Page 6 of A Tempting Maid for the Beastly Duke (Lustful Lords and Ladies)

Rose knew that leaving early in the morning without even speaking to the duke was rude. But she dared not face him after what had happened the previous night. He came to check on her, accidentally catching a glimpse of her undressing. But that wasn’t the worse thing. What shocked her was the fact that his presence affected her in a way she should not have been affected. She was titillated by his presence, aroused by his manly scent and his unfathomable eyes.

“…fortunately, not that bad,” her aunt’s voice brought her back to the present moment.

Rose focused on the cozy sitting room of her home, her aunt bustling about, fussing over her with gentle hands as she checked the wound on the side of her head. Her brother Henry was seated opposite them, silent but absorbing every single word that was being exchanged between the two women.

“But I still don’t see how this could have happened,” her aunt said, resting her hands on her hips as she stared at Rose.

“I fell,” Rose said, shrugging.

“Well, obviously,” her aunt frowned. “You know that isn’t what I’m asking you. Imagine Henry and me, just sitting here, when a footman comes with word of your injury, that you are being taken care of for the night and expected to return tomorrow. When I asked him to tell me where you are and more importantly, with whom, he said that he was in no disposition to share that. He had only been instructed to tell us that you were all right and nothing else. Why, I have not slept one wink, Rose. I do believe that I deserve an explanation as to what happened last night.”

“Of course you do, Aunt,” Rose sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot to take in these past several hours.”

“Did you stay with that man who brought you back?” her aunt inquired.

“Mr. Hancock? No,” Rose shook her head, then she tried to clarify. “Well, technically, no. And yes.”

Her aunt raised an eyebrow. “How is that possible?”

“Well, he uhm… he is the steward of the man in whose home I spent the night, because of my injury,” Rose tried to explain but she knew that her aunt wouldn’t like the truth. “Mr. Hancock insisted on escorting me back, because he didn’t want me to become disoriented somewhere along the way.”

That was actually only one part of the truth. Mr. Hancock probably didn’t want to have anything happen to her on the way back, but not because he cared about her. On the contrary, it was because he cared about the duke, and he didn’t want to have everyone blame the duke for what had happened or what could have happened. In addition to this, Rose had witnessed his obvious dislike for the townsfolk and how they spoke of the duke. Although she herself had not said a single word against the duke, Mr. Hancock was looking at her with obvious suspicion as well, eager to leave her where he was supposed to and then return to his home.

“So, who is his master?” her aunt inquired curiously. It was evident that Rose was hiding something, and she knew that she’d better tell them the whole truth.

“The Duke of Montford,” Rose said without hesitation, deciding that it would be better to simply state his name quickly.

Her aunt’s eyes widened in shock, but she didn’t say anything, so Rose hastily continued.

“I was in the woods that border with his estate, gathering herbs as you told me to, when I stumbled onto a boar, and he saved me,” Rose revealed, adding more details and shedding light on her adventure from the previous night.

“Well, I’m glad that’s all over,” her aunt said once Rose brought her story to an end. “You don’t have to see that terrible man again.”

Rose bit her lower lip. That bought her a few more seconds, after which she divulged the duke’s offer.

“The duke, he uhm… offered me a position in his mansion as a maid,” Rose told her aunt, knowing that her brother was listening as well.

As she finished recounting her encounter with the duke, her aunt’s expression once again shifted from concern to shock. The mention of the duke’s involvement seemed to bring forth a flood of memories, tinged with bitterness and resentment.

Her aunt paused, her hands stilling as she processed what she had just heard. “Your late uncle used to work for that man, before he was let go.”

The bitterness in her aunt’s voice was palpable, and Rose knew exactly why. It was a reflection of the lingering resentment that simmered beneath the surface of the village’s collective consciousness. Like many in the village, her aunt harbored a deep-seated mistrust of the duke, viewing him as a callous and fickle man who had little regard for the welfare of the villagers.

“The duke didn’t care at all about the consequences of his actions,” her aunt continued, her voice brimming with bitterness which she wasn’t even trying to hide. “He let go of so many good people upon his return, including your uncle, without a second thought. So many people whose lives depended on that employment. Just imagine, Rose, so many families left destitute because of the whims of one man.”

Rose listened in silence, her heart heavy with the weight of her aunt’s words. She had heard similar sentiments echoed throughout the village, whispered conversations and murmured grievances that painted a damning portrait of the duke’s character.

But as she sat there, her mind awash with conflicting emotions and beliefs, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to the story than met the eye. She had seen a glimpse of something beneath the surface of the duke’s fa?ade, a vulnerability that belied the rumors and hearsay that surrounded him.

She wanted to tell her aunt that the duke wasn’t the monster they all thought him to be. How could he be? He saved her. He took care of her. He showed tenderness and concern. No monster had that in him. However, Rose knew better than to argue with her aunt about that man.

“I know all of that, Aunt Cora,” Rose nodded.

“I know you do, my dear,” her aunt nodded, her voice followed by a gentle caution, a subtle warning that lingered in the air, like a whisper of caution in the middle of a storm. “I also know that you are a strong and independent young woman, but… you should decide carefully.”

The warning hung in the air between them, unspoken but unmistakable. There was a subtle shift in her aunt’s demeanor, a silent plea for caution that spoke volumes without the need for further elaboration.

“There is nothing to decide,” Henry suddenly interfered, getting up from his chair and pacing about the room.

