Page 26 of A Duke for Stealing (The Devil’s Masquerade #4)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“ C ome along, girls,” Rose urged, beckoning to Leah and Diana.

It had been a week since they’d returned from London, and though Everett had agreed to take her to the Devil’s Masquerade, he had not brought it up since. The idea still echoed in her mind, but there had been plenty enough to do back at Stapleton to keep her from lingering on the idea.

As she’d promised, she had gone right to work helping Everett try to connect with his nieces.

She’d pulled him from his work to dine with them every night, and most nights he would join her in reading the twins a story.

Though they were hesitant at first, the twins were warming up to him.

Today, she was planning on taking their relationship a step further.

“Where are we going, Lady Rose?” Leah asked as she and Diana met Rose by the front door.

“It is a surprise,” Rose answered, giving them a wink and a smile. “You will have to go outside to see.”

Both girls giggled, then raced through the front door the moment Rose opened it. She quickly followed them out and joined them at their side as they stopped before Everett. His handsome face was beaming down at the girls as they looked at him. In his hand, he held the reins of two horses.

“What are you doing out here, Uncle Everett?” Leah asked.

“We are going on an adventure today, girls,” he replied, hunkering down to meet their eyes.

Rose watched as both girls’ eyes lit up with excitement.

“We are?” Diana asked.

“But you always have work during the day,” Leah pointed out. “You never have time for us.”

Rose’s smile faded a little at the unintended harshness of Leah’s truthful words, but when she looked at Everett, she saw him nod.

“That is usually true, Leah,” he agreed, “However, today is just for us. If you shall allow me the honor of your company.”

Diana looked ready to say yes, but Leah grabbed her hand and gave her uncle an inspective look.

“If we are truly going on an adventure, then we shall need a knight to accompany us,” Leah replied.

Everett gave her a most serious look as he nodded and stood up.

“Well then, a knight you shall have,” he replied with a dramatic flair. “And a knight you shall need. For we are journeying to the great lake where the water dragon lurks.”

“An adventure indeed!” Leah exclaimed, finally showing more of her excitement. “But wait! You will need to protect Lady Rose as well.”

Everett raised his eyes toward Rose, and the smirk that touched his face as his gaze grew warm sent not an itch- but a tingle down her spine.

“Oh, of course, we must all protect Lady Rose,” he replied.

She bit back her smile as she shook her head at him. There was no denying it. The two of them were getting closer by the day.

“Come along, girls, let us saddle up,” Rose said, clapping her hands as she stepped to join them. “Mrs. Mulberry has packed us a lovely picnic basket to enjoy once we make it there.”

With both twins now heartily excited for the adventure, they followed instructions willingly.

Everett swung Diana up upon the saddle first, then Rose.

Though she did not miss the way his hands lingered on her hips or squeezed her thigh once she was up on the saddle.

He gave her a flirtatious wink as she looked down at him, then went to his own mount.

With care, he placed Leah in front of the saddle, then swung himself up to take his place behind her.

Together they took off down the gravel road, and the four of them enjoyed the peaceful ride to the lake.

The moment they were let down from their saddles, the twins took off toward the bank.

“Do be careful, girls!” Rose shouted.

“We are well!” Leah called back, brandishing a fallen stick. “We are preparing to fight the dragon!”

Rose took a tentative step toward them as Leah found another stick and handed it to Diana. As if they both had the same idea, they began an imaginary swordplay.

“Girls!” She called again, but as she tried to take a step toward them, she felt Everett’s hand on her shoulder.

“Let them,” Everett urged, his eyes on his nieces. “I have never seen them play this freely.”

“What if they hurt themselves?” Rose asked.

He glanced down at her, gave her shoulder another squeeze.

“What if they don’t?” He asked.

Though still apprehensive, Rose stayed put and allowed the girls to play.

As she watched them battle pretend dragons and other mythical creatures, she relaxed.

The girls were careful with their swings toward one another, only clashing their sticks together at the very top and away from one another’s faces.

It was only when they faced their pretend foes that they gave heavy whacks and shrill battle cries.

“They are remarkable little creatures,” Everett murmured after a while.

Rose turned to him, saw the love and wonder in his eyes as he looked at his nieces and nephews, and felt her affection toward Everett deepen.

She had thought at one time that he was a man who could only care for himself, but now?

Now she was starting to see that even if that was true at one time, he was changing.

“Stay,” Rose encouraged, putting a familiar hand to his shoulder, “Watch them have their fun. Perhaps join in. I am going to go lay out the picnic.”

Everett’s green eyes turned to her, that affectionate warmth still shining within them.

“I can help you,” he offered.

Rose shook her head.

“I have been blessed to see this every day. You have not,” she replied. “I shall tend to the nibbles.”

An appreciative smile touched Everett’s lips, and he gave a relenting nod before he turned his focus back to the girls. As Rose walked toward the picnic basket, she found herself humming and smiling.

This is what contentment feels like.

The thought awed her as she realized it was true, and her smile broadened as she shook her head and began to lay out the blanket.

She took her time, placing the plates, cups, and stores of food the cook had prepared for them.

When she finished, she took a step back and looked at how quaint the picnic looked.

A picnic for us. For my family. My family.

That’s what Everett and the girls were becoming.

She turned to call the girls and Everett over, and her smile and heart froze as she saw two people had joined her husband and adopted daughters.

One was a little boy who looked to be just a tad older than the girls.

He was dressed in a simple shirt and trousers —peasant clothing —and had a head of thick, short brown curls.

