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The dowager frowned. “Did my son purposely delay you?”

“Oh, no. It was my fault in choosing to pay a call on him when I did. You see, I had finished my morning rounds and could have returned to the vicarage as the skies began to turn gray and threatening. But I thought I had time to squeeze in one last call. His Grace generously gave me tea to warm me up and ginger cakes to eat because I must have appeared hungry and bedraggled.”

The dowager smiled. “I did not realize my son was so considerate.”

Ailis tried not to grin, but Jonas’s mother knew how much of a curmudgeon he was and had hit the mark with her comment. “I left as soon as we noticed it had begun to snow hard. But I made it no more than halfway down the drive when my mare slipped on a patch of ice and off I tumbled.”

“Landing on your shoulder and badly injuring yourself,” the dowager said with genuine sympathy.

“Yes. The fall left me stunned and I was in too much pain to even lift myself off the ground that was already covered in snow and ice. The next thing I knew, your son was at my side and comforting me to keep me calm. He carried me into the house and…”

Ailis sighed, for this explanation sounded awful, even though what happened next was completely innocent.

“Your Grace, none of the bedchambers other than his were made up at the time. So he put me in here while he fixed my dislocated shoulder. He was brilliant, and I would have been in utter agony had he not known what to do. I also had a mild concussion from the fall, and—”

“Oh, you poor dear!”

“It was not my best day, I will admit. Your son decided it was best that I remain in here, since I would need watching around the clock for those first few days. Mrs. Fitch, or one of the household maids, was with me at all times. Your son was a complete gentleman, I assure you. Nothing…”

Well, he had kissed her with hot desperation.

She cleared her throat. “No one could have provided better care.” But she groaned inwardly, knowing her face was now aflame, because how could she ever forget his exquisite kisses?

“I wanted to go home, but he refused and insisted on waiting until the snowfall stopped. He would not place his staff in danger, you see.”

His mother arched an eyebrow but said nothing, so Ailis pressed on.

“The snow went on for days, as you well know, since you were forced to take refuge in one of the coaching inns for several days yourself. He had planned to deliver me home tomorrow, perhaps even this afternoon if there was enough of a thaw.”

“But we arrived early.”

Ailis nodded. “So I am now stuck here, poised to ruin my reputation because I am found where, under normal circumstances, I should not be. My good name is the dearest thing to me. In truth, it is everything to me.”

She dared to meet the dowager’s gaze and held steady. “Nothing untoward happened—I give you my word of honor. Your son is noble in every way.”

The dowager remained silent, giving little of her thoughts away.

Ailis felt compelled to continue, although she really did not have to convince a mother about the qualities of her own son. “Your Grace, how did you manage to get here so quickly? The storm only ended this morning.”

“It only ended in the Broadmoor valley this morning, but it had cleared out over a day ago where we were staying, just south of here. Poor Edward rode on ahead and needlessly faced the tail end of the storm the entire way. He should have stayed put and come with us, but he insisted on getting here first. He says it was to give Mrs. Fitch time to ready the rooms and have meals prepared for us, but I’m sure his reasons had mostly to do with warning his brother. ”

“He only arrived a short while ahead of you,” Ailis said. “I wanted to leave as soon as the snow stopped, but His Grace was concerned the roads were still too hazardous. Apparently, Lord Langford was wrong in confirming they were too dangerous to cross.”

“Was this the only reason my son wanted you to stay?”

“He was not keen on having me here any longer than necessary. But he also had a medical concern about keeping me here an extra day or two. You see, he did not want me to resume my duties at the vicarage just yet. He was worried that I would start working too soon and strain my shoulder.”

“Sounds reasonable,” the dowager mused, casting her a sympathetic look. “Your uncle must be worried about you, however. Has my son sent word to him?”

Ailis nodded. “His Grace sent one of the grooms to tell him of my injury as soon as it happened. The lad’s mother is the vicarage housekeeper and resides close to the church.

Since the snow had only started a short time beforehand, he thought the boy could deliver the message and just stay home with his family to wait out the storm. ”

“Most considerate of my son.”

She nodded again. “Yes, it was. He really is a fine man. It sometimes takes some doing to draw his good nature out of him. One must be persistent and tug hard.”