Rose followed him with her gaze. This was one of those moments when memories of their parents flooded her, catching her off guard. The older Henry was, the more he looked like their father. Rose could see her father’s eyes in Henry’s, her father’s mannerisms, in some of the things Henry did. It was a bittersweet moment, reminding her of what they had lost.

“What do you mean?” Rose wondered.

“Exactly what I said,” Henry replied, turning to her. He was frowning, obviously displeased with what he had just heard. “Don’t tell me that you are actually considering working for that monster?”

Rose lifted an eyebrow. “He is a man, like any other, Henry.”

“Unlikely,” Henry corrected her. “None of us here are personally responsible for the downfall of dozens of families in the village.”

“I’ve always believed that everyone was responsible for their own fate,” Rose said.

“That is true only when one belongs to the higher ranks of society,” Henry said with disdain. “We are not that fortunate, and neither is anyone else in the village. Besides, who is to say that he won’t let you go shortly after you start working there, just like he did everyone else?”

Rose had to admit that she hadn’t been considering that option. She simply shrugged. “I will come back here and continue helping aunt with her healing business, as I’ve been doing so far.”

Henry shook his head, a look of incredulity cutting her. “His reputation is black as tar, Rose. Or have you forgotten that?”

Rose had to get up this time, but she immediately felt disoriented. She rested on a nearby table, proceeding to remain on her feet, at the same level as her brother. “I haven’t forgotten anything, Henry. It would seem that it is you who has forgotten our dire circumstances and that we need the money. We cannot afford to be picky about the jobs we do.”

“We don’t need help of such… men,” Henry snorted angrily.

At least he didn’t call him a monster this time, Rose thought to herself. That was a slight improvement.

“The duke is a horrible man who dismissed everyone from his manor,” Henry continued.

“There are still a few people working for him, like Mr. Hancock,” Rose was quick to remind him. “And I know for a fact that there are maids and a cook.”

Henry rolled his eyes. “So, three people were kindly allowed to keep their positions. But what about the others? And what about the fact that he is the sort of man who doesn’t refrain from throwing rocks at children, hurting them in the process?”

Rose had to admit once again that she had no retort to that. She realized that she had the chance to ask the duke about that very incident, yet it did not occur to her.

“I’m sure that he didn’t mean to,” she said sheepishly.

Henry grimaced. “Yes. Right. You throw rocks without the intention of hitting your target.”

“All right, all right, children,” their aunt interfered. “You don’t have to argue. We can discuss this in a nice, calm manner.”

Henry turned to her. “And Uncle…” he said, “we all remember how Uncle was dismissed by this same man, and not having employment any longer, not having the means to take care of his family completely shattered him. He died not long after.”

Rose felt a deep pang inside her chest, as if an invisible hand had gripped her heart and was squeezing harder and harder, making it increasingly more difficult to breathe. She couldn’t find the words to talk back, but she didn’t need to, because her aunt intervened immediately.

“That is not true, Henry,” Aunt Cora shook her head, chastising her nephew gently. “Things were difficult, that much is true, but your uncle didn’t pass away because of the duke. Charles died because he was sick, God rest his sweet soul.”

“That may be so, but the duke certainly helped hasten that process,” Henry refused to acquiesce.

“I will not have you talk that way,” Aunt Cora refused to agree. “Just like Rose said, every man has his destiny, and he holds it in his hands. You may not affect certain things, but you can certainly decide what your reaction to those things will be, and that is where control of your own life lies.”

Rose smiled, locking eyes with her aunt. She was grateful for those wise words more than her aunt could ever know.

“You really think that the duke wants to help us?” Henry continued, leaving the topic of their uncle finally alone. “He probably just helped you so that no one would blame him if the boar ended up hurting you worse that you already were hurt.”

Rose remembered how the duke tended to her, how he cautiously remained in the shadows, not to exacerbate her nervous condition any further. He took every single step to make her feel as comfortable as possible around him. That was not the trait of a selfish monster. She refused to believe that. He was simply a man who had been living under the burden of his scars for far too long, turning bitter, and the people around him understood it differently. Instead of choosing to understand him, they judged him.

“The fact of the matter is that we need the money, Henry,” Rose reminded him gently. She hated arguing with him, so she tried to calm down the situation.

“Not that bad,” Henry scoffed.

“Yes, that bad,” Rose looked in her aunt’s direction. “I know that you’ve been trying to hide it from us, Aunt Cora, but business has been very slow. I’ve noticed. If things remain as they are, I fear that we won’t be able to make ends meet.”

Henry locked gazes with their aunt. “Is that true? Are things really that bad?”

Aunt Cora looked down at her feet, and Rose already knew the answer. So did Henry.

“I didn’t want to worry you, children,” their aunt explained. “We always managed to get by… somehow.”

Rose walked over to her aunt, taking her hands into her own. “You took care of us when we needed you. Now, it is time for me to take care of you both.” She glanced in Henry’s direction as well.

“But Rose—”

“No, Henry,” she cut him off. “I am the older one. I will make this decision on my own, and you will comply.”

Henry swallowed heavily. She could see that he didn’t like it one bit, but that didn’t matter. The truth was, they needed the money. And secretly, she couldn’t help but be curious and intrigued by the enigmatic duke.

“All right,” Rose smiled, diffusing the situation. “How about we have some tea now?”