Page 4 of My Blind Duke (The Twisted Dukes #5)

“ I believe this should suffice.”

Checking her appearance in the floor-length mirror, Prudence gave herself a once-over before pinching her cheeks slightly to bring out the color.

Her light blue day dress brought out the slivers of grey in her eyes while the style she had chosen for her hair accentuated the slender curve of her neck. A few loose tendrils hung down the back of her neck, completing the look with an elegant touch.

She had intended to look her very best, in hopes that she would be granted a fresh start with the new duke. But it was hard to believe all would be well after what had transpired hours ago.

Why do I care so much? I can hardly make a good impression after all that happened last night.

She sank her teeth into her lower lip and inhaled deeply, trying to instill a sense of calm in her. Her body still tingled from her encounter with the duke, yet she still was not certain why that was.

“Yes, Your Grace, at once Your Grace!” The distant sound of servants scurrying about filtered through the door of her new, smaller, yet still lavish chambers.

“I suppose the duke is already up,” she whispered to herself before fixing a few strands of her hair in the mirror and making her way from the room.

Her years of studying in a convent had given her a taste of waking at dawn to dress herself and do her hair. It seemed far too frivolous to have her maid help her with everything when she was completely capable.

Even though Anna was the only servant who respected Prudence, she gave her all the space she needed and asked for.

The sight that greeted her outside in the hall caught her off guard as her brow creased into a frown. Maids and footmen alike scurried about as if their lives depended on it.

Spotting a tearful maid who was carrying a stack of linen, Prudence stopped the girl in her tracks. “What is going on this morning?”

It was the same maid who had ignored her request for more drinks the night before. Gone was her haughty irritation and in its place was shock and a newfound sense of reverence as she hurriedly curtsied.

“Good morning, Your Grace. I hope we have not disturbed you. His Grace has instructed us to scrub the house from top to bottom. If you are comfortable with it, we would like to start in your new chambers as soon as possible,” the maid said and then curtsied a few more times in quick succession.

This is new.

Prudence stared at the girl for a moment before nodding.

“Oh, thank you, Your Grace! We shall start at once!” The maid began to back away, curtsying repeatedly until she reached the end of the hall.

“What on earth?” Prudence asked herself while shaking her head.

In the year since the late duke had passed, she had never so much as gotten more than a grumble and a begrudging, ‘ Yes, Your Grace,’ out of any of the staff.

“And if I have to tell you to do it again, the lot of you will be thrown out without so much as a scathing reference to your names!” The duke’s deep voice carried up the stairs and down the hall, making Prudence’s heart skip a beat.

Without wasting any more time, she hurried in the direction of the shouting and peered over the railing at the commotion downstairs.

“Things are going to change around here! How have you been caring for the duchess’ needs if you have not even been able to keep the house in pristine condition?” The duke raised his voice even higher, towering above the cowering Mrs. Fairfax and Mr. Jefferson, the butler.

Could he - Is he defending me?

Her heart beat a little faster as her chest filled with confusion. She had not thought that he liked her after their bumpy encounter, yet there he was; scolding the staff for their neglect toward her and defending her position in the house. Did that mean that he would not be ordering her out of the house after all?

Prudence felt a flare of hope at the thought of what that would mean.

“I hope you are taking note of this. You will be next.”

The unpleasant voice of the late duke’s paternal aunt made Prudence grit her teeth as she turned.

“I see you have returned just in time, Lady Clementina.” Prudence forced a smile.

Tilting her head back until her pointy nose stuck in the air, Clementina Hemsworth looked down at Prudence as if she were nothing more than an insect. Her greying brown hair was pinned to the sides of her head in elaborate loops, covering her ears from view.

“Yes, my time in the countryside was refreshing, but I am glad I decided to return this morning.” Her dark eyes shone maliciously as her thin lips curved into a nasty sneer.

“I am glad that you enjoyed yourself, Lady Clementina.” Prudence forced back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat.

“Are you? I should think you would be under quite a lot of stress with the new duke taking up residence. Your days here will, after all, finally be numbered.” She laughed openly as the high-pitched sound grated on Prudence’s ears.

