Page 34 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

“See?” she whispered, her eyes fluttering open a little. “You can be a gentleman.”

“Not for long, sweetheart. I certainly can’t remain a gentleman around ye.”

CHAPTER 10

“Where’s Lady Celia?”

Keith tried not to respond as he sipped his coffee. Breakfast had passed without that question being asked, but now that half the day had passed, they could no longer go without someone asking it.

Keith kept his gaze fixed on his coffee, knowing that if he told the story, he would be confessing he had been in Celia’s chamber.

He didn’t think Celia would thank him for causing scandal whilst she was upstairs in bed.

“She’s… unwell,” Diana spoke up from across the table.

Keith raised his head, just enough to meet her gaze. She was a little pink but nevertheless pushed on. He had a feeling she was no fan of having every pair of eyes in the room on her.

“Last night after the ball, she went to the garden to take the air, and a snake bit her.”

“A snake?” Xander repeated in amazement.

“I went to see her this morning,” Violet cut in, laying a hand on his arm. “She’s doing better, though she is very frustrated that she has to stay in bed. She’d much rather be with us today.”

“Is she quite well?” Lady Arundel cried, waving her hands in front of her face in panic. “I know you said you were in need of a physician last night, Your Grace,” she said to Diana, “but I had no idea it was anything so serious.”

Diana looked at her husband beside her before she went on. She clearly took comfort in his presence. Keith saw something unspoken pass between them. She sat taller, a renewed look of confidence on her face as she spoke.

“She’s recovering,” Diana said, smiling a little.

She busied herself with her food, though when she glanced once again at Keith, he could have cursed under his breath.

If anyone in this dining room was of a particularly perceptive disposition, they would surely notice just how many times Diana had glanced at him. Just as Keith debated escaping the room, he grew aware that Diana’s repeated glances had indeed drawn someone’s attention to him.

The Duke of Berkley was glancing his way. Keith forced a smile, trying his best to look as innocent as possible before returning to his coffee.

The moment lunch was over, Keith acted.

He rose to his feet and found a footman at the corner of the room.

“Could ye prepare a tray of food for me, please? Perhaps a teapot too?”

“Did you not eat, Your Grace?” the footman asked in concern.

“It is not for me.”

Keith didn’t want to say anything more. He knew very well that the staff could talk. It was the same in his castle back in Scotland, when he was Laird. Rumors spread like wildfire.

“Very well.” The footman frowned but nodded all the same. “I shall bring it to the top of the stairs in half an hour?”

“Bring it to my chamber instead, please,” Keith requested, not wanting to be seen delivering a tray of food at the top of the stairs.

A short while later, Keith was pacing up and down outside of his chamber. Through the nearest window, he could see the rest ofthe party setting out on a walk to the nearest town. They made quite a group, meaning he and Celia were the only two left in the house.

“Here you go, Your Grace,” the footman declared, appearing behind him with a tray of food.

“Thank ye.”

Keith stood there, rather awkwardly, not walking anywhere as he took the tray from the footman. He wasn’t going to hint at where he intended to take the tray.