Free The Wicked Wager by Anya Wylde Page A

outskirts.
The rain started falling in earnest, and she was about to start running towards
the apple trees, when through the sheet of rain, she noticed the duke standing
and watching her approach the gardener.
    The earl had noticed the duke as well. She
stood torn for a moment, and then changed her direction, moving towards the
rose garden instead. She pretended not to see the duke. She took that route to
wind her way back towards the mansion.
    The earl, meanwhile, had disappeared into
the orchard.
    “That man,” moaned the earl aloud, “will be
the death of me.”

Chapter 9
     
    Catherine watched Emma run past her soaked
to the bone. She stopped a passing maid and asked her to bring a pot of tea to
Emma’s room. Her cousin had always loved the outdoors, and she often had to
drag her back inside.
    She shook her head exasperated. They were no
longer children, and her cousin should start taking better care of herself.
Emma was a nightmare to deal with when she had the slightest sniffle.
    She made her way to her father’s study. Her
father always kept some brandy at hand for medicinal purposes. A shot of brandy
in Emma’s tea would do her a world of good.
    The duke’s study was open, and Catherine
paused outside. She could hear voices inside, and she wondered if she should
disturb the duke. He often had visitors who came to him with confidential problems.
Being the duke, he was meant to help and solve those issues.
    She turned to leave when Mrs Barker’s voice
arrested her. Mrs Barker was speaking to the duke in urgent tones. Catherine
stood, torn between going in and rescuing her father or listening to what was
being said.
    A year ago she would have walked away, but
recently parts of her personality she never knew existed seemed to be coming
out.
    Instead of leaving or even interrupting the
conversation, she felt a thrill go through her as she deliberately inched
forward to hear them speak. She hoped Mrs Barker was being put in her place,
and she wanted to catch every word if that were the case.
    She heard Mrs Barker speak,
    “You know what I am offering. You are an
intelligent man, you can’t expect me to spell it out.”
    A brief silence indicated that the duke had
refused to answer. Mrs Barker spoke again, and this time her tone was pleading,
    “We both are unhappy … and I cannot forget
…”
    Catherine strained her ears in frustration;
Mrs Barker had started whispering, and she could no longer hear her words.
    The duke finally spoke loudly and clearly,
“I have work to do, and I do not want to discuss this any further. Please do
not embarrass either of us, Mrs Barker. Catherine, you may come in.”
    Catherine jumped guiltily. She entered the
study and found a red faced Mrs Barker, while the duke looked angry. She
realised he had seen her reflection in the Venetian mirror hanging over the
fire place.
    In her eagerness to be naughty for once she
had forgotten about that. She silently cursed and glanced apologetically at her
father. He smiled slightly in response and asked,
    “You wanted something?”
    “Some brandy for Emma. She got caught in
the rain, and I don’t want her to fall ill.”
    The duke silently opened the drawer in his
desk and handed her a flask. His eyes twinkled, and Catherine blushed at being
caught doing something as childish as eavesdropping. She quickly snatched the
bottle and left.
    ***
    The mood in the house had changed
considerably with the onset of rain. The duchess looked even more distracted
than usual. She kept muttering to herself and forgot to pour the tea, in spite
of being prompted by Catherine five times.
    Prudence was disgusted to be hidden away in
the country, bemoaning the fact that the season was over. She had exhausted the
topic of how many men had asked her to marry them and how she had turned each
one of them down. She had nothing more to offer.
    Emma was worried about being caught walking
alone once again by the duke and him possibly realising that her goal had