Chapter fourteen

Missandrei was nervous. 

Eunice was amused .

She'd changed dresses thrice and couldn't sit still. Wolfie and duke were sleep soundly at her feet, her state of agitation not bothering them at all. Eunice meanwhile was curled up quite comfortably on the divan , reading the newest letter from her secret admirer. The countess and her girls weren't yet out of bed never bothering to get up till noon. Her father was having his breakfast in the breakfast room and had nearly choked on his tea when he had seen her ascending the staircase in a proper day gown and not breeches. She'd been tempted to wear breeches, Eunice had frowned at her for half an hour till she'd given up such an idea. Henry for his part had come home at dawn looking worse for the wear and had promptly gone to bed. 

"He says he likes dogs" Eunice said with a smile "not hunting dogs. Domestic dogs. He grew up with four dogs. And he has seen the wall in Rome and gotten shipwrecked once. If all of this is real then he must have lived a most wonderful life" 

Missy ignored her. Eunice was half in love with Belmont . She trusted Belmont. If she suspected his intentions were impure she'd cut off the association. She peeked at the clock at the mantel. Quarter ten. She groaned. The wait was endless. She heard the distant sound of a carriage drawing up. She jumped to her feet , the dogs rising in alert. 

"I think its him!"

Eunice rolled her eyes "Off you go to the other room. You have to make him wait a while"

"why?"

" Because that's the proper thing to do"

Missy huffed "that's the silliest thing I ever heard"

"Can you just listen for once?"

Treson walked in looking thoroughly pleased "The duke of Chadwick"

"The dogs!" Missy cried , panicked "we can't let him see them"

"It's a bit too late for that . He's already Coming"

" Where's my bonnet?"

"I told you not to take it off!" Eunice snapped.

"I will just lock the dogs in the other room and then you can excuse yourself and lead them out later. The bonnet doesn't matter" she whistled. Wolfie stood at alert and came running towards her. The smaller duke ignoring her. 

"Duke! Come here this instant" she snapped "I can't believe I saved you"

"Sandi . He's behind you" Eunice cried out in horror at how wrong the morning was going. 

She whistled again" Eunice! Duke has my bonnet underneath his paws!"

As she lunged for it , a loud whistle rent the room . Everybody froze. Another whistle. Duke and Wolfie went to the whistlers side and sat obediently. Missy's face went from white to pink to bright red. She turned.

The duke stood there in his impressive height and well turned out clothing . His presence made the room seem so small and insignificant. He looked forbidding and domineering. She wanted to sit at his feet and obey him too. She shook her head to clear all the silly thoughts and squared her shoulders. 

"Good morning - Luke" 

Something changed in his eyes. A sudden shift in colors. Was that even possible. 

" Missandrei" he replied "are you ready or shall I give you a minute to locate your bonnet and retrain your dogs?"

She scowled at him "I will need more than a minute . Check with my lady of business for a reschedule of this meeting"

He narrowed his eyes at her. She narrowed hers right back at him. Then his mouth kicked up at one corner. "You look beautiful"

Her narrow eyed glare was immediately replaced with an embarrassing blush.

"apology accepted" she waved a dismissive hand "You may walk with me to the back. I need to put away the dogs while Eunice will fetch me another bonnet"

"and a parasol" he said 

"I stay as pale as this forever. It's my curse"

He opened his mouth to say something, changed his mind then said instead "Lead the way - Missandrei"

The way he said her name. It made her shiver. 

It was clear that Missandrei didn't even know of her own beauty. She thought her skin was a curse. Ah. He had walked into a room in the middle of the chaos and all he'd been able to see for the first few minutes was her. He hadn't noticed the lady's maid till later on. He'd be sad to see her hair covered. He walked just behind her , watching the swirl of her dress over her ankles. Missandrei didn't just walk , she stomped. And she was wearing boots underneath her dress not walking shoes. What an unusual woman. And that's the only thing she could be described as. Not a girl. There was nothing girl about those curves or the mound of her breast or her full , red mouth . He recognized the smaller dog from the day of the phaeton incident. So she'd taken the stray dog in. He didn't know any ladies who wanted to be around dogs. 

