Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

" T his is absurd. The Duke must be insane, and I'm no better for encouraging such behavior," Nora muttered as she walked down the stairs to the gates.

It had been a few days since her first night with the Duke. She had thought that the letter would come immediately, eagerly running to the gate to retrieve it, but she'd been disappointed to see that it was empty.

She'd returned by noon, poking through, but much like in the morning, there was nothing to be found there. In the days that followed, she frequented the gate in hopes of finding out when her next visit would be, and every time, she returned to her quarters empty-handed and disappointed.

She'd become the subject of discussion among the servants. She'd heard them talk about how she liked to visit the gardens more. It had turned out to be the perfect ruse for her actions.

"All this because of some stupid letter I'm not certain I'll ever receive," she grumbled under her breath, her lips pulling down in a frown.

She paused just before her feet grazed the last step.

Has he lost interest in me? Would he rather go for someone much like the women he already had?

He had told her during their last meeting that she was more innocent than the types he often went for, after all. It wouldn't be surprising to her if that was exactly what had happened.

Despite her thoughts, a part of her would be disappointed if that truly was the case. She'd finally been able to hope that he would be the solution to the problem she faced, but if he let her go now, she would need to find an alternative to getting the money she would require to escape her stepfather.

She arrived at the gates, never stopping to breathe in the fresh scent of the flowers. Not many people came around here except her and the servants, who often tended the garden, so she did not need to be cautious as though she was doing something wrong—although she was.

Nora pushed the thought away. Her excitement grew as she saw the letter filling up the space she'd grown accustomed to seeing every time she checked. She hurried towards it, chancing a glance behind her just to be certain that she was not being watched. It would do her no good to be caught now, after waiting for so long.

She slipped the letter between her skirts and hurried up to her room, eager to have privacy so she could read it.

Excited, she tore open the letter. Somehow, this felt even more scandalous than what she did to ruin her reputation. Her eyes scanned the letter, and she let out an unladylike scoff.

"The park? Of all places to meet, he chooses the park?"

She tried to ignore the worry, but it was impossible. Her stepfather would send her off for good if she gave him even more reason to do so. After his threat, she'd been careful to avoid doing anything that would only anger him.

"This is such a stupid idea." Nora wrapped her cloak tightly around herself as she looked around her. She'd managed to sneak out of the house once again without getting caught by anyone.

She stopped at the place he'd designated for their meeting and looked around, searching for him. She frowned when she couldn't find him.

"Why couldn't we just meet at his place like last time?" she grumbled irritably, tightening her cloak around herself, this time to shield her skin from the stinging, cold night air against her skin.

Where is he? I am scared.

She She jumped at every noise, no matter how loud or soft it was.

She pressed her back against a tree just as a figure came out from behind it, shocking her. Her screams were cut off by his hand on her lips.

"Quiet, My Lady. Unless you desire to be caught," he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened when she realized who it was. She struggled out of his grip and turned to face him when he let her go. In the cover of the night, she could still see the amused glint in his eyes as he watched the irritated expression she did not bother to hide.

"What are you doing? This is a public place," she hissed, her eyes roaming around the park. "We can be caught."

He shook his head. "You need not worry about that, My Lady. I have never been caught, and I intend to keep it that way."

"Come along," he said before she could say anything.

She frowned at his retreating back and hurried to catch up to him.

They arrived at a thick copse of trees that hid them out of sight of anyone who could be walking around at that time of night.

"You need not be nervous, My Lady. I assure you, I have everything covered, and we will not be found out."

His boldness should've calmed her, but it made her all the more nervous. Boldness often led to errors, no matter how smart one was, and she did not want to have to pay for his errors.

"I must confess, Your Grace, that I do not trust you," she said. She hastened to explain what she meant when his eyebrows rose. "I trust no one but myself and what I can do for myself."

The Duke hummed, regarding her quietly. She wrung her hands nervously as she waited for him to stop.

"You will have to trust me if we are to continue meeting like this, Lady Nora. That is the only way that this will work," he said finally, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"What are you doing?" she asked as her cheeks heated up.

The Duke grabbed his cravat, slipping it from around his neck and wrapping it around his hand.

"Should you wish to continue this meeting, turn around. Otherwise, you are free to walk away, and our agreement will come to an end."

Nora stood where she was. On the one hand, she didn't wish to continue taking any more of these risks, and trusting him seemed like such a far leap of faith, seeing as she hadn't known him for long. However, she was here for a reason, and at the moment, the Duke seemed like the only one who could get her what she wanted.

He'd paid her the money for the first night they spent together, and at the end of this night, he would pay her for this as well. She couldn't walk away from any of it now.

What other options do I have? I cannot give up my plan.

