Free The Duke's Dilemma by Fenella J Miller

horses? One
looks very like another, unless you’ve seen them before. Could you pick any of
Aunt Agatha’s livestock from a field of similar beasts?’
    ‘No, I suppose not. But the four grays that
pulled her coach must be easily distinguished. Send men out right away to
search. Forget about the people, find the animals and we’ll be halfway there.’
    She saw his amusement fade and realized she had
offended him with her orders. Too late she understood he wasn’t a man to be
told what to do in such a peremptory fashion. Should she apologize or wait
until he’d given her a set down? She didn’t have to wait long.
    He began pleasantly enough, his tone bland,
leaning forward slightly as if to emphasize his point. ‘Pray forgive me if I
have misunderstood, Miss Frobisher. You’re suggesting I send my men out now? In
the dark?’
    Hester didn’t answer. She felt it might be a
rhetorical question so decided to say nothing. This was her second error.
    ‘I asked you a question, miss, and I expect an
answer.’
    He spoke to her as though she was a child. This
was enough to give her the courage to speak. ‘Your grace, I most humbly beg
your pardon for daring to voice my opinions to someone as top- lofty as
yourself. I am, as you reminded me so kindly, a female and as such cannot be
expected to have anything worth saying.’
    She stood up, swaying slightly at the effort
and waited for him to do the same. She curtsied, intending it to be a gesture of
contempt to demonstrate how little she thought of his elevation to the
aristocracy or his highhanded manners. As she lowered her head a wave of
dizziness swept over her and to her horror she tumbled forward and was unable
to do anything to prevent it.
    ‘Idiot girl!’
    She was lifted and held as if she belonged
there, close to his heart. Instinctively she relaxed – he might be an arrogant
brute but he was more than capable of holding her safely. She could hear Meg
fluttering about in the background obviously unsure what her role was.
    ‘Put me back on the chaise-longue , if you please, your grace.’ She felt his chest
vibrate under her cheek and knew he was laughing at her. ‘Please, Cousin Ralph,
I should like you to put me down.’
    This time he responded and gently lowered her
to the day-bed. He stepped away, leaving Meg to hurry forward to fuss with her
pillows and the comforter she had discarded earlier. By the time the girl had
finished he was gone.
    ‘Enough, Meg. Please fetch me a glass of
lemonade; then go downstairs and find out from Miss Bird when Polly will be
well enough to take up her duties.’
    The girl left silently and Hester knew that yet
again she had spoken without thought. Her
    desire
to be left alone had made her forget that her words could be construed as a
criticism of the service she had been receiving. Sighing, disappointed with
herself, she closed her eyes vowing to do better next time, especially in her
dealings with the duke.

 

 
 
 
 
    Chapter Seven

 
    Hester woke without a headache and the lump on
the side of her head had almost disappeared. She was determined today she would
go downstairs to meet the rest of the staff. Jet and Thunder must also think
she had abandoned them for this was the longest time she’d spent apart from her
two companions. She frowned; they were not, according to her cousin, her
responsibility any longer.
    She sat up in bed and was immediately struck by
an eerie silence. It was still early, she could see from the mantel clock it
was just after seven, it would be quite dark outside, but it was more than
that. There was a total absence of noise.
    Snow! It must have fallen overnight. Without
pausing to push her feet into her slippers or her arms into her robe she ran
across to the window. The heavy curtains rattled noisily as she pulled them
apart.
    ‘Oh, Miss Frobisher, that’s not your job. I was
just on my way in with your chocolate. Why don’t you get back into bed and let
me do it for