Page 15 of Her Rogue of a Duke

She blinked, somewhat surprised at his easy acquiescence to her terms, but then she reached out and grasped his hand in hers.

Now, the small hope that Lord Terrell had crushed with his betrayal sparked back to life. She might yet be able to secure her father’s legacy, her home, and her future before it was all too late.

CHAPTER NINE

Joshua could not focus. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get the events of the night before out of his head. Not only Francesca’s strange request, but also their kiss. It had been more intense than he could have ever anticipated and he could not help but wonder what might have been had she not so abruptly put a stop to it.

Seated in his study at noon, his gaze lingered blankly over the array of documents on his desk, though he had made little headway with them. His mind was preoccupied, not able to understand his reaction to Francesca. He had never really thought of her as a… well, a woman. She had always been a source of irritation to him, nothing more. Yet, last night, when he had held her in his arms, and her soft curves had been pressed against his body, he had found her far from irritating.

Then, of course, was her peculiar request. Why did she want his help finding a husband? Where was her father in all this, and why was she so eager to marry sooner rather than later?

So many questions that he could not ask her. He was beginning to regret agreeing to that part of their arrangement.

A knock at the study door briefly interrupted his contemplations.

“Come in,” he called out, expecting Warren, whom he had summoned earlier to inquire about the repair status of the library door, which had a tendency to stick shut when closed. Joshua enjoyed spending time in the library, but after getting himself locked inside the room once already, he had avoided going in there like the plague.

What has life come to, fussing over the library door when I should be outside, enjoying myself at Cavendish Hall.

When the door opened, however, it was not Warren as Joshua had anticipated, and instead, he was greeted by the lovely visage of the red-haired Mrs. Clark as she came bustling into the room.

“Apologies for interrupting your work, Your Grace,” she began, offering a curtsy, “but I wished to raise a concern I have regarding Lady Francesca.”

Joshua felt a knot of tension form. “What sort of concern?”

“Well, Lady Francesca has not left her bedchamber since returning home from the ball last night,” Mrs. Clark explained. “She has not eaten anything either. We sent up breakfast andthen lunch, but she did not touch either meal. I am worried that she may be unwell, Your Grace.”

Joshua's concern deepened and mingled with a sense of guilt. He had not thought to check on her at all that morning, despite her being a constant presence on his mind. Perhaps she had caught a cold from being in the rain the night before? If so, he needed to call for Sir Barrows, the physician, as soon as possible. He did not want her condition to deteriorate under his care.

He was about to instruct Mrs. Clark to check on Francesca directly, but at that moment, Warren appeared at the doorway.

“Your Grace,” he said with a bow. “Lord Benedict has arrived.”

Benedict? Now? What in the world is he doing here?

Joshua’s eyes widened when he realized the precarious predicament this put him in, just as he noted Mrs. Clark’s own reaction to Benedict’s anticipated arrival. He had become a nuisance to her after claiming the two must share a familial connection due to the near identical hair they shared, and Mrs. Clark was not one to make light of her ancestry, one she was certainly proud of and would often remind them all of too.

Joshua grimaced at his housekeeper. “Mrs. Clark, go and make sure Lady Francesca does not come out of her room and that there is no sign of her while Lord Benedict is present,” he ordered. “We cannot let it be known that she is here unaccompanied. I… will consider what to do about her seclusionand lack of appetite later.” It would ruin her reputation beyond repair if she was discovered.

Mrs. Clark nodded. “Gladly, Your Grace.”

The housekeeper turned and hurried from the room.

When she was gone, Joshua turned to Warren. “You may send Lord Benedict in now.”

“Right away, Your Grace,” Warren replied, then left the study as well. Joshua made his way to his bourbon decanter and poured two glasses. When Warren returned with Benedict in tow, Joshua handed one to him.

“To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” he asked, moving to sit in one of the cushioned chairs in front of the study’s hearth.

Benedict took the opposite chair, accepting the drink. “You disappeared on us last night, old boy. Thought I would stop by and make sure you had not absconded to the continent or something of that nature.”

Joshua sipped his drink with a chuckle. “No such luck, I am afraid. I simply grew tired of the crowd and the bustle, and left early.”

Benedict nodded, his red hair flashing across his temples. “I thought as much. No doubt Lady Susan’s presence did not help matters in my regard.”

Joshua snorted at that. “It would be rather ungentlemanly for me to say that, my friend… so I shall not say such a thing out loud.”

That made Benedict laugh and shake his head in amusement.