Page 109 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

That can never happen. He will make this as tough as possible.

There was a small sound that made Joane turn around but no one was behind her. She turned back and noticed it was coming from her father. It was a sinister chuckle that eased itself out of his mouth; little by little, it became louder until it became full blown laughter. His wrinkled forehead shook and the tiny dots of sweat on them broke into each other. Joane looked at William. He kept a statuesque expression. Joane wanted to stretch her arms and wrap it around his stiff neck. She felt bile rise in her at her father’s reaction.

The Duke laughed aloud for a few minutes. When it ended, it was abrupt.

“And do you actually believe something like that can happen? Do you truly think I would even hear of something so preposterous, talk less give my permission?” the Duke asked William.

William rubbed his right hand on his forehead.

“Yes sir, I do think there is a possibility, no matter how remote it is,” William answered.

The Duke nodded his head. He looked at Joane.

“Did I not tell you to stay away from him? I told you to end this rubbish,” he said.

Joane knew her father; the initial warning was always the soft one. His next sentence would be a shout down. She decided not to reply. It would only yield a more vigorous response from her father. After a while of no forthcoming response from Joane, her father walked closer to her.

“I told you to stay away from him and you then deem it fit to take him inside my house.”

He was shouting now, threads of saliva flew out of his mouth barely missing Joane. His finger was pointing at the entrance. Joane responded.

“Father, please you have to understand.”

“Understand what? That you are so eager to offer yourself to any man that comes running even without your father’s permission. This is silly,” the Duke said.

The Duke turned back to face William.

“I do not want you on my property or seen anywhere near Joane,” he said.

He pointed to the gate.

“Take your horse and leave now or I throw you out,” he shouted.

Joane walked close to her father and knelt gently, clutching folds of his cloth between her fingers.

“Please father, do not do this. For once listen to the voice of your daughter and give her what her heart desires,” Joane asked.

The Duke shook his head. Joane bit down on her lower lip in frustration.

This is not good.

William looked long and hard into her eyes, his gaze holding hers. He nodded after dropping his gaze and walked down the stairs. He stopped on the final one and looked back again. He took one long last look at Joane before completing the descent. The Duke said nothing; a grim satisfied look was stuck on his face. Joane watched William walk away; a long look had crept into his eyes.

This cannot be.

She ran down the stairs and held William. She locked her arm around his left arm and turned to look at her father.

I am not allowing this to happen.

“Father, do not do this. Do not take away your daughter’s happiness because of vain arrogance,” she screamed.

The Duke said nothing. His eyes were still hard.

He is not going to bend.

“If you do this father, be prepared to let your daughter go.”

William snatched his hand out of her grip. He held her by her shoulders and spoke softly to her.