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Another servant, this time a housemaid, was told to fetch a wagon and visit Sherborne with instructions to pack a few pelisses with Miss Sherborne’s clothing, slippers, boots, whatever young women wear and return with them as soon as she could.
She smiled to herself. He was a hero in so many ways. He knew just what to do and how to get it done.
Yet another maid was sent scurrying up the stairs to ready one of the guest rooms for Miss Sherborne and after he watched her rush off, he turned to Mandy, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction and his handsome face was alight with pleasure.
“Now, my gamine, off to your room,” he said jovially.
“What? What do you mean, off to my room?” her hands went to her hips. She reminded herself that he was her hero and tried to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“It is reasonable, is it not, that you might be fatigued after your experiences today…I thought you might like to rest for a time,” he said.
He had said this casually, far too casually for her liking. Something was toward!
“You are trying to get rid of me. Why?”
He came close and took her shoulders, “Believe me when I say, I never want to be rid of you, never,” he fingered her lips and his lashes shaded his eyes a moment. “Especially now, when your nearness is driving me mad…I want you here, beside me.” He sighed and dropped his hold on her, “However, I must speak with Skip. He needs to be told what you saw. I don’t like that we know of his assignation with a woman in the middle of the night and are keeping it from him.”
“Then I should be here as well when you tell him. After all…I am the one who came across him.”
“No, I don’t think he will be comfortable with that. You are a female…after all.”
“That is most odious of you to say like that,” she snapped.
“Ah, how much better I feel now,” he bantered. “We are back to our former standards of communication.”
She pouted and turned in a huff, but his voice brought her head around, “Mandy,” he said softly, so softly that she felt caressed.
“Yes, Your Grace,” she returned formally, her eyes alight with mischief.
He only smiled at her as though he couldn’t speak, as though the words had caught in his throat and it sent a wondrous sensation through her, because the look in his blue eyes was full with emotion.
Finally, he said, “Rest well.”
She gave him a flick of her shoulder as she turned back to leave and smiled to herself as she scurried up the horseshoe shaped staircase and found the maid waiting to show her to her room.
Chapter Seventeen
HAVING MANDY NEAR, underfoot, so to speak had filled the duke with a sense of accomplishment. She would no longer sleep on straw. She would no longer go for long times without food. She would be catered to and taken care of safely within his protection.
Damn, but she was exquisite in her gown with her golden hair brushed all around her shoulders and cascading down her back.
His mind was filled with her as he poured himself a brandy. She was unlike anyone he had every known and he only knew he had to keep her safe…more; he wanted to make her happy.
No time was afforded to him to think this through as the doors opened wide and Skip came through, spreading his arms wide in a greeting and said, “Brock, thank God, you’ve come to interrupt me from another moment with that dratted dolt of mine. I’ve been near to pulling m’hair out. Lord, he is damn good agent, but the devil of a proser.” He spied the brandy in his friend’s hand and at his elbow and said, “Pour me one while you are at it.”
The duke grinned and handed him a glass and as he raised it he said, “You are going to need this, when I tell you everything that has occurred…”
“Eh? What are you talking about?”
“For starters, ‘ole boy, the twins have had quite a morning.” He put up his hand to stall his friend’s questions and gave him a quick summary of everything he knew up to that moment, including the fact that he had brought Mandy to stay in his home for the time being.
“Good God! Upon my soul! Never say that devil Bevis Speenham allowed his kin to have arms leveled at him?”
“Aye, he did, but Ned being the good lad he is, would not run with his sister exposed thusly.” He eyed his friend. “At any rate, that is all said and done and I do believe we shall have it finished within the next few days…but there is something else…”
“Wait,” stuck in the viscount his eyes suddenly going wide. “You say Mandy is abovestairs… staying… with us… two bachelors?”
“Not to worry. Her nanny will be here shortly. Look Skip, it appears that the twins are not the only ones having an adventure.” His brow went up archly. “I happen to know that you are having one of your own.”
