Page 48

So, she hadn’t guessed about today, at least. Frederick’s reason for visiting London at such short notice. Not that this made him feel any better.

Had she found out about the previous day, and what he and Miss Dowding had done? Surely not! Unless Miss Dowding had told her, but that seemed unlikely also. Best to play it cool, Frederick decided… even if just the mention of yesterday had his heart pounding and his manhood stiffening as he remembered the taste of Miss Dowding and the way he had made her moan…

“Wh - what of it?” he managed, a shake of the head to center himself. “I am not in trouble, am I?” He then laughed.

She rolled her eyes. “I wished to see if you enjoyed yourself is all. You left quite the impression on those who you were willing to speak with. And…” she scoffed, “those willing to speak with you.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

“And…” She smirked. “… if I remember correctly, I seem to recall more than one offer of potential courtship suggested by many a respected friend of mine. Lord Chesterfield, if you will remember?—”

“I am going to stop you there, for now, I see what this is really about,” he cut her off. “In fact, I am starting to wonder if the garden party itself was thrown for nefarious reasons that had nothing to do with you wishing to see your friends.”

“What are you suggesting?” she touched her chest as if insulted.

He looked at her flatly. “I will take a wife when I am ready, grandmother. And until I am, I do not need you playing matchmaker.”

“Well, somebody has to!”

“No, they do not.” He looked warningly at her. “While I appreciate the concern, I will remind you that where my love life is concerned, you should not be.”

“You are a duke!” she protested. “And to be single for this long is?—”

“My choice,” he said, keeping his calm the best that he could. “Now, if you do not mind.” He stepped around his grandmother and stormed inside with his mood thoroughly plummeted.

Why was he even surprised? With his mother and father both having passed, his grandmother clearly thought the task of finding him a mate now fell on her shoulders. Which it did not! But try telling her that. In fact, with the way she had been pestering him these last few days, Frederick was beginning to wonder if she had started the fire herself! Forcing her to move in with him, giving her closer access to his personal life and a greater chance to badger.

A ridiculous notion, he knew, but he would not put such a thing past the old woman.

“And Miss Dowding?” his grandmother called after him, her voice echoing throughout the foyer.

Frederick froze mid-step, pulse rising. An attempt to flatten the shock and fear that swept over his face at the mention of Miss Dowding’s name, he turned back to find his grandmother smirking.

“And what of her?”

“Nothing…” Her smirk grew. “I just saw the two of you together is all. It looked as if you were getting along. Quite well.”

Flashes from yesterday. Their argument. Frederick throwing her on the couch. His face between her thighs. Her body writhing from pleasure as he sucked and licked and?—

“I was just doing as you asked,” he somehow managed, forcing those thoughts down. “Being polite.”

“It sure looked it.” Her eyes flashed knowingly.

“I know what you are implying,” he spoke carefully, “and I ask that you stop right now. Miss Dowding is…” He grimaced. “… my daughter’s governess, and that is all she is.”

“The daughter of a viscount.”

“And your companion, meaning that when it is time for you to leave, I fully expect her to go with you.”

“But—”

“Enough!” he snapped, an action which had little to no effect on his grandmother. “I will not have this conversation with you. Is that understood?”

His grandmother could not have looked more pleased with herself. “Food for thought, Frederick. Food for thought…” She tittered lightly, folded her hands behind her back, and walked on by without another word. Not that she needed to say anything, for her meaning was only too clear.

Frederick groaned and ran a hand through his hair as he watched her go. He had enjoyed yesterday—and not just what had happened in the drawing room but everything before that. The pleasant conversation. The banter. The realization that Miss Dowding was far more than he had originally thought… so much more. But for all of that, Frederick realized now more than ever that it could not go on.

His grandmother was becoming persistent. She would continue to badger. The only way to stop her was to announce unequivocally that he had no desires whatsoever for Miss Dowding, and to do that…