Page 14 of His Scarred Duchess (Imperfect Duchesses #4)

Chapter Fourteen

“ W hoa there! Easy, boy!”

Edmund’s commanding voice rang out as he sprinted towards the stables, his heart pounding in his chest.

He had been following Lady Adeline at a discreet distance, curious about her determination despite her obvious discomfort with the scavenger hunt. But when he heard her terrified yelp, followed by the unmistakable sound of a horse in distress, he knew something was terribly wrong.

As he rounded the corner of the stable block, he quickly took in the scene before him. Lady Adeline was sprawled on the ground, her face pale with terror, as a large bay stallion reared above her, its hooves flailing dangerously close to her supine form.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Edmund lunged forward. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist, pulling her swiftly out of harm’s way just as the horse’s hooves came crashing down where she had been lying seconds before.

“It’s all right, you’re safe now,” he murmured, his breath coming in quick gasps as he held her trembling form against his chest.

He could feel her heart racing, matching the frantic tempo of his own.

For a moment, they stayed like that, both too shaken to move. Then, as the reality of what had just happened sank in, Edmund felt a surge of anger mixed with relief.

“What on earth were you thinking?” he demanded, loosening his grip on her but not letting go entirely. “Don’t you know how easily horses are spooked? You could have been killed!”

Lady Adeline stiffened in his arms, her green eyes flashing as she pulled away to face him. “I didn’t do it on purpose!” she retorted, her voice still shaky but gaining strength. “I was looking for that ridiculous golden acorn when the horse came out of nowhere. I didn’t mean to startle it!”

“Didn’t mean to—” Edmund broke off, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Lady Adeline, surely you must know better than to approach a strange horse without?—”

But his words died on his lips as he truly looked at her for the first time since the rescue. Her honey-brown hair had come loose from its elegant updo, falling in soft waves around her flushed face. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each breath, drawing his attention to the delicate curve of her collarbone, just visible above the neckline of her gown.

Lady Adeline seemed equally affected by his proximity. Her eyes, wide with lingering fear and indignation, now held a different kind of intensity as they met his. Edmund became acutely aware of how close they were standing, of the warmth radiating from her body.

“I…” Lady Adeline began, her voice barely above a whisper. “I should thank you, Your Grace. For saving me.”

Edmund nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He knew he should step back, should put a respectable distance between them. But he found himself unable to move, captivated by the flecks of gold in her green eyes, the small smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

Almost of its own accord, his hand rose to cup her cheek, his thumb gently tracing the line of her scar. Far from detracting from her beauty, he found that the mark only added to her allure, speaking of strength and resilience that called to something deep within him.

Lady Adeline’s breath hitched at his touch, her lips parting slightly in surprise.

Edmund found his gaze drawn to those lips, remembering how he’d imagined their softness. His mind flashed to their encounters—the fiery spirit she’d shown at the masquerade, the vulnerability he’d glimpsed during her attempted escape at the ball.

He found himself replaying these moments, imagining her smile unobscured by a mask, wondering how it would feel to run his fingers through her honey-brown hair.

For weeks, he’d been fighting a growing fascination, telling himself it was mere curiosity about the mysterious woman who’d stood up to him.

But now, with Adeline so close, the scent of lavender enveloping him, he could no longer deny the desire that had been building.

With a low groan, he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with his own. The kiss was fierce and hungry, years of pent-up longing and denial pouring out in a single, passionate moment.

For a heartbeat, Lady Adeline remained frozen, and Edmund feared he had grievously misread the situation. But then, with a soft whimper that sent fire racing through his veins, she melted into him, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair as she returned the kiss with equal fervor.

Edmund’s arm tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against him as his other hand slid into her hair, cradling the back of her head. He marveled at how perfectly she fit against him, as though she had been made for his embrace.

The kiss deepened, their tongues meeting in a sensual dance that left them both breathless. Edmund could taste the sweetness of the punch she must have sipped earlier, mingled with something uniquely her that he knew would haunt his dreams for nights to come.

Lady Adeline’s nails scraped lightly against his scalp, drawing a low, rumbling growl from deep in his chest. In response, he gently nipped her lower lip, reveling in the soft gasp that escaped her.

Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in each other, the world narrowing down to the points where their bodies met.

Edmund knew, in some distant part of his mind, that what they were doing was scandalous, potentially ruinous for them both. But at that moment, with the intoxicating scent of lavender and sunshine that was uniquely her filling his senses, he found it impossible to care.

It was only when the need for air became too great to ignore that they finally broke apart, both panting heavily. Edmund rested his forehead against hers, unwilling to let her go completely.

“Lady Adeline,” he breathed, her given name falling from his lips like a prayer. “I?—”

“Oh my goodness!”

The shrill exclamation shattered the moment like a thunderclap.

Edmund and Adeline sprang apart, turning to find Miss Amelia Carstairs standing in the stable doorway, her eyes wide with shock and no small amount of glee at having stumbled upon such a scandalous scene.

Behind her, Edmund could see his grandmother and Lady Gillingham, both wearing expressions of mingled surprise and… was that satisfaction?

As Edmund met Adeline’s wide, panicked eyes, he knew everything had changed.

For better or worse, there would be no going back from this moment.

