Page 25 of Her Rogue of a Duke
He glanced up at Joshua, startled by his appearance. “Your Grace…” Lord Terrell began, but his words died on his lips when Joshua slipped his arm around Francesca’s waist and pulled her flush against his side. He glared down at an alarmed Hucklow, silently daring him to say something in protest.
Francesca winced when she felt an arm wrap around her waist, and was even more startled when she looked up to find Joshua standing by her side.
He glanced down at her and asked, “Is there a problem here, my lady?”
She blinked, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to come up with a response. Before she could manage to force any words out, however, Lord Terrell took hold of her hand once more.
“Please, Francesca, I am sorry for my little… indiscretion,” he murmured. “It will not happen again, I swear. Give me another chance.”
By now, most of the crowd had turned their attention toward the Duke and the situation unfolding. Blinking rapidly, Francesca felt overwhelmed and could not fully understand what Lord Terrell was asking her. Joshua seemed to understand, though.
“Excuse us, one moment,” Joshua suddenly declared, steering Francesca away from the Viscount. “I need to discuss a matter with Lady Francesca regarding the fence line between our properties.”
Lord Terrell was left bewildered and sputtering in surprise as Joshua led Francesca away. She waited until they were out of sight and earshot of Lord Terrell, or anyone else for that matter, before she pulled away from Joshua and confronted him.
“Why did you do that?” she whispered demandingly, glaring up at him. “Why did you cause such a scene?”
Joshua met her gaze, his nostrils flaring with apparent agitation. He looked like he wanted to say something, his lips parting, but then he pressed them back together in a thin line and looked away from her.
“You are making things far too easy,” he retorted sharply.
Francesca frowned. “What are you talking about?”
He scowled. “You need to keep your distance from the gentlemen who pursue you. Play hard to get, so to speak. You must not let them think they can easily win your favor.”
Francesca's confusion deepened, her eyebrows knitting together. Was that really what he had meant to say? Why was he acting like this? Protective and overbearing one moment, then flippant and condescending the next.
The bitter disappointment in her chest at his true reason for stepping in took hold and her patience with him frayed as she released a hiss of breath.
“This is not a game, Your Grace,” she snapped. “You cannot expect to meddle in my affairs and jeopardize my future for such trivial reasons! I must marry, and soon, and I have reason to believe you don’t seem to grasp the gravity of my situation. I do not have time to waste with such games!”
Joshua looked momentarily surprised by her vehemence and took a step back as if her words had accumulated to a blow to his chest.
“Francesca, I…” he began, but she cut him off.
“Now if you will excuse me, Your Grace, I must get back to finding a suitor,” she said firmly, leaving no room for further discussion.
Before Joshua could say a word of protest, Francesca spun back around and began marching in the direction of Lord Benedict, Lord Terrell, and the small gathering that had formed. She moved swiftly, intent on distancing herself from Joshua without drawing any more undue attention.
So intent was she in her determination to get away from him, she did not pay close attention to where she was stepping. Suddenly, her foot collided with a large rock, causing her to slip and her ankle to twist painfully. She stumbled, nearly losing her balance completely.
“Francesca!” Joshua's voice, laced with concern, cut through the air as he rushed to her aid. In an instant, his hands were on her waist, steadying her and preventing a fall. “Are you all right?”
His words, though filled with worry, inadvertently turned every eye in their vicinity toward her, igniting a fierce blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. The curious glances from strangers felt like a spotlight, magnifying her misstep. Once she steadied on her feet, she hastily brushed Joshua's hands away,her body flush with mortification. “I am fine!” Her voice was a sharp whisper. “Please, just leave me alone.”
Turning away from him, Francesca could feel the heat of embarrassment burning brighter than the pain in her ankle. She hurried on, each step a mix of a limp and a stride, amidst the whispers and glances of the couples promenading through the park. She willed her tears not to fall, but she wasn’t sure for how long her pride could hold back the dam of emotions that threatened to overflow.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Two days. He managed to stay away from her for two days, but Joshua could not stay away any longer. He could also not afford to lose any more of his money or pride at Cavendish Hall. Typically, he was fairly proficient in card games and other forms of gambling, but his usual concentration had been marred by constant thoughts of Francesca.
Finally returning to Elmcroft after an entire night away, Joshua was more than aware of how wretched he looked. His hair was disheveled and his clothes carried the lingering scent of cigar smoke and bourbon.
Despite it all though, he wanted to see her.
He needed to lay his eyes on her, if only for a moment. That was all he required to give himself some peace of mind, then he could go back to keeping his distance as he had done the past couple of days.
Alighting from his horse by the stables, Joshua handed the reins off to a stablehand who rushed out to greet him. With determined strides, he headed toward the manor’s front door and entered. The moment he stepped into the entrance hall, Warren appeared from out of the shadows.