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“We did not finish our conversation yet,” he reminded her tersely. He nodded towards his mother. “There will be plenty of time for a tour about the manor later, Mother.”

He watched as his mother bristled. For a moment, he feared she was going to refuse, but then she softened and relinquished her grip on Scarlett.

“Very well then,” she sighed. She patted Scarlett’s hands once more and leaned in to whisper, “If my brute of a son cannot recognize a rare jewel when he sees one,Ican help you find another match. I assure you, I know a lot of upstanding young gentlemen with a better eye and even bettermanners.”

“Mother.”

“All right, all right.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I shall leave you two to whatever important matters you young people concern yourselves with. It’s not definite that you arenotgoing to marry each other after all, so I can chaperone you from right outside the door.”

Hudson eyed her suspiciously when she finally walked out of the study, her head held high—but not without a parting wink in Scarlett’s direction.

He could swear he saw her mouth, “Good luck,” to the redhead just before she closed the door behind her. He narrowed his eyes at the closed door.

Oh, she will need it, all right.

The impertinent, little cat was going to need all the luck in this world.

CHAPTER FOUR

Scarlett decided that she liked the Dowager Duchess of Wolverton more than she did her ornery son. It was also much easier to get on her good side. She was not exactly sure if the Duke actually had a good side she could get on.

After the door closed, he strode over and turned the key in the lock. The mechanism click sounded like her death knell. Like the final nail being hammered into her coffin.

But if he thought that she was merely going to take everything he would dish out at her, he was mistaken. Very sorely so.

“Now that my darling mother hasfinallyafforded us the privacy this conversation requires,” he growled. “I suppose you can now tell me what is it you mean to offer me, My Lady.”

He crossed those muscular arms over his massive chest and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. His entire posture seemed to say,“I’m waiting.”As for how patiently, Scarlett did not know.

Patience and the Duke of Wolverton just did not seem to go in the same sentence together. Nor in the same realm of possibility.

She heaved a sigh of disappointment and smiled up at him. “I meant to ask for a fake betrothal with Your Grace, but since you have refused me in no uncertain terms…” She peered up at him from beneath her eyelashes. “Then I do not feel at liberty to discuss any of the terms with you. Why should I give you anything in return when you have already turned me down?”

She watched a muscle tick in the corner of his strong, masculine jaw and felt like laughing. It seemed that nobody had ever refused his requests before. Truly, somebody should tell this big, sullen Dukenosometimes. It would be good for his character.

He snorted. “According toyourlittle story, you already gave yourself to me. Do not test me, little cat.”

Little cat?

Scarlett bristled.

And why did he have to look so smug about it?

“It was just akiss!” She rolled her eyes at him. “And if I knew you would be so grumpy about it, maybe I should have picked a different duke?—”

“Too bad you didn’t.”

She paused at the murderous glint in his eyes. When had he stepped so close to her?

Her eyes trailed from the savagery flashing in those silver orbs down to the long, muscular legs encased in scruffy breeches. Oh, she could very well imagine that it would not take so much for him to cross the room in a few strides. She, on the other hand, would require much more.

She blinked away the notion of racing across the room with the Wolf at her heels before she could wonder why it intrigued her so.

“Now, you are at my mercy,” he continued in that soft, dangerous tone that sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. He smiled coldly. “For the night, at least.”

He raised his hand, his fingers hovering a mere breath away from her face. Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked up into those wild, stormcloud eyes of his.

And then his hand dropped.