“I do not see why. I have just as much right to reside in this house as you do. Some would even go as far as to say that I have more right to it than you.” Prudence shrugged nonchalantly, noting the instant change in the woman’s demeanor.

“Why, you little tart! Do not you dare think that you have any claim in my nephew’s house! I will let the duke know as soon as possible who you really are. He will know soon enough that my nephew’s death was entirely your fault.” She thrust a bony finger in Prudence’s face and narrowed her eyes.

Refusing to back down, Prudence stared past her finger directly into her eyes. “You had better be careful with your threats, Lady Clementina. I have already met the new duke, and I do not think that he will fall for your tricks and schemes.”

Uncertainty filled the older woman’s eyes as she lowered her hand. “What have you said to him about me? I demand to know at once what you have been saying behind my back!” She hissed through her teeth like a feral cat.

“I have shared nothing but my unbiased opinion of you, my lady.” Prudence smiled innocently, reveling in the fact that she had shaken the old bat.

Clementina Hemsworth had made it her life’s mission to make Prudence’s life as miserable as possible. She had not liked Prudence very much before the wedding, but her hatred had only increased when her beloved nephew had been found dead in her chambers.

“Why you little–” Lady Clementina was about to raise her hand in the air when Anna came walking around the corner.

“I beg your pardon, Your Grace. I do not mean to interrupt, but Lady Melanie has arrived with all of her belongings.” The maid eyed the old woman suspiciously as Clementina quickly placed her hand behind her back.

“Lady Melanie?” Prudence looked up with a frown, momentarily distracted.

“Yes, Your Grace. Were you not informed about her? Lady Melanie is the duke’s eight-year-old daughter. His Grace did not want to disrupt her schedule, so he allowed her to travel this morning.”

He has a child. Is he married?

The pit of Prudence’s stomach churned uncomfortably as she wondered what their encounter in her chambers had meant if the duke had a wife. And if he was married, had he been referring to his wife when addressing the staff?

No.

She quickly reasoned with herself that the duke had specifically scolded the housekeeper and butler for not looking after her needs. It would not have made sense for him to refer to his wife who had not even arrived.

Prudence shook off the thoughts before addressing Anna. “Very well, please ensure that Lady Melanie gets the best treatment and that all of her needs are met.” She dismissed her maid with a nod.

Lady Clementina barely waited for Anna to round the corner before turning to Prudence with a smirk. “Intending to curry favor from the little brat will not work you know. Regardless of whatever schemes you might eventually orchestrate, the duke will inevitably throw you out on that pampered little backside of yours!” The wrinkles around her mouth deepened as she laughed.

“Unlike you, Lady Clementina, I simply want the little girl to feel welcome in a strange new home,” Prudence walked past her before looking back over her shoulder. “And I would wait to meet the new duke before you set your heart on me being thrown out. Mrs. Fairfax and Mr. Jefferson have already been scolded this morning for mistreating me!”

The old woman’s face turned a deep shade of red as Prudence made her way down the stairs and into the bustling hall below.

“My apologies for being late, Your Grace, I had not realized that you had all been seated.” Prudence hurried into the dining hall and took a seat a few chairs down where her place had been set opposite that of Lady Clementina and her companion, Henrietta.

Henrietta raised her neat eyebrows at Prudence while offering her a timid smile as a way of greeting. When Clementina turned to her sharply, the smile twisted into a sneer, meeting her mistress’s approval. It had always been like this, Henrietta was forced to take stances that Clementina would prefer, never uttering a word of complaint.

Everything – right down to the clothes Henrietta wore and the way she did her hair – was all done according to Clementina’s preferences. Prudence had often wondered if the solemn look in Henrietta’s eyes was merely an expression of resignation to her fate or a cry for help.

Although she was a timid little thing, Prudence knew very well that Henrietta was observant. Nothing escaped her notice in any situation. It was one of the reasons why Clementina kept her close.

“You are not late. We were simply early since Lady Clementina saw fit to seek me out before dinner,” the duke grumbled before taking a sip of his wine.

Clementina pursed her lips into a thin smile while reaching for her glass of wine.

“You may serve the first course,” the duke commanded the butler with a flick of his wrist.

Jumping into action, the older man with thin grey hair gave the orders to the footmen before returning to his post beside the door.

