Page 41 of The Duke Meets His Match

“Did the prince win?”

“Always. He killed the dragon and saved the princess.”

“How did he do it?” Emily asked.

“It’s quite a story. Do you want to hear it?”

“Oh yes,” Emily said.

Michael spotted a second wooden chair, placed it by Chloe’s chair, and sat.

Chloe watched, amazed, as he took his time with the child. His voice was animated, his tale entertaining, and when he acted out the part where the prince killed the dragon, both Emily and Chloe hung on his every word. Never in Chloe’s wildest dreams would she have thought the Duke of Cameron would have taken the time to tell a sick, orphaned child a fairy tale. But then, she never anticipated he’d show up here in the first place. Which led her to another question: there were dozens of orphanages in London, so how had he found her here?

An emotion tugged Chloe’s chest. She fought it, knowing her feelings were treading on dangerous ground. Her physical attraction to him was understandable. But an emotional attraction was perilous.

Sunlight from an overhead window glinted off his dark hair and emphasized his handsome profile. He exuded power and dominance that beckoned to a woman’s secret desires. But it was more than a physical pull that frightened her—it was his strength of character that tugged at her chest, and his empathy for a sick child. He was a danger to her heart.

When Emily’s eyelids began to flutter, Chloe placed a hand on the child’s sleeve. “You should rest now.”

“But I like Mr. Michael’s stories. Will he come back to visit?” Emily implored.

“I don’t think—”

“Yes,” Michael interrupted. “Not even a fire-breathing dragon could keep me away, Miss Emily.”

Emily beamed. “Then it’s safe to sleep.”

Her eyelids fluttered, and moments later the child was sleeping soundly.

Chloe stood, and Michael followed her out of the room into the dim hall. “What’s wrong with Emily?” he asked.

“She suffers from an unexplainable apathy and has difficulty breathing during the slightest activity. The doctor who visits the orphanage has no explanation, but believes her health is slowly declining.”

His brows drew downward. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s unfair to give Emily a promise you don’t intend to keep. She’s suffered too much disappointment at an early age.”

“Who says I plan to break my promise?”

She looked at him in surprise. “You are a duke. Surely you have more pressing matters to attend to than to visit a sick orphan.”

“I can’t think of a single one.”

His words chipped away at her defenses and awoke something deep and profound within her. It was almost as if he knew how important Emily was to her, and he’d taken the utmost care with the child. “How did you find me here?” she asked.

“The day at the museum, your sister mentioned you visited an orphanage on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I also overheard you tell Henry in Lady Webster’s conservatory.”

Had he listened that closely and taken note of her schedule?

“I had no idea which orphanage. This is the third establishment I’ve been to today,” he said.

She stared at him in astonishment. He was a duke, for heavens sake. Had he truly gone through the effort to visit orphanages just to find her? “Why go to the trouble?”

His scrutiny was almost a physical caress. “I needed to see that you’re all right today. It was your first time and I wasn’t gentle.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks at his mention of their passionate afternoon together. He cares. “I’m fine.” Except she was far from fine. Her emotions were wreaking havoc with her heart—tugging in uncomfortable ways.

He skimmed his forefinger along her cheek. “Now you must answer my question. Why Emily?”