The other was a woman- a beautiful woman.

Like the boy, her clothes were far simpler, but the brown dress she wore fit tightly along her curves, and the light beige corset that covered it was cinched tightly, revealing a very pert and generous bosom.

Her bright blonde hair was fitted into a long braid, which lay over her shoulder —a shoulder that was very close to Everett’s.

The two looked deep in conversation, gazing at one another with an almost affectionate familiarity.

Rose had never felt jealousy before. Yet as the burning sensation filled her gut and her head, it felt as if they were about to burst with rage, she was able to acknowledge it quite quickly. Her eyes shot back to the boy then, narrowing.

Was he… could he possibly be Everett’s?

As she felt these thoughts and feelings begin to wreak havoc on her, Rose suddenly felt foolish. She had thought…for a moment she had hoped that…

“Rose.”

Everett’s voice broke her out of her intense study, and her eyes snapped to him. He and the woman were now turned away from the children, their focus on her.

“Rose, darling, are you well?” Everett asked, walking quickly up to her. “You look terribly flushed.”

He tried to touch her shoulder, but she flinched back.

“It is this heat, Your Grace,” the woman said, her tone sickeningly sweet as she curtseyed toward Rose. “I am afraid that with all the layers you wear, it can be quite burdensome.”

She then turned to Everett and bowed her head. Everett, though, was still looking at Rose, his brow creased with worry.

“It is why I count myself favored,” she said to him, her smile making Rose want to scratch her eyes out, “My station may not be high, but it allows more comfort. As you can see.”

“And pray tell, who are you and what is your station?” Rose replied icily.

“My name is Penny, Your Grace, and I was just telling the Duke here that I used to work for the former Duke and Duchess of Stapleton,” the woman replied.

Rose gazed at her steadily, trying to determine if she was telling the truth.

“I was just telling His Grace how similar he looks to his older brother,” Penny went on. “He is just as handsome and regal of feature.”

Everett said nothing as he continued to stare quizzically at Rose, even as Penny kept her eyes on him- which only served to further her annoyance.

“I see,” Rose went on, “And what work did you perform for the late Duke that had you so intimate with his appearance?”

Penny’s eyes finally turned to Rose, and her smile turned almost wicked as something dark and possessive flashed through her eyes.

“I held many positions,” Penny replied.

“She was asking me if we had any vacancies in employment,” Everett said, finally adding to the conversation.

Rose suddenly remembered that she was no longer just an Earl’s daughter. She was a Duchess. She was Everett’s Duchess, and she had power.

“Sadly not,” Rose replied quickly, folding her hands together as she raised her chin, “And though I admire you for your earnest look for work, we have nothing for you. Now, I am sure you did not realize this, but the Duke and I are taking a rare day off from our duties to spend with our girls. Please be so good as to respect our privacy.”

Penny’s blue eyes widened with alarm as her fair cheeks bloomed a bright red.

A hint of rage and indignation touched her brow, and Rose calmly raised a single one of hers.

A tense moment was carried out as the two women stared at one another, but Rose refused to look down.

Finally, as if she detested doing so, Penny slowly lowered her gaze and dropped to a curtsey.

“Of course, Your Grace,” she answered, her tone polite but stiff. “Forgive us. My boy only saw your girls playing and wanted to join in.”

“I thought you approached to ask about employment?” Rose countered.

“Either way, we shall leave you be,” Penny replied.

She then curtseyed toward Everett and sharply barked the name “Billy!” As she walked away. The young boy waved happily to Diana and Leah, as if not bothered at all by being called, and quickly joined his mother.

Rose felt Everett’s hand wrap around her forearm, his touch warm and filling her with want. She suddenly hated that he could do that to her, and wrenched it away before it had a chance to grow. She turned away without giving him a single look and began walking toward the lake.

“Rose,” Everett called, “Rose, are you well? You do not seem yourself.”

“Oh,” she said with a bitter laugh over her shoulder. “Is that so?”

Everett caught up to her and gripped her hand.

“Yes, it is so,” he insisted.

“Let go,” she demanded, trying to break away.

Everett’s brow furrowed.

“What has gotten into you?” He asked.

“The question is what or who got into Penny!” She bit out, “Now let go!”

Everett’s brows flew up, and he barked out a surprised laugh at her words.

“Such language for a Duchess!” He exclaimed, “I love it when you speak so brazenly. What is the matter, dear wife? Are you jealous?”

“No!” Rose shot back, but even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. She had never had such a visceral reaction to a woman before in her entire life.

“I did not know her until today,” Everett replied.

He tried pulling her into his arms for an embrace. Rose wanted to believe him, but it seemed too dangerous to do so.

“What do I care? Now let go of me, Everett,” she insisted, pushing back.

“Not until you tell me you believe me,” he countered calmly, his voice dipping into a seductive tone.

Rose hated how her body reacted to the sound of his voice. Pathetic. I am pathetic.

“Do not speak to me in such a tone. Speak to me as the true Everett or not at all,” she demanded.

Everett’s amusement slipped from his face, and though he did not let go, his grip grew gentler.

“I do not know her, Rose,” he stated. No flirtation this time. No attempt at seduction. Just genuine sincerity. “Tell me you believe me.”

She wanted to—Everett would never know how much she wanted to—but she couldn’t. With all her might, she pushed away from him, finally breaking free- but the bank of the lake was slick, and as she propelled herself away from him, she lost her footing and fell into the lake.