Page 13 of I Never Forget a Duke (The Night Fire Club #1)

It was sometimes interesting to converse with Hugh because he seemed to know some things by instinct but there were still many significant gaps in his memory, including, apparently, the rules for how society was stratified.

And Adele knew she was destined to remain a spinster; she was too old and too poor, and she’d never marry, least of all Hugh.

But she said, “You are a duke and you come from a family with an impeccable reputation. I am a spinster whose father is a politician.”

“Your father is an earl.”

“Yes, but he made a name for himself in Parliament. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the scandal sheets say terrible, untrue things about him frequently, and he is not well liked or respected. I wonder sometimes if this is the reason no one offered for me when I reentered society after my fiancé died. But I think the end result is plain.”

“I’m afraid I still don’t follow.”

Adele smiled. “You are naive, then. Our lives are what they are, Your Grace. I live here and take care of an older woman. You must go back to your life where you will undoubtedly meet and marry a beautiful young woman of impeccable reputation. Where will that leave you and me? We cannot be friends. Men and women are not friends in that way. You will soon forget about me, at any rate.”

“I could never forget about you.”

“That is kind of you to say, but—”

“If I am this all-powerful duke, as you say, why should it not be my choice who my friends are?”

“I have no explanation for why things are the way they are. I only know there are rules that must be followed. By rights, there should be some sort of chaperone in the room with us now to prevent us from behaving inappropriately with each other, only no one can be bothered because I am so undesirable as to be invisible.”

Hugh reached over and cupped her cheek. Unable to help herself, she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. “You are not invisible.”

“No?”

“No. Since I cannot remember all the rules, I will only follow the ones that make logical sense to me. And I see you just fine.”

He kissed her. Adele felt both elation and concern over this course of events, but she kissed him back anyway, letting him slip his tongue between her lips. Heat flushed her face and her heart began to pound.

“Am I not supposed to do that?” Hugh asked.

“Likely not.”

He rubbed her arm. “You are shaking.”

She touched his hand. “You quite literally fell into my life, and I have enjoyed your company immensely. I love when you kiss me. It thrills me in a way I cannot explain. But it is something you should not do if you do not mean it.”

“I do mean it. You have been good to me and I care for you. I cannot imagine leaving here and never seeing you again. I do not want that to happen.”

“But you cannot continue to kiss me if you do not intend to commit to doing it for a long time.”

“You mean if I do not marry you.”

“Yes.” Adele felt her heart break because she knew how impossible this situation was.

She did not want him to leave, but she had to prepare herself for that inevitability.

He barely knew her, and although that was not exactly an impediment to marriage, he was the Duke of Swynford and she was so far beneath him in social rank that he could never offer for her.

“I’ll not be a mistress, and you cannot kiss me if you are married to someone else. I will miss you, however.”

“Why can I not marry you?” Hugh seemed genuinely puzzled.

She reached for his hand and threaded her fingers with his.

“Because of an accident of birth, really. Your family will never agree that I am a suitable candidate for a wife for you. Besides, you only just rediscovered who you are. You cannot make a decision like that so rashly. And you cannot marry me just because you like kissing me.”

“So if I am understanding you correctly, you are upset because whatever there is between us must end when I go back to my old life. However, you have grown fond of me, just as I have grown fond of you.”

“You make my conclusion sound silly, but your memory is not recovered enough to understand the intricacies of British society, I’m afraid.”

“It all seems terribly unfair. If we want to kiss each other, we should be allowed. If I chose to marry you and I am in a position of power, how can it not be so?”

“I suppose that depends on how much you care for the opinions of your family.”

“I cannot remember my family.”

Adele sighed and looked away but did not let go of Hugh’s hand.

“Let us not make any decisions right now. I suppose some dukes do marry for love, but it is rare, and we are not in love. We are fond of each other, yes, but we have known each other a mere week. We should… I will go to bed. Tomorrow will be quite taxing, I expect.”

She had to get out of here. All afternoon, she’d felt her heart cracking. It was silly to have gotten invested in this man, but the truth was that she liked him a great deal. Nothing could ever happen between them, a fact she often forgot when she sat this close to him.

As Adele stood, Hugh stood with her. She began to leave the room, but he grabbed her hand.

“Adele, please.”

“Your Grace, do not… that is, I can’t…”

“If your heart hurts half as much as mine does right now, please do not leave me this way. Please do not just give up. Perhaps I can find a way.”

“I very much doubt that.”

“Before you found out I was a duke, you were not so reluctant to kiss me. Does a title really change who I am so much?”

“In England? Yes.”

Hugh frowned but did not let go of her hand. “Then if all is about to change, I will not be satisfied without one more kiss.”

Adele wanted to resist but didn’t have the will.

Hugh put his arms around her and pulled her close until her body was flush with his.

He pressed his hands against her lower back, grabbing a fistful of her gown, and she put her arms around his shoulders.

He was remarkably tall, but then, she was a little tall for a woman, and she found their shapes seem to complement each other as their lips pressed together, almost as if they were made to fit together.

She sighed into his mouth, committing this moment to memory: the taste of him, the pressure of his lips on hers, the way he smelled.

When at last she pulled away, she said, “I do wish things were different.”

“Me too,” he said softly, his grasp lingering on her hand. He brought it to his lips.

“I should sleep. And you should, too. Your friends will visit on the morrow. They may help you recover your memories so that you no longer have any need of me.”

“I suspect a part of me shall always need you.”

Adele tried not to let that ring in her head as she walked up the stairs.