She let out a deep breath, and without a word, she turned around. Her breath caught in her throat as the Duke stood behind her until there was very little space between them.

Stay still, Nora. Trust him.

Her

She willed herself, her hands tightened into fists as she fought the urge to turn around and see what he was doing.

A gasp escaped her lips as the cold fabric of the black linen cravat touched her skin. He hummed once more as his hands tied the fabric behind her head. She lifted a hand to touch it, letting out a shuddery breath through parted lips as she struggled against the dark.

"Now, you don't have to worry about being seen by anyone," he whispered in her ear.

"But I can't see either. Shouldn't that make me worry more about my surroundings?" she asked honestly, biting her lip.

She'd never had a blindfold over her eyes before. She hadn't played much as a child, since she was an only child, and after her father died, her mother had withdrawn into herself until she met the Viscount.

She frowned as she remembered her stepfather.

I have to do this if I ever plan to escape his clutches.

She would put up with whatever strange requests the Duke had, as long as it guaranteed her a means of making some money so she could have a better life with her mother without worrying about how they would fare away from her stepfather's influence.

"You have to let me worry about that, Lady Nora," he said, chuckling. "No one will recognize you now, with half of your face covered as it is. Besides, we do have the advantage of the dark on our side. Moreover, anyone out by this time is likely up to more scandalous behavior and might seek to avoid us instead."

She nodded. He was right, of course. "I hadn't thought of it that way." Her voice was small, like a silent whisper that could easily be carried off by the cold night breeze.

Nora wrung her fingers, something that she noticed she did whenever she was around him. There was very little that made her nervous, save for her stepfather and thoughts of her future. The Duke, however, did not evoke the same feelings that her stepfather did whenever he was near her. It was a different kind of nervousness, one she wasn't certain what to label.

"I do hope you were not much disturbed by how long it took me to send you a letter for this meeting," the Duke said, taking her hand in his.

She allowed him to direct her, trusting him despite the deep urge to rip the blindfold off her face. She glowered at the question as she willed her feet to follow his directions.

His deep chuckle made it obvious that he'd noticed, and she bit her lip as her cheeks flushed. She listened in curiously as she heard his footsteps moving around her.

What is he doing?

"I checked morning, afternoon, and night," she said, her voice holding a note of chastisement.

Do I seem pathetic by telling him that?

She rushed to explain before he would think that of her. "I was worried someone else would find the letter before I did, and it would be linked back to me… and you."

"I see." His voice held no remorse. "It's good that you heeded my instructions and checked constantly."

She bristled. She did not know what she had been expecting him to say, but it was certainly not that. An apology, perhaps? She scoffed at the thought. Men like him didn't apologize for anything. He had told her what to do and obviously expected her to obey. After all, he was paying for her time.

She put her hand on her chest, suddenly feeling a little insecure. He'd told her she didn't have to do anything she wasn't comfortable with, but it didn't change the fact that he had bought her time, and as such, he had right over her while she had nothing except the ability to walk away whenever she felt it was too much for her to bear.

"What did you do between our first meeting and now?" she asked him, annoyed by the direction of her thoughts and seeking a respite from it.

He remained silent for a moment but cleared his throat before speaking. "Why, Lady Nora? Do you ask because you miss me and wish to know more about how I spend my days?"

She could hear the smile in his voice, and it only seemed to anger her more.

She glared at him, despite him not being able to see it. "I merely wish to make conversation, Your Grace."

Silence lingered between them as she stubbornly waited for him to answer. He could give her at least that much.

"I am not certain that you will enjoy my answer, but if you must know, I worked. I attended some meetings and saw to some other business matters, and now, here I am with you," he said simply.

"Was that all you did? work?" she asked him, confused.

Nora had always imagined the kind of life she would have when she finally had her freedom. She'd imagined that she would work as a governess for a family while her mother stayed home and enjoyed herself in the gardens of their new home. Yet, the Duke had the kind of freedom she craved, coupled with the fact that he was a man, but he spent all of his time working.

"Certainly. Are there other things that you wish I had done?" he asked her.

She started at the closeness of his voice. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't realized just how close to her he was standing.

"I cannot claim to know what it is men do for fun," she said simply, listening for his next move.

"Pray tell, what did you do while you waited for the letter?" he asked.

Nora's face heated up. Much like him, she had done nothing fun, running to the gate every few hours to check for the arrival of the letter.

"Well, I?—"

His breath on her cheeks stopped her. His hands replaced his breath as he caressed the side of her face softly.

She struggled to control her rapidly beating heart as her chest heaved. His hand trailed down her shoulder and her right arm, wrapping around her hand. His hot breath warmed her cold hand as he pressed it to his lips.

