Chapter 5

"What do you mean, she is still here?" Levi asked Thornbury through gritted teeth. "I told you that I wanted her gone by morning."

"Your Grace," Thornbury said as he stood in the door of his bedchamber, holding his hands out in supplication as he pointed to the curtains covering the windows. "Have you looked outside yet today?"

"No."

Thornbury crossed the room and drew back the curtains a few inches. "A significant storm has arrived. There is no way for the carriages to traverse the mud outside."

Levi let out a growl that he knew was quite unduke-like, but it was only Thornbury to hear.

"Keep her to the main areas of the house – the front parlor, if you can. I will be in my study this morning and will take my tea there. Arrange for her to leave as soon as the paths are clear."

"I will, Your Grace, but it could be a few days until the roads dry after the storm lets up. Perhaps you should greet her properly. It might be nice to have some company."

Levi fixed him with a look that he hoped would portray his thoughts on the subject and dash any of Thornbury's hopes.

Thornbury threw his hands up in the air as though giving up before walking out the door, only to be replaced by Levi's valet. Thornbury was more outspoken than most butlers, but of course, he also knew that it was quite unlikely Levi would relieve him of his duties since Levi had no wish to hire someone he knew might run the moment they arrived.

Thornbury had known him since he was a child, so he had ensured that the staff looked after him and his house no matter how much Levi scared them.

When Levi was finally ready for the day, he used the servants' staircase to descend the stairs and find his way to his study, annoyed that he had to sneak around his own property. This was why he never arranged for anyone to be in the house.

He wished he could escape for a ride, but of course, this morning the ground was far too wet and the rain falling far too hard for it to be a safe one, for him or his horse.

Levi couldn't help but wonder how the girl fared today. Thornbury had been right – she was beautiful, not that it mattered any. He wouldn't be looking upon her again.

When he reached his study, he didn't take a seat behind the desk but instead walked over to the group of chairs around a small table in the corner, turning a chair around so that he could see out the window, watching the dance of light across the sky as the rumbles still sounded, some so strong that he could feel the vibrations through his chair.

He didn't have long to wait before the footman arrived with his breakfast, and Levi sat back, kicking his feet up against the windowsill as he ate a piece of toast with his tea.

He was so mesmerized by the lightning that split the sky that he didn't hear the door open.

It was her scent that gave her away first. That light smell of peaches that had followed him home last night.

He stiffened. Had no one told her not to enter?

"Leave me be," he said, keeping his feet planted where they were.

"My lord – I assume you are a lord?" she said, her voice soft and light, making him almost feel guilty about how harshly he was speaking to her – almost.

"Something like that."

"I do not mean to pry. I am simply uncertain what to call you."

That made some sense.

"Call me Levi," he said, hoping she would go now.

"Very well, Levi," she said to his back. "I am told that you had wished me to leave today, but unfortunately the weather conditions make that impossible."

"I see that."

"However, I believe it might be fortuitous, for I would hardly like to leave without the opportunity to properly thank you for what you did for me."

"No need."

He could sense her hesitation at his abruptness, but he had to respect her for continuing on, regardless.

"I told you that I was going to Crawley, but the truth is, I do not even know the person I am to meet there. She is a friend of my friend's, and I am not even certain that I can afford passage to reach her now that I took the complete wrong direction. I was thinking, perhaps I could stay here and work for you. First, to pay back my debt and then perhaps I could earn some money from you."

Her words had come in a rush, as though she was uncertain of what she was saying and now they hung in the air, waiting for his response.

He took a breath.

"Lady Siena, is it?"

"Yes," she said, surprise in her voice. "How did you know that?"

"My servants tell me things," he said.

"You might as well call me Siena, if I am to refer to you familiarly as well."

"Very well, Siena," he said, the twist in his words necessary for he wanted her to lose any feeling of comfort she had about staying here. "There is no debt to be paid. There is no work for you to do. All I want is for you to go when you are able. I do not want you on my estate. I do not want anyone here. Do you understand?"

He heard her sharp intake of breath, and for a moment felt a slight bit of guilt, but this was necessary.

"I—" she began sharply, but then in a lower voice continued, "I do not understand why you wish to be alone."