“Forgive me, Your Grace, but will Lady Melanie not be joining us tonight?” Prudence asked as she looked around the table for the little girl.

Scoffing openly, Clementina rolled her eyes. “How uncultured of you not to know that children are to be seen and not heard, Your Grace. What place would a little girl have at the dining table?”

The duke seemed irritated by the remark, if the way he clenched his jaw was anything to go by but turned his head toward Prudence instead. “I thought it best for Lady Melanie to eat with her governess in the nursery this evening.”

“I do not necessarily agree, but who am I to question your decisions?” Prudence defiantly turned her attention to the plate of soup placed before her on the table.

The hearty smell of freshly cooked parsnips wafted up to her nose as they began to eat.

“How do you find the first course, Your Grace? Our cook is renowned in London. He has apprenticed in France, you see,” Clementina boasted, obviously attempting to get back the duke’s good graces after her misstep.

The sound of his spoon clattering onto his plate echoed through the dining hall as he grunted, grabbing a napkin.

“Ugh. That is disgusting!”

“I beg your pardon? B-But I personally approved of this dish!”

“Is that so? Because that would mean there is something greatly wrong with your palate and you should never be allowed near the kitchens again,” the duke hissed as he pushed his bowl forward with one hand, using the other to wipe at the corners of his mouth with his napkin.

He lifted a hand in the direction of where the footmen were standing. “One of you, look into my bowl and tell me what is wrong.”

Rushing forward, a footman peered into the bowl before turning a sickly shade of green. “Well, Your Grace, this is highly irregular, b-but there seems to be a few f-fish scales floating in your soup.”

The women all quickly looked at their bowls, simultaneously heaving sighs of relief when they did not see anything at all.

Prudence even went as far as swirling her spoon around in the rich orange broth but came up empty-handed.

Clementina was seething and pointed at the butler who had also stepped toward them. “Jefferson, explain yourself this instant!”

“This has never happened before, Your Grace! I-I am not sure how this–” The butler stuttered until the duke raised his hand to stop him.

“Please, Jefferson, I do not think for a moment that any of the staff has tampered with my food. Summon my daughter at once. I think you will find her quite close by instead of in the nursery.” He shook his head angrily while fidgeting with the edge of his napkin.

Lady Clementina pulled her nose up at the bowl of soup in front of her and pushed it away. “This is highly unacceptable. I will not be content with such uncultured behavior! How is one meant to dwell in one’s home peacefully if such occurrences will be a norm–”

“Then may I remind you, Lady Clementina, that you are under no obligation to reside in this house? You may relocate to one of your other residences whenever you see fit. Perhaps you and your companion would like to have the rest of your meal in your chambers?” The duke barked at her, tightening his grip on the napkin.

“Your Grace, I was merely–”

“I do not care for your pointless opinions. Get out. Now,” he snapped, his tone stating clearly that this was no debate.

A look of utter astonishment came over her face as Clementina’s mouth fell open. “Well, I will do as you say then, Your Grace. I know that you must still be exhausted from your long journey.” She pushed her chair back and gestured for Henrietta to follow, scolding the poor woman under her breath as they left.

It did not take long after they left for the butler to reappear in the doorway with a small girl at his side.

“You wanted to see me, Papa?” Her bright blue eyes shone mischievously as she tilted her head to the side with a sweet smile. The dark ringlets framing her face added to the cherub innocence of her round face despite her misleading smile.

“Would you care to tell me what is in my soup?” The duke’s voice was dangerously low as he turned to his daughter.

Placing her hands behind her back and pursing her lips, Lady Melanie stood on her toes and attempted to peer into the bowl. “Well, it seems to be fish scales,” she said with the same sweet tone that claimed innocence.

Slamming his fists on the table, the duke made them all jump. “You deliberately disobey me. Did I not tell you that I would not be tolerating any more of your rude pranks?”

Prudence watched as the little girl’s smile broadened into a grin, yet her eyes seemed sad. A look the duchess not only recognized but was intimately familiar with.

She had heard from the servants that the duke had lost his wife and was therefore a widower. She could only imagine how Melanie felt, knowing only loss in place of what was meant to be warm, maternal care. And from the look of it, the duke was not the gentle, tolerant sort, so her expression explained quite a bit of the relationship between them.