It was the sight of Miss Carstairs’ shocked face that finally jolted her back to reality. With a gasp, Adeline pulled away, her hands trembling as she smoothed down her rumpled skirts.

Adeline’s mind reeled, her lips still tingling from Edmund’s kiss. For a moment, she remained frozen in place, her body yearning to lean back into his embrace even as her mind had screamed at her to pull away—which she’d just done. And yet, she yearned for him still…

“No,” Adeline whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “No, this can’t be happening.”

All she could think of was Isabella. Her sweet, innocent sister, whose debut was mere weeks away. How could she have been so selfish, so reckless? If word of this got out, it wouldn’t just be her reputation in tatters—it would ruin Isabella’s chances before she even had a chance to step foot in a ballroom.

Adeline opened her mouth, ready to offer some explanation, some excuse that might salvage the situation. But before she could speak, Lady Alderton stepped forward, a serene smile on her face that belied the calculating gleam in her eyes.

Lady Alderton, ever quick-thinking, stepped forward, placing a restraining hand on Miss Carstairs’ arm. “Miss Carstairs,” she said, her tone deceptively casual, “I believe we took a wrong turn. The maze is this way, if you’d like to continue our tour.”

But it was clear from Miss Carstairs’ wide-eyed stare that a simple distraction wouldn’t suffice.

The damage was done.

Without missing a beat, Lady Alderton changed tactics, a serene smile spreading across her face that belied the calculating gleam in her eyes. “Miss Carstairs,” she said, her voice warm but firm. “I do hope you’ll forgive the impropriety. I’m afraid my grandson and Lady Adeline were simply overcome with emotion. You see, they’ve recently become engaged and were planning to announce it at the party this evening.”

Adeline’s jaw dropped, her eyes darting to Edmund. His face was a mask of barely contained fury as he glared at his grandmother.

“Engaged?” Miss Carstairs repeated, her tone disbelief and disappointment at the same time. “But… I had heard nothing about?—”

“Oh yes,” Lady Gillingham chimed in, moving to stand beside her friend. “We’ve been keeping it quiet, you see. Waiting for the right moment to make the announcement.”

Adeline felt as though she were watching the scene unfold from outside her body. This couldn’t be happening. Surely she would wake up at any moment, safe in her bed, this whole afternoon nothing but a vivid, perplexing dream.

But the sharp pinch Lady Gillingham gave her arm was all too real, jolting her back to the present.

“Isn’t that right, my dear?” her grandmother prompted, giving her a pointed look.

Adeline opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She felt lightheaded, her corset suddenly far too tight as she struggled to draw breath.

Miss Carstairs, her eyes narrowing suspiciously, turned to Edmund. “Your Grace, is this true? Are you and Lady Adeline truly engaged?”

Edmund, his face a mask of carefully controlled surprise, hesitated for a moment.

“I…” he began, then glanced at Adeline, his eyes unreadable.

Sensing his reluctance, Miss Carstairs whirled back to Adeline, her tone sharp. “Well, Lady Adeline? Is this engagement announcement to be believed?”

Adeline opened her mouth, but then she closed it. “I… I…” she stammered, her mind blank.

“Oh, the poor dear is simply overwhelmed,” Lady Alderton said, patting her hand sympathetically. “It’s all happened so quickly, you see. And to have the news come out like this… well, it’s no wonder she’s a bit flustered.”

Lady Gillingham nodded sagely. “Indeed. You’re just nervous about the announcement, aren’t you, Adeline? It’s perfectly understandable.”

Both grandmothers looked at Adeline expectantly, their eyes conveying a clear message: Play along, or all is lost .

Slowly, feeling as though her head were filled with lead, Adeline nodded. “Y-yes,” she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s… that’s right. We were going to announce our engagement this evening.”

Miss Carstairs’ expression cycled through several emotions in rapid succession—shock, disappointment, and finally, a sort of grudging acceptance.

“Well,” she said after a moment, smoothing down her skirts. “I suppose congratulations are in order, then. How… unexpected.”

“Indeed,” Edmund said, speaking for the first time since the interruption. His voice was cold, his back rigid as he moved to stand beside Adeline. “If you’ll excuse us, I believe we have an announcement to make.”

Without waiting for a response, he offered Adeline his arm. She took it automatically, her fingers curling around the solid warmth of the crook of his elbow as though it were a lifeline.

As they made their way back towards the main party, Adeline’s mind whirled. What had just happened? How had a moment of weakness, a single kiss, spiraled so quickly out of control?

She was vaguely aware of the two dowagers following behind them, their voices low as they discussed the best way to break the “news” to the assembled guests. Miss Carstairs trailed after them, no doubt already planning how to spin this latest piece of gossip to her advantage.

Just before they reached the edge of the garden, Edmund leaned down, his lips brushing against Adeline’s ear as he spoke in a low, tight voice as he looked over his shoulder at his grandmother.

“We’ll discuss this later, Grandmother,” he hissed, his words clearly intended for Lady Alderton’s ears. “All of it.”

Adeline shivered, whether from the warmth of his breath on her skin or the barely contained anger in his voice, she couldn’t say.

As they emerged onto the manicured lawn, the chatter of the party washing over them like a wave, Adeline felt as though she were walking to her execution.

In the span of an afternoon, her entire world had been turned upside down.