“I can leave,” he said, setting down the knife. “I know you want me to leave you alone…”
“Don’t be silly. You were here first. And, about that.” She took a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“Don’t,” he said at once. “You were completely in the right. I was being an absolute ass.”
“You were,” she said, and he chuckled, reaching again for the knife and beginning to cut the onions. “But I realize now that it came from a good place, that you wanted the best for me and to protect me from men who are cads or irresponsible with money. I think perhaps, in my panic over the situation with Lord Dubois, that I forgot I don’t have to settle for the first person who comes along. Of course, I can’t afford to be too choosy, but in my attempt to avoid a man I know would make me miserable, I don’t want to end up even more miserable.”
The Duke nodded. “I don’t want that for you either. And you aren’t going to end up miserable. Because no matter what, I am always your backup plan. And I couldn’t possibly make you miserable.”
He grinned at her, but there was something pained in his eyes that made her pause. Is he being self-deprecating?Does he think that marrying me will make me miserable? Why? He is more of a friend to me than any of these other gentlemen.
Before she could ask him about this, however, he spoke again.
“By the way, would you like some?” he gestured at the onions. “I’m making scrambled eggs.”
“Oh, yes please,” she said, leaning forward in her chair. “I’m hungry but I don’t actually have any idea how to cook. I was going to just try and find some bread.”
“Well, you’re in luck then, because I’m quite a good cook.”
“How is that possible?” she wondered. “I don’t know of any dukes that do the cooking for themselves.”
“I don’t when I’m at home,” he said with a chuckle, “but when I was traveling, sometimes I would be forced to cook for myself. Not at the fancy hotels, of course, but sometimes I would rough it and rent myself a small house somewhere along the coast and keep only my valet with me.”
“Only your valet?” She stared at him in amazement. “I have never heard of such a thing!”
“It was unusual, I’ll admit. But I liked the peace and quiet, the ability to hear my own thoughts. And sometimes the locals wouldn’t even know I was a duke! That was surprisingly enjoyable . They suspected I was some kind of moneyed English gentleman, but they didn’t put on too many airs around me. I had a lot of fun with that.”
Leah shook her head in amazement. “I can’t even imagine! Lucien would never be able to ‘rough’ it like that, as you said. He is far too proper and concerned with rule-following. He would be afraid of bringing scandal down on the whole family if he were to travel with only one manservant.”
Dorian laughed at this. “No, I can’t imagine Lucien traveling the way I did. But then, Lucien has three sisters to look after and an estate he was trying to save from bankruptcy. I didn’t have such responsibilities--I could afford to be a little wayward.” Heflashed a smile at her. “I need salt. Where do you think your Cook keeps salt? And eggs, now that I think of it.”
He turned around and began to root in the cupboard for the salt and eggs.
“Do you have any siblings?” she asked.
“No,” he said, his back still to her. “Why?”
“Oh, I was just thinking about what you said about Lucien having us as his responsibility. And you’re right: it does change a person, when they have three people they have to take care of.”
Nottington turned back around and smiled at her, although she thought it looked a little strained. “Yes, it does. Maybe it makes them a better person. Look at your brother: he had many responsibilities, and now he is an esteemed member of the ton with a beautiful wife he loves dearly. And I--”
“Youarea good person!” she interjected.
He gave her a sardonic look. “I’m a rake. Or haven’t they told you that yet?”
She flushed, but didn’t look away. “I have heard that. But it doesn’t make you a bad person… necessarily. And who am I to judge? I was the one who threw myself on you, not the other way around. Perhaps I’m the rake!”
Nottington threw back his head and guffawed . Leah giggled as well. It was a preposterous thought.
“You? A rake? I’m sorry, Lady Leah, but we have a different term for that when it’s a woman. And not a very nice one.”
He turned back around to the fire and lit it, then began to hum to himself as he put a large chunk of butter onto a pan and put it on top of the flame. She watched in fascination as he transferred the onions from the table to the pan. They began to sizzle at once, and then the most wonderful scent she had ever smelled filled the kitchen.
“Oh my goodness!” s he cried, leaning more forward to watch as he began to stir the onions in the pan. “Is that what frying onions smell like?”
“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” he said, grinning at her.
“Unbelievable! ”
