Free Athena's Ordeal by Sue London Page B

have no particular affinity for her sire. And she was Jack's best friend. Perhaps he could trust her. But she was still holding something back of herself. He could sense it.
    She fidget ed. "You're staring at me again."
    "My apologies."
    "Where do you go when you look like that?"
    "Go?"
    "You're obviously not fully here, but somewhere in your mind."
    "I was just thinking about why I shouldn't trust you."
    "It was a rhetorical question."
    He smiled and took another sip of wine. "Even rhetorical questions should be entertained for their potential truth."
    "And what potential truth might that be?"
    "I shouldn't trust you because you're keeping something from me."
     

Chapter Thirteen
    Sabre set her wine down. "What makes you say that?"
    The duke shrugged. "Just a feeling I have."
    "Is that how you run your duchy, then? On feelings?"
    "Primarily."
    "That's ridiculous."
    He shrugged again. "Be that as it may, I feel we are at an impasse."
    "Do you want me to tell you my entire life history in hopes of uncovering what is giving you this feeling?"
    "No. Whatever it is, it's bothering you. Otherwise I wouldn't be aware of it."
    Sabre paused. Was the duke as keen an observer as she knew herself to be? It was hard to feature since he was often not paying any attention at all. But he seemed quite confident in his assertion. She quickly thought through her options. "Well," she said, "it is true that my goal is to be your duchess."
    He was quiet for a long time, absently swirling the wine in his glass as he looked at her. "That's unfortunate," he finally said.
    His choice of words made her choke out a laugh. "Unfortunate? In what way is that unfortunate?"
    "You're a lovely woman of many fine qualities. But I will never marry Blaise Bittlesworth's daughter."
    The duke used such a tone of finality that for just a moment Sabre faltered. But, she reminded herself, she always persevered and won out in the end. This would be no different. "Well," she said. "I suppose we will see about that."
    He smiled at that, gazing at her as though he was considering something. "I suppose we will," he said.
    He turned his attention to cutting his roast and the conversation flagged for a moment. Sabre was contemplating what general topic to converse on when he spoke again.
    "I went to see your brother because I'm being blackmailed."
    She was surprised, both at his revelation and the fact that he'd shared it, but tried not so show it. "I see I'm not the only one uninformed about your poverty."
    "Not over money. Over papers they believe I have."
    "That you do not?"
    At that he paused to stare at the dark windows. "No," he said quietly. "I don't believe that I do."
    "Based on your interest in paperwork I have a hard time believing you know that conclusively."
    Her  acerbic comment brought his attention back to her. His habit of looking at her intently was becoming unsettling. "Here is a thing I wonder," he said.
    "What?"
    "How did you and Giddy spend a fortnight together without killing each other?”
    Sabre flashed a knowing smile. "My incredible forbearance."
    "Yes, I'm quite sure that was it," the duke said drily.
    "What papers do they believe you have?"
    "Something of my father's. Unfortunately they were not spe cific enough for me to be sure what the papers might be about."
    "Was this threat in a letter then?"
    "Yes."
    "Let me see it."
    "That's not possible."
    "Why?"
    "I burned it."
    "You... Why did you burn it?"
    "It is one thing for a duke to be blackmailed. It is quite another for it to be known that a duke is being blackmailed."
    "Well, what did it say?"
    The duke stared at her again for a bit. Finally he said, "It simply said 'It has come to my attention that you are in possession of papers from your father that you have been discussing with others. I will give you a fortnight to gather them.'"
    "What did he threaten?"
    "I would rather not discuss it."
    "How am I supposed to help you if you won't share the details with me? Did you tell Robert all the