Free What the Duke Wants by Kristin Vayden

served quite a while ago. Mrs. Pott searched for you, but when she was unable to locate you, assumed you had gone out, your grace.” Murray nodded nervously.
    Charles glanced down to the polished floor. He did have a faint memory of Mrs. Pott knocking on his study door. Why had he not said anything?
    Ah yes, the governess. He was hiding.
    No, not hiding.
    He was thinking. Yes. That sounded ever so much better than hiding.
    Which he wasn’t.
    “Your grace?”
    Murray probably thought he’d lost all his sense. “Yes, well… please have Cook send a tray to my chamber.”
    “Of course, your grace.” Murray bowed and departed to the kitchens.
    Charles strode out into the hall. “That worked well,” he mumbled to himself.
    “What worked well, your grace?”
    “Ack! Berta, Roberty. Whatever your name is!” He calmed his racing heart and adjusted his coat, trying to at least appear in control of himself.
    “Berty. My name is Berty,” the little girl said a wry tone.
    “Where… no… what are you doing?” Charles’ nerves were already shot, if one more person startled him, he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions.
    The little girl shrugged.
    “Where are your sisters?” Charles asked, glancing up and down the hall quickly.
    “In their room.” She leaned forward. “They’re… wait. I can’t tell you.” She gasped and covered her mouth.
    “Tell me what…?” Charles leaned down to Berty’s eye level.
    “Well if I told you then it would be a disaster. You’d ruin it!”
    “I’d ruin it? How so?” Curiosity mixed with severe apprehension clenched in his chest.
    “Because well… it just would.”
    “Your logic is indisputable.” Charles spoke tiredly.
    “Thank you, your grace.” Berty curtsied.
    Was she mocking him?
    She batted her dark eyelashes.
    She was mocking him!
    “Now see here Berty—”
    “Berty! What are you still doing up?” Carlotta’s voice floated down the hall.
    Charles found himself swallowing hard. So much for avoidance. As she walked towards them, he found himself lifting his gaze to watch her approach. She had changed from her wet gown into a deep green dress that showed off the curve of her hips and the smallest swell of her breasts. Her eyes were fixed on Berty but he could swear he saw the faintest hint of a blush deepen the pinkish hue of her cheeks.
    She was delicious.
    “Berty?” she asked again.
    “They were too loud!” Berty whined.
    “Pardon?”
    “They were whispering, loudly. And every time I asked a question, they’d tell me to hush. So I left.”
    “Understandable,” Charles commented.
    Carlotta raised an eyebrow.
    “I’m simply stating that if someone told me to hush, I’d have left too.”
    “I highly doubt you’d simply leave if someone spoke to you that way.”
    “Perhaps you’re right…” Charles felt his lips twitch into a smile.
    Carlotta regarded him for a moment before turning her attention to Berty. “Love, you need to return to your room. Remember what we spoke about this afternoon?”
    “But Miss Lottie! I’m in the hall. The hallway! I am obeying you! Ask his grace! I was not disrupting anybody.”
    “Any one.” Carlotta spoke the words at the same time as he did. He glanced to her, their eyes meeting.
    “Any one .” Berty sighed, correcting herself… and breaking the spell.
    “Be that as it may… you still should head to your room. It’s quite late and you’ve had a busy day.”
    Charles cleared his throat.
    Carlotta glanced at him, her eyes unreadable but he could have sworn he saw mirth dancing in their green depths.
    “Very well,” Berty conceded, shrugging and then skipping down the hall.
    Charles watched her leave and as she ducked around the corner, he reluctantly glanced back to Carlotta.
    She was still watching where Berty had gone.
    So he waited, studying her profile, memorizing the way her pert nose turned up slightly, and the way her jawline angled into the most delicate bow just below her ear. He