His frown shifted until it was more perturbed than thoughtful.
“Well, yes,” he said. “I am not going toabduct you. But—and I know it’s impolite to mention it—but this place is not precisely marvelous.” He waved a hand around the dilapidated flat. “If this is what you could afford when you were working for Helen, I can’t imagine that it will take too long before your straits are rather dire.”
“No, not that,” she said dismissively, waving her hand. Yes, she was poor. It wasn’t shocking news. “But… you know my secret.”
He jerked a thumb toward the door in a rather un-ducal gesture.
“What, your friend? Not to insult her, but she’s hardly a secret. I tend to deal in things a bit more dramatic than ‘two young women live in ugly rooms.’”
Letitia blinked. She’d spent so long worrying, looking over her shoulder for anyone who could trace her back to her past, that she’d forgotten that there wasn’t any inherent scandal in what she and Sarah were doing. It was just that one redheaded woman and one one-handed woman together were so… visible.
Also, if the duke thoughtthiswas her secret, it meant he didn’t know about herothersecret. She didn’t realize how heavily that had weighed upon her until that weight suddenly lifted.
She was almost tempted…
But no.
“I am sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “If I work with you for a month, then I shall have only a few weeks before I find myself in the same position I am now. Only then, if anyone happens to learn that I was working for you, they will wonder why you dismissed me so quickly. I need a position that will last longer.”
The duke cast his eyes at the ceiling, as if seeking patience from divine intervention. The motion made the light shift on his face, and she noticed that he looked weary. Worn. As if he really did care about this little girl.
“First she doesn’t want to stay, then she wants to stay longer,” he muttered upward. Then, he looked back down at her. “Fine,” he said, a touch of exasperation in his words. “How about this. If, at the end of a month, we are both happy with the arrangement, you can stay until Iris needs a lady’s companion. You needn’t look at me with such shock, Miss Knightley,” he added peevishly. “I am not a monster. Of course, I want the girl to have a good life. She is under my care now. I will provide for her as well as I am able.”
Letitia had no words for this. And maybe he read her stunned stare as hesitation because he let out a huff and added, “I will even hire your friend. What can she do? It doesn’t matter. I am sure we’ll find a place for her.”
He said it so effortlessly—without even mentioning Sarah’s hand—that Letitia knew she had no resistance left.
“Fine,” she said, then quickly added, “But even if you dismiss me, you cannot let Sarah go unless she gives you cause on her own merits.”
He huffed. “Whatdoyou take me for, woman?” He ran his hands over his face. “Fine.Fine.Yes. I agree. Are you quite happy now?”
He sounded annoyed, but something about the set of his shoulders made Letty think that he was… enjoying himself. She didn’t trust that. She’d been the subject of gentlemen’senjoymentmore times than she wanted to be.
But what he was offering was too good.
“I suppose so,” she said cautiously.
He held out a hand for her to shake, which wasabsurd, because he was a duke and she was awoman, but what about this whole situation had not been absurd?
Letitia shook his hand. It was warm and uncalloused, aside from where he might hold reins. The hands of a gentleman. She felt a spark go through her when their palms touched.
And that was before he smirked at her, drew their joined hands to his lips, and brushed a kiss against the back of her knuckles.
She felt her eyes go wide, and the duke chuckled. He got to his feet before she could react further.
“Good day, Miss Knightley. I shall see you tomorrow morning; I know that your bags are already packed. I am certain this shall work out splendidly for us all.”
And then he swept out the front door, leaving an utterly gobsmacked Letitia in his wake.
Oh dear Lord, she thought to herself, her voice sounding faint even inside her head.What on earth have I gotten myself into?
CHAPTER 7
“Good morning, Iris,” Ezra said as he settled into his seat across from the little girl, a plate of breakfast in his hand.
She cast him a brief glance, then turned back to her breakfast. She was eating porridge. The entire spread of a ducal household’s breakfast had been laid out before her, and this child had chosen porridge?
“Is that your favorite thing to eat?” he ventured, feeling utterly imbecilic.