Jonas’s mother arched an eyebrow. “You seem able to do this.”

Ailis gulped, realizing she might have been too casual in describing the duke.

“Me? Oh, I am the worst at it. It often takes me three or four tries before that icy shell of his starts to thaw and he gives in to my requests.” Now that she had poured her heart out to the dowager, she was not certain what would happen next.

“Your Grace, I must leave. This must be obvious to you. But your son dares not have me go yet because…this innocent situation looks so bad.”

The dowager’s eyebrow was still arched, and yet revealed nothing of what this daunting woman was thinking.

Ailis pressed on. “Everyone will think it outrageously funny that the Duke of Ramsdale was caught with a young woman in his bedchamber. But I will be the one condemned and ruined for the mere sin of falling off my horse. I don’t know how to protect myself from such infamy.

Your son understands my concerns, and I hope he can come up with a plan to get me out of here quietly.

I had a plan of my own. But what is the point of any of it now that you’ve seen me? ”

The dowager had it in her power to destroy Ailis.

Would she do it?

The worry got to Ailis, and she began to cry.

The dowager took Ailis’s hand in hers. “My dear, no one beyond me and my sons will ever know of your presence. Please do not fret about this. But you must realize you cannot be around him while these young ladies are here.”

Ailis felt overwhelmed with relief. “I fully understand, Your Grace. I have no intention of interfering with your attempts to marry him off to one of those diamonds. In fact, I heartily agree with your efforts to see him happily settled. He should have attended to this years ago.”

The dowager’s expression turned wistful. “I know, but he’s been through so much… I could not add to his burdens back then. However, I think enough time has passed and his awful wounds ought to have healed by now.”

Ailis wished she knew more about the duke’s past beyond the snippets of gossip that were probably distorted and false for the most part. She was about to commiserate with the dowager when the door suddenly burst open and Edward hurried in. “Miss Temple, I—”

He blanched upon seeing her seated beside his mother.

“Oh, hell.” He adjusted the spectacles on his nose. “Jonas is going to be mad as blazes about this.”

“Indeed,” the dowager intoned. “ Jonas is not the only one going to be mad as blazes. What was he thinking to leave Miss Temple in his bedchamber? Or put her in here in the first place? Fetch him for me, Edward. And kindly refer to your brother as Ramsdale. He is the duke now and has been for many years. He deserves to be addressed with due deference.”

“He hates being addressed by his title,” Edward muttered, but gave a curt bow and left to do her bidding.

It was not long before both brothers returned.

The duke was livid. To say that he was breathing fire was an understatement. His eyes were dark as ink. His expression was raw rage.

He looked dangerous, quite simply fearsome and frightening.

Despite everything, Ailis melted at the sight of him.

But he was not looking at her—his attention was fixed on his mother. “Give me one reason why I should not toss you and that gaggle of squawking geese in the parlor out on your arses right now,” he said with a low and lethal growl. “Who gave you permission to enter my quarters?”

Ailis drew in a breath, surprised by the force of his anger. It was not aimed at her, but she did not want him taking it out on his mother, either. On impulse, she reached out to put a protective hand over the dowager’s slender fingers.

The duke noticed the gesture.

So did his mother, who cast her a smile in response.

Ailis drew her hand away, realizing how inappropriate it was to touch the duchess, even if it was only meant to be a kindly comfort. “I’m sorry.”

“Miss Temple, my mother does not need you to protect her from me,” the duke said, his voice still low and dangerous. “But she does need to give me an explanation for invading my bedchamber.”

Ailis swallowed hard and nodded.

The four of them were now enclosed in his bedchamber, for he had made certain to firmly shut that door behind him and close them all in the large room that had suddenly become as stifling as a tomb.

Wouldn’t all his guests notice his absence? And especially think it odd to hold a family meeting in his bedchamber?

Had anyone followed him up here? Perhaps that someone already had their ear to the door.

The duke, looking quite fierce and imposing, folded his muscled arms across his chest. “Mother? Have you anything to say for yourself?”

The dowager tipped her chin up in defiance. “A mother can sense if something is troubling their children. I was merely worried about you and had to know if something bad was going on.”

“Bad?” He glanced at Ailis, still scowling fiercely. “I am no child. You could have just asked me.”