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“How dare you speak to me like that,” he growled at her, standing up straight again and leaning over her. “Who do you think you are?”

“I told you that, already,” she said, simply taking some pleasure in how caught off guard he was. “I might be a mute, but you are either deaf or you do not listen so well.”

“I…” He tilted his head, brow still furrowed, caught between anger and pure shock. “My grandmother’s companion, you said?”

“Ah, I see you have finally caught up.”

His upper lip curled into a smirk. “The Honorable Caroline Dowding? Your father is a viscount?”

“That is why I called myself as such.”

“It is no wonder you have chosen the life of a companion then,” he chuckled coldly. “No doubt, it was quickly realized that a life among the peerage was not suited to someone as…” His eyes flashed at her. “… unrefined as yourself. And when your father’s own stable hand turned you down, you came to decide that you had no other choice.”

Her eyes widened. “That is… that is not… you have no idea as to what you speak.”

He shrugged, evidently pleased to have the upper hand again. “Perhaps if you could string more than a single sentence together, you could enlighten me. A shame then that even such a simple action as that seems beneath you.”

Oh, he was even worse than she had thought! Clearly his ego was even grander in stature than he was, and to have it attacked at all brought out a side in the man that Caroline was certain even Esther would not approve of.

The Duke still stood over her. Still leered as a means to intimidate and put her in her place. And while she was undoubtedly taken by his physical presence, forced to look up while doing all she could not to back away, Caroline steeled herself and fixed him in a glare because she had been through too much and suffered too often to let him simply walk over her.

“I must admit, Your Grace, I was surprised when the carriage pulled up outside this manor, nominating it as your home.”

The Duke’s frowned, again caught off guard by the parry in conversation. “Meaning?”

“Well, we passed a stable on the way—just a mile down the road. And from everything I have heard of you, why, I simply assumed that was where you might bed down for the night. Oh sure, the pigs might complain a little—the smell…” She curled her nose. “But for one as refined as you, I am sure they would be willing to accommodate.”

Caroline could not help but smirk proudly at herself. More so when she saw the outrage in the Duke’s eyes. Why, to look at him, one might have thought that she struck him across the face, such was the pure shock and surprise and inability to believe the words that had come out of her mouth.

“What is the matter?” she pushed on bravely. “Do not tell me that this mute was able to insult your fragile ego? Not bad for one unable to string a sentence together.”

“I…” His face was turning red, and she could see the anger in his eyes. “I would not say such things if I were you.”

“And why not?”

“It amuses me that you mistook a stable for my own home, for it is clear to me now that it is you, Miss Dowding, who belongs in one.”

She scoffed. “Is that the best you can come up with?”

“You should count yourself grateful that it is. I see that my grandmother has been kind to you… far too kind, letting your tongue wag without consequence. The same cannot be said whilst you are under my roof.”

A raised, derisive eyebrow. “That sounds like a challenge.”

His eyes flashed, and suddenly, he had a hand on her waist. She gasped and tried to wiggle free, but his hand was so largeit wrapped half her body, and he squeezed tight, holding her in place as he stepped in close. His large body pressed against her own, blotting out the world so that she could look nowhere but upon his furious visage which locked her in with a snarl.

“You are my guest,” he growled as he leaned down close; his breath was warm on her face, and it made her shudder with a sensation that went beyond fear. So powerless. So helpless. “And because you are such, I am willing to ignore the slight you have just brought.”

“I…” she stammered, unable to speak for her heart beat such that it hurt.

“But I must warn you, Miss Dowding…” He fixed her in his stare, and she could not look away, “I am not one to be spoken to like that. Is that understood?”

“Y - yes,” she somehow managed.

“And while you are under my roof, you will treat me with respect. Is that understood?”

“I am sorry…”

“Good…” He bared his teeth. “If you behave, then there is no reason that you and I will not get along swimmingly. Correct?”