"It is not for you to understand," he said bitterly. "Just go. In fact, I will give you the money to go, if that is what it takes. My footman and driver will see you wherever you choose to journey to, if needed."

She was silent for a few moments before finally responding.

"Very well," she said so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. "I will go as soon as I am able, I promise, but I am told that the roads will be impassable for a few days at least. I do apologize for being a burden, but until I leave, perhaps we could be friendly?"

For a woman who seemed so timid, she certainly would not take no for an answer. Levi sighed, realizing he had run out of options. There was only one sure way to deter her.

He kicked his legs back down from the windowsill before pushing himself up to stand.

And then, he slowly turned around.

Siena wason the verge of tears. What had she done so wrong that this man was so desperate to be rid of her? He had made it clear that he thought her a fool, to which she agreed with him, but now that the situation was finished, why could he not at least attempt to be friendly with her since they were stuck here together?

She was twisting her hands together, trying to determine just how to apologize, when he finally stood from his chair. He turned around slowly, the right side of his face coming into view first. Lit only by the blue light entering through the window behind him, she was once again struck by how handsome he was, despite the sharpness of his features. Then he turned all the way to face her, and she had to bite down on her bottom lip to prevent her gasp from escaping.

For as handsome as the right side of his face was, the left side was nearly destroyed. Scars lined his cheek, a patch covered his eye, and the corner of his lip was twisted. The raised skin continued down his neck to beneath his jacket, and she imagined that the scars continued down his body – and perhaps internally as well.

She had been trying to understand him. Now it was finally making sense.

The right side of his face twisted to match the left.

"Not so interested in staying now, are you?"

His voice was taunting, angry, but there was more beneath it – pain. Worry, likely that she would do the very thing he was asking her to do and run away.

Instead, she took a few small steps toward him so that she could better see him.

"That looks painful," she said softly.

"You have no idea," he bit out.

"No, I do not," she agreed. "And yet, I can understand your reluctance to allow people close to you."

His forehead furrowed. "Does it not disgust you?"

"No, why would it?" she said, lifting her shoulders. "I am sorry for whatever happened to you, that is for certain, but I must say that I am much more put off by the way that you speak to me than your scars."

He snorted then in what she could describe as near to a laugh. "You must be joking."

"I am not." She paused as pieces of the puzzle began to click into place in her head. "You are the Duke of Dunmore."

"Took you long enough to figure it out."

The bite remained in his words, but Siena was well aware why. He must know of what the scandal sheets said of him, the rumors that circled about him. She wasn't one to pay them much attention, but everyone within the ton knew about the scandal that was the Duke of Dunmore.

"I am sorry for the loss of your brother," she said quietly. "That must have been quite difficult."

"You do not know the half of it," he practically sneered. "But suffice it to say that if Reginald was here instead of me, you would be much better off – you and everyone else."

"How long has it been?"

"Just over a year."

"So, you are still in mourning, then."

He turned his head, studying her. "Are you not frightened?"

"Why would I be?"

"Some say I murdered my brother. You are fine with being alone in a room – in an estate – with a murderer?"

The pain was so evident that it was heartbreaking, and she shook her head.

"From what I can tell, you would give anything to have your brother back and not be sitting here in this current predicament. Besides, if you were the kind of man who would hurt me, you would not have helped me escape from those ruffians and then invited me into your home and left me untouched."

"Perhaps that is why I want you to leave. So that you do not tempt me."

She laughed wryly. "I doubt that is the case."

He said nothing to that but studied her with the one blue eye that she could see.

"Well," she said, not knowing where else to take this conversation. She had questions, of course, as this man had been the subject of much speculation and here he was now in front of her, the duke who had disappeared. But he was clearly not inclined to share, and to push would likely have him letting her out into the rain. "Do you have a library?"

He seemed startled by her change in discussion, but he nodded. "Of course."

"I shall go peruse it, then. If you wish to spend any time together, I am more than happy to do so. Good day, Your Grace."

She strode toward the door and had just opened it when he made a grunt behind her, and she looked back over her shoulder.

"Levi," he said, already turning around to return to his seat but she could still hear him. "Just call me Levi."