"is she also a stray?" he asked pointing at the bigger dog.

"No. she's one of my aunt's pups. The rest were snow white. She was the only black one and she was always hobbling along , I think she was sick as a puppy or something. She was a misfit. I couldn't not have her" her voice was so wistful. So soft. He drowned in it. " she's Wolfie. He is duke" she pointed at the stray "Named after you" then she flashed a bright grin. 

"My name isn't duke" 

"Then why do you always act like you are nothing but a lofty duke" 

His chest clenched. Because that's exactly what he was . A lofty duke . If he lost the title and the lands he'd be nobody. He had been trained into the shoes of the title. He had learned nothing else. He had sacrificed everything for this. Grown up while other boys his age were still in short coats and climbing trees. Studying while boys read erotic magazines and snuck alcohol into their rooms. Maintaining lands and taking responsibility while his mates went to brothels and partook in all sorts of debauchery . 

" Eunice is here with my bonnet and oh- my gloves " her face flushed . 

He watched her tie the plain looking head cap. Then tug on her gloves with such inelegance . The lady's maid scowled at her all along. He wondered what sort of relationship the two had. He didn't know the names of any of his servants. And they wouldn't dare scowl at him. But Missandrei was already unusual in so many ways . What could one more hurt?

"what's your favorite flavour of ice?" she asked as they set off . He took her hand and placed it in the crook of his hand. He felt her shiver. 

"are you cold?"

"No"

"I don't know"

"hunh?"

"my favorite flavor"

She shot him a baffled look "what does that mean? You like them all or you like none?"

"i-" he felt his cheeks going hot . God no. "I haven't had ice before?"

She came to such a sudden stop he nearly heard the screech of her boot. "No friend of mine will an ice maiden" she changed direction. Stomping along the pathway .

"you don't have to stomp. You can always walk" he teased.

"Don't tease me Luke. I get enough about how i walk from Henry and Jon"

Henry was her half brother. Who was Jon? This Jon she seemed to be on first name basis with. He was about to ask when she tugged at his sleeve "We are about to get to the fig tree. You can't say a word till we pass it by. It's bad luck to speak underneath a fig tree"

"thats the most nonsense I've ever heard"

"Just do it . I'm sure staying silent for half a minute won't be such an imposition on you " she said "you might get burnt inside your house like Mrs Rooservelt's son-in-law and then your well formed face would be ruined"

"Do you always believe any story you are told?"

She nodded "Jon says I'm gullible"

He gritted his teeth instantly hating this continues mentioned Jon. 

"there" she pointed at a shop that didn't look like much "You are going to try my favorite. Strawberry flavor and you are going to love it just as much as I do"

The rest of their time went with delightful conversation from Missandrei. She spoke twice as much as him and didn't seem to mind. Each smile she gave him brighter than the last. He walked her home . She grew quiter and quiter as they neared the house . When he made to bang the knocker , she immediately grew agitated and insisted on going through the back. Even the maid looked suddenly nervous. 

"Why won't you go through your own front door ? What's waiting on the other side?"

"it isn't a wild bear or a dragon in case you are wondering" she sighed " nothing quite as adventurous. It's the countess"

"who?"

"my stepmother"

"your stepmother?lady Fensworth? But she's a baroness"

She shrugged "she was married to a penniless Earl. When he died , she married my father. She insists on still being called a countess" then she grimaced "She hates me. Says mean things to me. I try to avoid her" The light that had been in her eye previously was gone "thank you for today Luke"

He bowed over her hand and kissed it. Before he could stand erect once more, she'd already fled to the back. He didn't mind much. He was already plotting another outing with her.