“Go to your room at once, I will deal with you in the morning.” The duke thrust his napkin aside and shook his head in disgust while the butler came forward to remove the offending soup.

Melanie turned on her heels, but not before shooting Prudence a strange look with an even stranger smile.

Heavens, I know that look as well. I am up next , Prudence thought with a tired sigh.

Prudence watched closely as the little girl sauntered from the room. Her attention was drawn back to the duke when he muttered something under his breath. “Forgive my intrusion, Your Grace but… I do not think you should have been so harsh with her. She is in a new home, after all, and is bound to be confused and scared–”

“And I will remind you to keep your opinions to yourself while you are living under my roof,” he barked at her with a dark glare that made the pit of her stomach flutter with nerves.

“This is my home as much as it is yours, Your Grace. I will voice my opinions when and where I see fit.”

Clenching his fingers into fists on the table, the duke continued to glare in her direction. “Do not cross me, Duchess. You do not want to end up on the wrong end of my wrath.”

The dark look that bore into her soul sent a shiver of uncertainty down her spine. She could not understand this man, one bit. Why would he go through the trouble of reproaching the servants for mistreating her if he intended to remain hostile toward her?

Her throat suddenly fell too dry as she decided to remove herself from the strange and unpredictable situation. She had only known him for a few hours, yet he seemed to blow hot and cold whenever he liked.

“Since dinner seems to be over, I shall be leaving, Your Grace. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.” She used the back of her knees to push the chair back, causing the legs to scrape over the floor before she made her way toward the door.

A hand shot out and gripped her wrist, holding her back as she gasped in shock.

“You have not been dismissed.” The look in the duke’s eyes almost took her breath away as she gulped. “Or, do you, perhaps, plan to invoke my wrath?” He stood towering above her and took her chin with his fingers. “You tease me with your attitude but I warn you again, I am not to be trifled with.”

Every inch of her body began to tremble as his eyes locked on hers. Whether the sensations stemmed from fear or something else entirely, Prudence was not sure. All she knew was that her body reacted as if it possessed a mind of its own. Her legs almost buckled when he lifted his hand to her face.

Running his thumb along her jawline and lower lip, the duke smirked before tilting her head slightly to the side. “If you are wise, you will run now while you still have the chance…” His voice dropped to a deathly low growl that rumbled in his chest.

“Why… Why would you say that?” Prudence could hardly recognize her own voice as her heart pounded in her ears.

“Why must you feel the need to counter my every statement? Would it not be safer and wiser to listen and obey?” he questioned darkly.

It was strange, how stuck she felt within his grasp. Was he even aware of the power he held over her with his presence? She felt like putty in his hands whenever he was more than a few inches away from her. He had to be aware of what he was doing. Why else would he wear such an expression?

Once more, she was confused by his intentions. Was this his end goal? To keep her around for his amusement?

Perhaps her lack of response served as a sign of defiance, because the duke tightened his grip on her, pulling her flush against him as he said,

“Because if you do not, I do not know what I might do to you. I may not be a dirty pirate, little vixen, but I am just as dangerous…”

His touch was hot, nearly searing her skin along with his breath and although it should have terrified her, she instead found herself wanting to lean in even closer. Prudence wanted to soak up more of the heat that was seemingly filling a hole she had not known existed in her life.

Without meaning to, she shut her eyes and waited for whatever was to come, confused as a sudden gust of coolness overtook her body.

When her eyes fluttered open, she found the duke standing looking at her from a few steps away as his chest rose and fell with every labored breath. The expression in his eyes was almost unreadable, dangerous, and dark. Compared to their former closeness, his sudden absence felt as though a void had been created between them.

I have to get out of here , Prudence thought suddenly.

Logic suddenly filtered through the haze of her desire as she turned from the duke and ran for her chambers, desperate to put even more distance between them. When she was safe and alone, she found herself seeking solace on the ground once more, as her knees gave out from under her.

Her body shuddered with each deep inhale she took to steady her racing heart. But it was not working – none of it was working. All she knew was the tight knot at the bottom of her stomach and the dampness between her legs.

The duke… he was bad for her. Prudence could taste it.

He… that man means trouble.