Nora resisted the urge to snatch her hand away. It had shocked her, but more than that, she had been pulled in by it. She frowned at the foreign feeling that pooled in the pit of her belly as he ran the back of his hand down the front of her dress. Everywhere he touched tingled..

"The rumors about you," he began. She lifted her face at the sound of his voice, although she couldn't see him through her blindfold. "Are they true?"

Nora frowned. She'd always thought that this was a secret she would carry with her forever, without any other soul finding out about it, save for her friends, who'd helped her with it.

But why do I want to tell him all about it?

"No, there is no truth to any of it. I spread the rumors myself," she said as she waited for him to respond.

"I apologize. I believe I might have heard wrong, but did you say you spread the rumors yourself?" he asked.

It was the first time she'd heard any emotion in his voice other than amusement, boredom, and mere indifference. She hid her glee at succeeding at something she hadn't realized bothered her. She had suspected there was not much that surprised the Duke.

"Yes, Your Grace. I spread them with the help of my friends. It was the only way I could ensure that my reputation was utterly ruined," she explained.

Silence ensued between them for a moment before the Duke spoke again. "Why did you seek to ruin your reputation? Shouldn't it be of utmost importance to you?"

Nora sighed. "Perhaps I should have. However, it was the only way to make sure I wouldn't be married off."

"I see," the Duke said. "Well, I believe you have succeeded in doing so. Although, none of this explains why you do not wish to marry."

Nora hesitated to answer. "My father died when I was very young, and my mother was beside herself with grief."

Nora She swallowed, shaking her head. "After some time, she married the Viscount—my stepfather. I hate him."

Her hands tightened into fists as she swallowed the dryness in her throat, stopping herself before she could reveal more than she should to the Duke.

Her stepfather was a terrible man, but she didn't know the Duke, so there was no reason for her to tell him everything.

She bit back the frustrated scream that wanted to escape her parted lips. "I'd much rather remain a spinster."

She waited for him to disagree with her and convince her that women were better off married than spinsters. It would only be in line with what most believed, and she couldn't fault him for that.

Hard lips pressed against hers, and Nora, shocked, parted her lips to welcome his. She had replayed their last kiss over and over in her mind, and now she welcomed this one like a dessert she'd been craving.

His hands came up to her neck, every graze of his fingertips burning her skin as he pulled her closer. With a sharp intake of breath, she allowed herself to be consumed by the kiss.

She moved her lips against his, detecting the faint taste of alcohol on his tongue as she sucked greedily on it.

She did not know how long they had been kissing before the Duke pulled away. His thumb came up to her lips, rubbing off the traces of his lips on hers, the only evidence of their kiss being her tingling lips.

She blinked away the trance he had locked her in.

"There is one thing that I am entirely curious about," the Duke said, and Nora listened in confusion, her head a jumbled mess after the kiss they'd just shared.

"How do you manage to get away and meet with me for our rendezvous?" he asked.

Nora smiled. "It is quite easy, truly. Although I have never had to sneak out before, I know the schedules of the servants and the watchmen. It was quite easy to go through the servants' quarters and avoid the servants while doing so. I always wear a cloak so I can blend in with my environment on the chance that I happen upon a servant."

She shook her head. "Perhaps it is merely luck on my side, but so far, I haven't come across anyone yet, and I hope that it remains that way. It gets easier the moment I am able to step out of my home without anyone noticing me. There is the matter of getting a ride down here, but I have mastered the habit of dressing like a commoner or a servant myself."

"I am quite intrigued by how well you have managed on your own so far. I will have to send you a carriage after this so that there will be minimal risk on your part, should you choose to continue with this after tonight. Remember that all of this is dependent on you, and you can put an end to it whenever you choose."

Nora nodded, a part of her relieved. Although she didn't think she had a choice but to continue, it made her feel better that she was given the illusion of one.

Samuel pressed his lips to hers once again, pulling her lower lip into his mouth and enjoying the taste of her.

The Duke groaned against her lips as his thumb circled the base of her neck, pulling her closer to him.

He pulled his lips away from hers, chuckling when her lips followed his. She opened her eyes to glare at him, just before his hands slid around her neck.

His hand slid down the front of her dress, moving across her breasts, above the thick fabric. Nora bit back a gasp as he continued, his eyes fixed on her.

He moved lower to her waist and pulled up her dress, staring at her. Her brow furrowed. She knew not whether to stop him or let him continue, although her body craved his touch.

She gasped as the cool night breeze kissed her exposed legs. His fingers ran up her thighs, stopping at the heat of her core. He slid a hand up and down her center, stopping at the tiny nub of her sex.

Nora moaned as he rubbed her clit, gasping with her mouth wide open as she clutched his arm tightly.

Nora whimpered when Samuel suddenly pulled away, frowning at him.

"We can continue this in our next meeting," he said, grinning at her.