Chapter 9

The fear and pain in Alice’s eyes transformed into self-righteous rage, and Duncan cursed silently at how her beauty seemed to amplify when she was like this.

“You cannot be suggesting that I had done this on purpose?” she scoffed, her hand still stuck to the table.

Her cheeks became infused with a bright red blush, and he could not tell if it was out of rage or embarrassment. Pleasure lanced through him as the blush took over her and she continued to glare at him. He liked her like this—bright, fiery. He held back the seductive quip on the tip of his tongue and instead chose a more witty answer.

“With the number of times I have had to rescue you so far? I am genuinely starting to consider it,” he retorted, returning the glare she was giving him. “Now, relax your hand.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed at him with distrust. It shouldn’t have bothered her. But it did.

“What?”

Duncan brushed his fingertips across the top of her wounded hand, a gesture that soothed the pain in her palm.

“The piece of wood stuck in your palm is probably jagged,” he explained, sliding his hand up to her wrist. “So, if you relax…”

Duncan rubbed his thumb gently under her wrist, and he felt her hand sink down a little more at the coaxing motion. There was no way to make the release painless, so as soon as he felt her hand go limp and he saw the anger in her eyes fade away, he quickly moved her hand slightly down and then up, setting her free.

A painful gasp broke through Alice’s lips, and before he could stop himself, he brought her wounded palm to his mouth. His gaze fixed on hers as his mouth latched on to the jagged cut, and she went still and silent.

Something dark and possessive slid over him as he sucked out the little bits of blood-coated wood from her palm, using his tongue and teeth to judge that he’d gotten them all.

When he was sure he had, he pulled her palm away, pulled out his kerchief, and spit the offending pieces into it. After tucking it back into his pocket, he untied his cravat and wrapped it gently around the wound. It had bled a lot, for how small it actually was, and he was relieved it would not require stitching.

Alice’s eyes were still bright with anger, but now something else sparkled beneath the emotion. It was something that beckoned to his inner desires, taunting them to come out and play. In his last shred of control, Duncan let go of her hand and stepped away, his entire body screaming in protest as he did so.

“You really must be more careful,” he insisted, pulling fresh air into his starved lungs.

Unable to help himself, he glanced back toward her. She had not moved, save to cradle her wounded hand with the other, and the anger in her eyes was gone. To his surprise, she then nodded.

Suddenly, he wanted that spark in her eyes back, and he balked at her defeated acceptance. He wanted her to obey willingly for her own good, not like this. Unable to take it, he looked away again and focused on what he had come to tell her in the first place.

“I do not want to keep you from your company any longer,” he said, thrusting his hands into his pockets so as not to reach for her again like he wanted to. “So let us discuss this small matter.”

“You have my attention,” Alice informed him, forcing herself to calm down.

She was still angry at him for blaming her for yet another accident that was not even her fault, but what Duncan had just done to her hand had buried it somewhere deep. The pain from the splinter had been excruciating, but it had dissolved instantly the moment his tongue slid across the open wound. It should have disgusted her that he had done it, but instead, it had formed a river of fire that spread through her veins.

“Some dignitaries are coming to stay here for a few days,” Duncan explained, his voice strangled.

Did his little act of primal doctoring affect him too?

“I need to smooth some things over after the issue at the docks. They need to be assured that our trade routes are safe and that their products or crews aren’t in danger. There will be four of them, and they will be bringing their wives.”

“I see,” Alice said with understanding, forcing her other thoughts away.

This was not a couple’s issue but a societal one, and it would be her first true step into her new duties. No more practicing. It was time for the real thing.

“Very well then,” she replied, her mind running through her newly-learned protocols. “Have Mr. Fletcher share any personal information we have on them with Mrs. Fletcher. It will ensure a more personal accommodation in their rooms. Then I shall meet with the staff and plan the meals, teas, and such, as well as some entertainment. Some Pall Mall, perhaps? And some parlor games as well. We can certainly procure an invitation to a ball or festival. A play or opera, even. Oh, I shall also summon the local modiste. If we can afford for each of their wives to have a dress made for them by our local fabrics, I believe it would be an excellent touch.”

She had started to pace slowly as she ticked each task off on her fingers and had not noticed that Duncan was looking at her with an incredibly soft gaze until she almost walked into his chest. Her insides melted as she looked up at him, and she felt her hopes miserably rise again.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them, feeling her embarrassment and arousal fight for dominance. Rage suddenly crept up past both of them though, and she forced herself to take a step back. It was his fault her body reacted like this.

Duncan’s lips curled into a small smirk as he looked her up and down and shook his head.

“Am I not allowed to be impressed?” he asked, feigning disappointment as he put a hand to his chest. “In truth, I did not expect you to be so ready.”

Alice wasn’t sure whether to be appreciative or insulted by his comment, but the insult won out when he added, “You are rather adorable when you’re mad at me, you know.”

“I am not mad!” she hissed, feeling the urge to slap the smug, approving look off his face.

Duncan’s smirk grew bigger as he cocked his head slightly to the side, his mask adding a deviously handsome touch. “Are you sure about that?”

Alice clenched her hands as she pressed her lips tightly together and glowered at her husband, feeling trapped. If she said what she wanted, she would prove him right, but if she kept it inside, she’d only frustrate herself further. It made her furious, and the effect his stare was having on her was only making it worse.

“Don’t you have an emergency to attend to or something?” she huffed, giving him a cool glare.

His eyebrow rose challengingly. “Want me gone again so soon?” he asked, taking a step toward her as his warm gaze suddenly turned cold.

No, not really.

“Not from this house but from this room,” she stated clearly, trying to sound casual as she crossed her arms and took a step back from him. “I must plan, and you are distracting my thoughts.”

Some warmth returned to Duncan’s eyes, but as he nodded, Alice saw conflict flash in them. She wondered if she could somehow possibly be having the same effect on her husband as he was having on her.

“Plan tomorrow,” he replied, the tension breaking between them as he walked away from her. “Today, go be with your family.”

“You can join us for lunch,” Alice offered, suddenly feeling guilty for the temperamental way she’d just handled the conversation.

It wasn’t like her to be so impulsive with her feelings, and she felt unsettled by her behavior.

“Another time,” Duncan called over his shoulder, pausing as he reached the door. “Be sure to tend to your hand,” he added in a much gentler tone. “And, Alice? Stop getting yourself hurt. It gives me the most awful of headaches.”

Before Alice could react or respond, he was gone again, leaving her more confused about her feelings, and his, than before.

“Alice, what happened?” Lydia asked, taking her hand quickly once she joined the others outside.

“It is nothing,” Alice replied, still thinking about what had just happened. “Just a splinter. I’ll be fine.”

“What is this that you wrapped around your hand?” Lydia asked, her face scrunched up as she started to tug Duncan’s cravat off Alice’s hand.

Alice withdrew her hand quickly, wrapping her other hand around the piece of cloth protectively.

“Nothing,” she replied, ignoring the looks Lydia and Barbara exchanged. “Come. Let us get on with our visit. You will love the gardens.”