Page 15 of Duke of Bronze

CHAPTER 15

A nna,

I shall send for you at precisely three o'clock for our second engagement. Kindly refrain from bringing your dogs. It would be most unseemly if you insisted upon a pack of overzealous beasts interfering in what I am certain will be a most delightful afternoon.

—C

Anna read the note thrice, her grip on the parchment tightening with each passing moment. Kindly refrain from bringing your dogs? Well, then. If Colin thought to dictate the terms of their outings, he would quickly find himself in a most unexpected predicament.

A slow, deliberate smile curled her lips. No, she would not comply. In fact, she would do quite the opposite.

And why should she not? Did he presume her incapable of managing her own affairs? Did he believe she required the presence of a chaperone simply because Society dictated it so? He was mistaken—sorely mistaken.

The thought alone steeled her resolve. If Colin wishes to assess me, then I shall do the very same. He is, after all, a rake of the highest example. What better way to gauge his true intentions than to see precisely how he reacts when the proper constraints of society are absent?

Anna folded the note and slipped it into the top drawer of her escritoire, ensuring it would remain hidden from prying eyes. She would not take her lady's maid, either. Titan and Plato would suffice as guardians of both her virtue and her dignity. And more importantly, they would keep her mind firmly grounded in reality.

It was an impeccable plan—one that had no possible consequence except proving once and for all that she was utterly immune to Colin's ridiculous charm.

At half-past two on the fateful afternoon, Anna found herself orchestrating what she could only describe as a great deception.

"Miss Watson," she said airily, pretending to examine a bolt of muslin, "I have quite suddenly decided that I should like to wear my pale green dress to dinner this evening. The one with the lace trim."

Her maid blinked. "The one currently at the bottom of the laundry pile?"

"The very same," Anna said, mustering the most innocent expression she could manage. "I do hate to trouble you, of course, but would you mind terribly ensuring it is pressed and aired? I should so like to wear it."

Miss Watson sighed, clearly weighing the merits of challenging her mistress's sudden whims, but at last, she sighed in acquiescence. "Very well, my lady. But it shall take at least an hour, if not more."

Anna did her very best to feign disappointment. "Ah, well. I suppose I shall have to endure the wait. Thank you, Miss Watson, truly."

Her maid cast her a suspicious glance before gathering the offending dress and departing, no doubt muttering about Anna's peculiarities under her breath.

And just like that, the path was clear.

Anna wasted no time. With a swift motion, she snatched up her gloves and bonnet, fastening them hastily as she strode toward the front hall. Titan and Plato, sensing adventure, trotted at her heels, their tails swishing with unbridled enthusiasm.

She had nearly made her escape when?—

"Anna."

She froze mid-step. Her father.

Her pulse gave a mortifying little jolt before she turned to face him, schooling her expression into one of perfect ease. "Papa," she greeted. "I did not realize you had returned so soon."

Sebastian was shrugging into his greatcoat, his sharp eyes assessing her with the shrewdness only a father could possess. "Only briefly," he said, his gaze lowering to the two hounds at her side. "And where, pray, are you off to with Titan and Plato?"

For the first time since conceiving her brilliant plan, uncertainty lodged itself in her chest. Lying to her father had never come easily, nor had it ever been necessary. But today—today was an exception.

"The park," she said, forcing lightness into her tone. "They were restless indoors, and I thought a walk might do them good."

Sebastian's brow furrowed slightly. "And Miss Watson?"

Anna's chin lifted. "Already outside."

A moment passed—one that felt uncomfortably prolonged. But at last, her father nodded, seemingly appeased. "Very well," he said, reaching for his hat. "Do not wander too far."

Anna forced her shoulders to relax. "Of course not, Papa."

Thankfully, the Copperton carriage was not parked directly before the house, a small mercy for which Anna was grateful. At the very least, she would not have to endure the scrutiny of the household staff or—worse—her father should he glance out the window.

The moment she descended the steps, the coachman stepped forth. His gaze briefly settled on Titan and Plato, but if he was surprised by their presence, he wisely chose not to show it. Instead, he assisted her into the carriage.

The journey was uneventful, though Anna found herself peering out of the window often. The streets of London eventually gave way to the less crowded lanes of the outskirts, and with each passing mile, curiosity wound itself around her like an insistent vine.

Where in heaven's name is he taking me?

The question should have alarmed her. It would have alarmed any sensible woman. And yet, there was no fear curling in her stomach, only a restless sort of apprehension.

What if she had made a mistake by deceiving her father? What if leaving Miss Watson behind had not been a show of independence, but foolishness?

Her grip on the window's edge tightened. But just as quickly as the doubts surfaced, they were dismissed, for through the glass, she caught sight of a tall, broad-shouldered figure waiting ahead.

The carriage slowed. Colin stepped forward just as the door swung open, reaching up to take her hand. "Anna."

She allowed him to assist her down, prepared—despite herself—for the brush of his lips against her knuckles. A great thud interrupted the moment as something large and uncoordinated tumbled from the carriage behind her.

Colin lurched backward, eyes widening in dismay. "Good Lord!"

Plato scrambled to his feet with an eager shake, his massive paws leaving an indelicate print upon Colin's otherwise immaculate boots.

Colin's lips parted in clear outrage. "You brought the dog?"

Anna, feigning innocence, tilted her head. "Dogs," she corrected, just as Plato attempted to nuzzle against his breeches. She barely had time to smother a laugh before Titan followed in equal enthusiasm, bounding forth with a wagging tail and a woof of satisfaction.

