This sounds likehim.
Yet she could not imaginehimplaying the pianoforte. She needed to be sure. If it was Lord Baine, perhaps it would give them something to talk about.
She moved into the doorway, and glanced into the room. The figure sitting at the pianoforte was half illuminated in moonlight, but it was clearly Duke Warren.
He seemed totally lost in the music, his hands flying across the keys. A candle sputtered near him. Without thinking, Emily took a step towards him, forgetting that she was carrying a tray full of snacks.
A scone rolled off the plate, and she let out an exclamation. “Drat it!”
The music stopped, and Duke Warren’s head jerked towards her. Emily’s heart pounded at the way his eyes flashed in the candlelight.
“I am sorry. I-I-I did not mean to interrupt.” The air seemed to have left Emily’s lungs.
“What on Earth do you think you are doing?” Duke Warren shot to his feet and moved towards her.
“I only wanted to know who was playing. You need not stop on my account. I am sorry.” Emily turned to leave.
“I cannot believe you. Honestly, what were you thinking?” The Duke was in front of her, shaking his head.
Emily felt anger surge within her. “I have already apologised. I am not the one who decided to play the pianoforte in the wee hours of the morning! I can hardly help being curious.”
“Curious? More like mad! What are you doing carrying a plate like this? Surely a servant could have helped you?” The Duke shook his head and tried to take the tray from her. “You are still recovering.”
“Oh!” Understanding flooded through Emily and she felt spots of colour appear on her cheeks. “You do not need to fuss over me, I assure you I am perfectly fine.”
The duke snorted softly. “I am not fussing. I am trying to make sure you don’t get further injured, I will not allow your own stubbornness to harm you.”
“You do not need to be so protective over me.” Emily insisted. “I would not have you worry unnecessarily.”
The Duke shook his head and turned away from her so that she could not see his expression. “Enough harm has come to you because of my failings. I must not allow any more to befall you. It must ensure you are safe.”
Emily’s heart twisted and her cheeks burned with shame. She had been a fool to think his fussing was because he cared abouther. No, he was thinking about propriety. Of course. She gripped the tray more tightly.
“I am not your obligation. And I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you.” Emily decided not to mention her disorientation.It will only make me a bigger obligation in his eyes.
“Clearly you are not, or you would not be attempting to carry this by yourself from the kitchens to your rooms!” The Duke nodded his head towards the mountain of food as he turned back to face her. “Though, I suppose we can celebrate that your appetite has returned. Perhaps this means you will be joining us at meal times.”
“Why, have you missed me?” Emily said without thinking.Ah good, there is that lack of inhibition the physician warned me about.
“Yes, I relish being kept from my dinner by young women proving a point.”
“I liked you more when you were playing the pianoforte.” Emily muttered.
“You said something similar to me on the day of the hunt.” A look crossed the Duke’s face that Emily could not quite place.
For a moment, she considered asking him what she meant, but then she remembered how she had behaved in her dream. Herflush deepened.Perhaps it is better that I do not know how ridiculous I was.
She took advantage of his distraction and took the tray from him. “Well, it is true. You were much less irritating when you were playing. If I had not seen you, I would not have believed it possible.”
The room spun and she decided that it would be better to take a seat at the sofa, lest he realise that she was not as well as she claimed. With as much dignity as she could manage, she walked to it and gently placed her tray upon a table.
“Is that a compliment?” The Duke’s voice was light as he took a seat at the pianoforte.
Emily snorted and bit into one of the scones, trying to hide her embarrassment. “No, it was not. A compliment would be ‘you play beautifully.’ Which you do, surprisingly so in fact. Especially given how indulgent you think such things are.”
“I see the fall has done nothing to lessen your temper.” The Duke replied, his voice neutral.
Emily narrowed her eyes at him, but her mouthful of scone made it hard to retort angrily. The Duke shook his head and sighed, then looked at her, as though seeing her for the first time.
