Free What to Do with a Duke by Sally Mackenzie

asked.
    â€œYes.”
    She laughed. “Gammon! Everyone knows curses are only the stuff of fairy tales.”
    The effrontery of the girl. His fingers twitched to grab her by the shoulders and shake her.
    And pull her up against my body.
    She’d felt so good in his arms when he’d held her after her stumble. Perfect. She—
    He was losing his mind.
    â€œI assure you, Miss Hutting, the curse is very real. Every duke, beginning with the one who treated Miss Dorring so badly, has fallen victim to it.”
    Her jaw dropped again, and then she shook her head. “There must be some rational explanation.” She started walking again. “I assure you Isabelle was not a witch—not that I believe in witches either.” She frowned at him. “I’m very surprised an educated man like you does.”
    He matched his step to hers. They could not get to Wilkinson’s office fast enough. He looked around, hoping to catch sight of the place, but the hedgerows stretched higher than his head on both sides of the lane.
    â€œMiss Hutting, I don’t know what your cousin was or was not. All I know is my family’s history.”
    â€œYou must be mistaken.”
    Good God, did she think he didn’t know his own destiny? “I am not. Five dukes, including my father, all died before their heir was born. The curse governs our lives, Miss Hutting. It is why we put off marrying as long as we can. The moment the Duchess of Hart conceives, the duke begins to count the days he has left on this earth—unless he gets a temporary reprieve and has a daughter. Which, I should add, has only happened once in two hundred years.”
    Where was Wilkinson’s office?
    He picked up his pace, not caring if he left Miss Hutting behind, but she matched him step for step. Clearly she was used to walking.
    Too bad she’d let go of his arm.
    No. It was excellent that she’d let go. The sooner he broke this odd connection with her, the better.
    â€œI think you should ignore the curse.” She smiled at him. “Well, not the part about the Spinster House. I certainly want you to attend to that. But as for the rest of it, live your life as you like. As Isabelle’s distant cousin, I release you from any further obligation to our family.”
    Would that she could do that. “The only way I can be freed from the curse, Miss Hutting, is if I marry for love.” Gah! Such drivel. He hoped he wasn’t blushing, but he was afraid he was.
    She snickered. “You can’t be serious.”
    â€œUnfortunately I am. Deadly serious.”
    Her eyebrows shot up, and then she tried—unsuccessfully—to swallow her mirth. “Well, then, you have your answer. Find some female to love. I imagine they are lining up for the honor. You just have to pick one.”
    She could not think it was that easy. “Oh, they are lining up, all right, but to grab my purse, not my heart.”
    She snorted. “I find that hard to believe. Have you looked in a mirror recently? Scores of women must be sighing over you.”
    Clearly Miss Hutting was not one of them.
    Not that he wished the woman to be sighing over him. What a ridiculous thought.
    Appealing, though—
    No, it was not. He looked down the lane rather than at Miss Hutting. “Have we almost reached Wilkinson’s office?”
    â€œYes. It’s just around that curve.”
    Thank God.
    He would not run, but he did increase his pace again—and Miss Hutting kept right with him.
    â€œWhy didn’t you have Randolph come to you at the castle, Your Grace? Wouldn’t that have been the more ducal way to go about things?” She grinned. “Though I will say you’ve done a good job of keeping up with me. I was afraid I might have to dawdle while you huffed and puffed along.”
    First compliments, now insults.
    â€œThank you, Miss Hutting. I do more than sit on my throne in London, you