor will I allow that man anywhere near you.”

Her uncle was now shouting for Fiona.

“Am I to hide in here while he goes after Fiona next? She already has her hands full getting rid of your Lady Albin.”

“She is not my… Never mind. I am not going to stand here and argue with you. Cherish, look at you. Your hair is undone and you are barefoot, not to mention you are not even dressed.”

He stroked a hand through her hair that had fallen in a loose tumble down her back and was not even drawn back by a hair ribbon. Well, perhaps he was right. She could not walk out of her bedchamber clad only in her undergarments and robe without causing more scandal.

He stared at her toes peeking out from under the hem of her robe.

She emitted a deflated breath. “Mrs. Harris, will you help me dress?”

“No, Mrs. Harris,” the duke cut in, overriding her request. “You are to stay here and make certain Lady Cherish does not leave her room. Tie her down, if you must.” He now released Cherish with the intention of handing her over to Mrs. Harris’s care, and then raked his fingers through his dark mane of hair. “Gad, what a morning this is turning out to be.”

“Indeed, a horrible morning,” Cherish muttered, intent on ignoring his orders. As soon as he turned to leave, she went to her armoire and withdrew a gown. “I am not having you deal with my uncle on your own,” she muttered. “He is my problem. My responsibility. Block his path, Mrs. Harris. Throw your body across the door.”

“Lady Cherish!”

“Oh, never mind. Your Grace, just wait for me while I dress and we shall confront him together. It is the only way. You do not know him as I do. He will not budge from here without me.”

She removed her robe, shocking the housekeeper because the duke was still in her bedchamber and about to argue some more about her remaining in hiding. But his mouth gaped open before he managed to speak a word.

Drat, the chemise was sliding off her shoulders.

He was now staring at her with fiery eyes as she donned the gown. Fiona and Reggie claimed he felt more for her than he was letting on. Perhaps they were right, and his smoldering gaze proved it.

But so what? He was never going to admit it.

“Mrs. Harris, will you help me tie the laces?”

“Yes, Lady Cherish.” The obviously rattled housekeeper hastened to assist her.

Only afterward did Cherish realize what she had done, disrobing in front of the duke as though he had every right to be in here with her and belonged by her side. However, he certainly did not belong here, and she had to rectify her mistake at once. “Your Grace, kindly stand outside and wait for me.”

He laughed. “Did you not think to ask me that before you undressed in front of me? There is no point in my leaving now, since I have already seen everything there is to see of you.”

She gasped. “You have not! Of all the effrontery.”

“Blessed saints,” he muttered. “I’ll strike a deal with you—promise me you will stay up here at least until I calm your uncle down. Will you do this? Then you can join me downstairs and we shall deal with him together.”

“I cannot promise any such thing. You are wasting your time and do not know him as I do. He will not be calmed until he confronts me. How many times must you hear this before you will believe me?”

“Put this out of your head at once. I am not letting him anywhere near you while he is so enraged. Cherish, for pity’s sake. Stop being stubborn and just let me deal with him without having to worry about you.”

“No, and you really ought to stop telling me what to do. This is my family mess and my responsibility to handle. He is always unpleasant, that’s just his nature. Although I will admit, he is exceptionally loud this time.” She sank onto her bed and reached down to put on her shoes. She decided not to bother fixing her hair, since her uncle was bellowing again, and she dared not waste any more time in doing it up properly.

The duke had remarked on what a horrible morning this was turning out to be, and she heartily agreed. If only she could go back to sleep and pretend none of this was happening. But her wretched uncle was intent on causing trouble. That Lady Albin was still here and would be witness to their inevitable confrontation also irked her to no end.

“I am ready, Your Grace.” Her head was now in a spin and the duke was watching her quite intently. She placed her arm in his and smiled up at him, but she could see he was not fooled at all and knew she needed to hold on to him to steady herself.

He cast her a concerned look. “Cherish—”

“ No. I do not need you to act like a protective ape over me.”

“Who is to protect you, if not me?”

“You? Ha! That is a jest. I am going downstairs with you and that’s an end to our discussion. I have to face him now or my life will be intolerable once I am back at Northam Hall.” She emitted a soft breath. “However, I am glad you are by my side. He can be quite a boor, and I think he is angrier than he has ever been with me at the moment.”

“Does this not trouble you, Cherish? It certainly worries me. Why should he be so enraged merely because you are attending a neighbor’s party?” He frowned pensively. “This does not feel right. Something is decidedly rotten about this entire situation.”

She nodded. “Is it not obvious? My uncle has been cheating me, although I do not know exactly what he’s taken from me because no one will tell me. It is becoming clear to me that they have all been in on it. My father’s solicitor, his banker, and my toad of an uncle and his ogress wife. This is why my uncle thinks to keep me confined to our home while his two accomplices will not respond to my letters.”

“They’ll respond to me, that’s for certain. Stay here while I wring his bloody neck and get the truth out of him.”

“You? But you are a Silver Duke.”

“So what?”

“You are not going to be around to protect me beyond these next few days. So kindly do not stick your nose in this and let me deal with him on my own.”

“No,” he muttered, disengaging himself from her and giving her another useless warning glower to stay put. “Do you think I will ever allow anyone to hurt you, whether now, or a year from now, or a decade from now?” That said, he turned and strode down the hall, looking as marvelously fierce as any warrior of legend. All he lacked was a suit of shining armor.

But Cherish did not think he needed one as he marched off to slay her evil dragon.

Was it any wonder she loved this Silver Duke?