Colin let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before muttering, "I should have known." He briefly closed his eyes, as if summoning patience from the heavens. "Simple instructions. You would endeavor not to follow."

"I was not aware our arrangement required obedience on my part." Anna grinned, utterly unrepentant.

Colin looked into the empty carriage, and his brows furrowed. "Where is your lady's maid?"

Anna gestured toward the enthusiastic pair before them. "I have all the chaperones I require."

For a moment, he simply stared at her. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "You really are more than a handful of a woman, are you not?"

She lifted her chin, refusing to be unsettled by his amusement. Colin's surprise had already faded, replaced by acceptance. He was utterly unbothered by the absence of a proper chaperone. And why should he be? He was a man accustomed to the reckless and the improper.

This is a test for us both, is it not?

She had dared him to meet her on equal footing, and he had done so without hesitation; but the true challenge was hers alone, and she must pass it. She must contain and extinguish these foreign emotions he so effortlessly stirred within her. Because there was no other choice.

"How, pray, is your reckless departure a fair game?" Colin's voice rang out behind her, laced with both indignation and amusement.

Anna barely spared him a glance, too preoccupied with the sheer exhilaration of the wind rushing past her. But her laughter nearly faltered when she heard a chorus of frantic barks erupt behind them.

Glancing over her shoulder, she spied Titan straining against the coachman's grasp, the small gray pug wriggling with the determination of a creature three times his size. And then—disaster. With one final, spirited leap, Titan broke free, his stubby legs moving at an impressive speed as he bounded after her.

"Titan, no!" Anna called, though her plea was utterly ignored.

Plato, not one to be outdone, let out a great, joyous bark and promptly followed suit, his massive dark frame charging forward like an overgrown bear.

The coachman, to his credit, attempted to give chase. But his efforts were laughable against the boundless enthusiasm of Anna's unruly canines. He made it a few determined strides before, with a beleaguered sigh, he skidded to a stop, throwing up his hands in surrender. "Confounded beasts!" he bellowed after them. "Come back at once, you unholy menaces!"

Anna could scarcely contain her mirth, her shoulders shaking with laughter as she urged her horse faster. Behind her, Colin was similarly besieged, dodging Titan's darting form and Plato's heavy-footed gallop with a mixture of alarm and begrudging amusement.

By the time they reached the copse of trees, Anna was breathless, her heart pounding—not from exertion but from the unrestrained joy coursing through her veins. With practiced ease, she swung off her mount, boots hitting the ground lightly before she turned just in time to see Colin arriving in a flurry of movement—Titan and Plato tumbling after him like a pair of victorious hounds who had successfully hunted their quarry.

Anna crouched, arms outstretched, as the frenzied pair all but collided into her. She let out a delighted squeal as Titan's small paws scrambled onto her lap, licking her hands and face with unrepentant fervor. Plato, less agile but no less enthusiastic, buried his massive head against her shoulder, his tail wagging with a force that sent dust swirling around them.

Colin, still astride his horse, regarded the chaos with a smirk. "Your riding skills, I daresay, are almost as remarkable as your dogs' manners, Anna."

She tipped her head up at him, her eyes gleaming with challenge. "Is that why you struggled to keep pace, Your Grace?"

Colin swung down from his mount, his laughter rich and full. "Struggled? I would hardly call it a struggle."

Before Anna could retort, the sound of rattling wheels drew her attention. The carriage was now rumbling its way toward them, and she spotted the coachman hunched in his seat, his expression one of pure determination.

The moment the vehicle rolled to a stop, he leapt down with the fervor of a man facing his greatest adversaries. Without preamble, he seized the dogs, coiling and recoiling their leashes around his fists as though securing a pair of notorious criminals.

His grip was white-knuckled, his face a most remarkable shade of pink, glistening with beads of sweat. "You," he puffed, staring at the canines with a mixture of wariness and weary resolve, "are not escaping again."

Anna bit her lip to keep from laughing outright, though the twinkle in her gaze was unmistakable. She turned to Colin, who was watching the scene unfold with open amusement.

"Well," she mused, dusting off her skirts, "I suppose now would be the appropriate time to thank the poor man."

Colin inclined his head in mock solemnity. "Indeed. Perhaps he ought to be granted a handsome bonus for enduring such an ordeal."

Anna followed as Colin led her deeper into the copse of trees. After they had walked for several minutes, her curiosity could no longer be contained. "Are you ever going to tell me where we are going, or must I remain in suspense indefinitely?"

Colin did not so much as glance back at her. "Patience, Anna. You might try acquiring some."

She huffed. "I possess patience in abundance, I assure you. But I also appreciate knowing whether I am being led to a picnic or my untimely demise."

A chuckle rumbled low in his throat. "If it were your demise, I should think you would have noticed my villainous tendencies by now."

Anna narrowed her eyes at his broad back. "That is hardly reassuring."

They wove through the dense greenery until, quite suddenly, the trees parted to reveal a breathtaking expanse of water stretching before them. The lake shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, its surface glassy and serene, interrupted only by the gentle ripple of a breeze. The sight of it stole the breath from her lungs.

"Colin…" she murmured, momentarily forgetting her vexation.

He said nothing, and Anna tore her gaze from the water, still marveling at the unexpected beauty of their destination. She found him watching her with an expression that suggested he had anticipated this very reaction.

I cannot allow him to be impressed with his success. She looked away, only for her eyes to land on yet another surprise. A small, elegantly crafted boat tethered at the shore.

"A boat?" Anna gasped.

Colin's lips curled into a wicked smile as he observed her. "Close your mouth, darling, or you'll catch flies."