Page 35 of The Duke's Indecent Match

It was a terrible thing, the way the Marquess of Stilton was treating the Littles.

“My father is a hard man,” Mr.Little agreed.“Very hidebound.Very proper.”

“Know you wan’ her to marry a duke.”Damn, he was slurring again.

“I do, but more than that, I want her to be happy.Please remember that.”Mr.Little cleared his throat.Nathanial opened his eyes and found Mr.Little standing over him again.He took the glass from Nathanial’s hand and gripped it, pulling Nathanial to his feet.“Let me help you to your bed, Your Grace.”

“Yes… bed… I should…” He could not finish the thought.

Leaning heavily on the older man, he managed to put one foot in front of the other, though it took all of his concentration.Dimly, he was aware that the house was very quiet.They went up the stairs, and it seemed to take forever.

One more staircase… but no.He must have miscounted.Maybe it had taken so long because he had not realized they were on the second staircase.That made sense.They were going down a hall.

“In here, Your Grace,” Mr.Little murmured, opening a door.Nathanial could barely keep his eyes open as he stumbled in.It was so dark.

“Light?”

“No, it will hurt your eyes.Here, Your Grace, let me help you with that.”

Mr.Little moved him through the room, helping him strip off his waistcoat and shirt.Thank goodness Nathanial was in his ankle-length boots, having changed out of his riding boots after returning from the ruins.It did not take much to get him out of them and down to his smalls.

“Thank you,” he tried to say as Mr.Little tipped him onto the bed.He was not sure it came out right, though.Not that it mattered.

“Good night, Your Grace.”

The bed was soft.Warm.Far warmer than it normally was.Nathanial felt the dark coming up to close around him.

For some reason, even though he heard the door close behind Mr.Little just before unconsciousness drew him under, he felt as though he was not alone.

13

Kalina

Rolling over, Kalina bumped into something warm.

And hard.

Which made no sense because there was nothing warm or hard in her bed.Shifting, she tried to shove at it.It did not feel as though she was still dreaming.

She heard her bedroom door open, the way she often did when she was just beginning to rouse in the morning.

“Good morning, mi—” Margaret’s voice cut off in a shocked scream.

Eyes flying open, Kalina jerked upright in the bed, her right hand flying out and encountering the warm, hard body of someonein bed with her.She screamed, trying to scramble back, but her legs were caught in a tangle in the sheets.It felt like her heart was going to pound right outside of her chest.

Someone is in bed with me!

Not just someone.

A man.

She felt dizzy as she finally caught a glimpse of his face, his expression turning from peaceful slumber to a frown as he began to stir as well.

Hereford.

Clapping her hand over her mouth, Kalina managed to stop screaming.

What the devil is Hereford doing in my bed?