Page 15 of A Duke Of Her Own

“He was speaking about me.”

“Yes.”

“You investigated me?”

He took a steady breath. He would not lie to her. “Yes.”

She clasped her arms across her middle as if they were the only things holding her together. He could see the curl of fright in her eyes and something more unfathomable. “You know about my scandal and that I am irrevocably ruined in society’s eyes.”

“Yes.”

A low sound of hurt came from her, and he closed his eyes. “Francie—”

“If you wanted to know something about me, Mr. Crawford, you only needed to ask! Not pry into my private life.”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “The information gathered was mostly public knowledge. My man would not have deeply intruded in your life.”

She flinched, and he silently cursed. He was making a mess. “Allow me to explain—”

She tossed him a glare of such anger and hurt that his words died away. Francie rushed to pluck up her shoes, then hurtled by him as if the devil chased her. Once outside, without acknowledging his shocked brother, she ran down the few steps and into the woods like a gazelle.

“Francie!” Alexander chased after her.

“Xander,” his brother shouted, calling him by his monicker.

Alexander ignored his brother, sprinting down the muddy path toward his lover. He slipped, virulently cursing when he dropped on his arse into the mud, splatters landing on his naked chest.

Francie froze, glancing over her shoulder, indecision flashing in her eyes.

“Please do not chase me,” she said, her voice carrying clearly to him. “It does not matter if you investigated me. Now you know about my disgrace. This … whatever we shared has happened, and I must move on. Thank you for all our incredible moments. I … they were wonderful, and I would not trade them for anything.”

“Do not leave.”

Her expression crumbled for a moment. “I am going to London because I am to marry soon.”

Shock stabbed his heart. “You are engaged?”

“Yes,” she said after a moment’s hesitation, whirled around and rushed away.

I received a letter from my mother today, summoning me to London. Understanding of why she chose those words dawned on him. It was the way of society to render ruined young ladies respectable with arranged marriages. Francie's family had arranged her marriage, and now their time of bliss had come to an end. Anger and denial roared through Alexander, and he pushed to his feet.Francie. Her name was a silent whisper of hunger in his thoughts. Though he wanted to, he did not chase her any further. His heart drummed as he went back to his brother, who watched him with a stupefied expression in his eyes.

“You were just chasing a lady,” James said incredulously.

“Tell me everything you learned about Lady Francie,” Alexander said tightly, ignoring everything else.

James’s eyes widened, and he looked off into the woodland. “Was thather?”

“James!”

His brother’s eyes flashed with blatant disapproval. “I do hope it is not her.”

“Why the hell does it matter?” he snapped.

“Because I have never seen you look at a lady like that before, much less chase after her. And if that woman is Lady Francie, let me assure you, brother, you absolutely cannot marry her. Our mother would faint at the very notion.”

Everything inside him stilled. “Are you presuming to tell me what I can do?”

His brother sighed. “The rumor says the lady is already married.”