Page 11 of An Offer By the Beastly Duke

“It’s Lord Nicholas, my lady,” she gasped out. “I have looked for him everywhere, but I fear he has run off again. He… he has gone.”

Penelope’s heart stopped. She was on her feet in an instant, her blood running cold.

Not again. Not now.

Chapter Four

Penelope tore through the woodland once more, hoping she was wrong, hoping Nicholas had listened to her.

Hoping that he hadn’t disobeyed her and returned to feed that hound. The evening wasn’t as dark as it had been the other night, and the adrenaline overrode her fear, but Penelope was still gasping for breath by the time she made it onto the Duke’s estate.

Where is he?

Her eyes went to the bushes, wondering if Nicholas had snuck through into the cottage grounds again, but a playful bark had her focus flicking to the other side of the garden.

Below a large oak tree, Nicholas was chasing Hector around, holding a stick just above the dog’s head.

“Nicholas!” Penelope hissed, moving closer, eyes wearily watching the castle in front of her. No lights were on this time, and she prayed that the Duke was away for the evening, if only so she could guide Nicholas away undetected. “Nicholas!”

“Mama!” Nicholas called out. “Come over here—look!”

Penelope told herself she only went deeper into the garden in order to take her son’s hand to lead him away. As soon as she approached them, Hector bounded around her feet, running laps around her, fast enough to ruffle her skirts.

“Look! Hector’s learned to do tricks! He sits on command now, watch!”

Although Nicholas’s face was bright with joy, Penelope placed her hands on his shoulders, pulling him away from Hector for a moment.

“Mama?” Nicholas’ small voice asked, his brows furrowing. “Why do you look upset? Do you not want to see the trick⁠—”

“I am very upset, Nicholas,” she said, her anger clipping her voice even as she tried to keep it gentler. “I specifically told you never to return. Both His Grace and I did, and you have disobeyed us both.”

Nicholas’s smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered, his eyes wide and pleading. “I know, and I am sorry, but I could not help myself! Hector’s being so good! See, he was even excited to see you!”

Penelope glanced down at Hector, finding him with his tongue lolled out, panting happily. He went to nose at her leg, but she discreetly moved away with a wince.

“I understand, but you ran away, and I was worried again. Not to mention that the Duke could come outside at any moment. Do you recall how angry he was several nights ago?”

With a pout, Nicholas nodded. His hands tucked behind his back sheepishly. “I am sorry, Mama. It is just that the house can be so lonely and quiet at times. Hector is my friend, and I do not have any friends.”

Penelope’s first instinct was to say, You have me, but she could only try to fight back tears at the thought of her son disobeying orders to get away from the house. From the quietness she didn’t know how to fix.

Her heart broke a little as she stroked his head. “I just want to keep you safe, but not secluded. If you leave, please tell me where you are going, and if I say no, that means you listen, yes?”

Still pouting sadly, Nicholas nodded. “Yes, Mama.”

“Say goodbye to Hector, for we must go back now.”

Slowly, Nicholas turned back to Hector, dropping to his knees to give him a pat and a hug. But before he could even utter a goodbye, footsteps came from the direction of the cottage clearing.

Penelope froze. She didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

The tension in her body tightened, her protective instincts kicking in the moment she saw the Duke of Brigrock once again.

Malcolm leaned against the stone wall of his estate, his eyes following the boy—Nicholas, he begrudgingly recalled from the other night— and Hector. His hound had a knack for finding trouble, but when Nicholas was around, Hector seemed far more at ease. Something about the child brought a gentleness out of the animal, a loyalty that Malcolm appreciated.

Although he hadn’t quite known Nicholas had been trespassing for weeks, he had caught him through the window several times, sneaking through the shadows, whistling quietly for Malcolm’s dog.

He hadn’t been a bother, really, just an annoyance—until Lady Romwich had shown up, causing a fuss. Malcolm had meant his warnings to Nicholas, but he hadn’t meant any great threat.