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What an odd conversation. “They’re nearly untrainable. And very high in the instep, the lot of them.”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “I believe I’m going to like you, Miss Thorne,” he said.
She certainly hoped he did. Her mission rested upon it.
The clatter of warring voices arose from the other side of the door she’d entered through to get to the garden. His eyebrows shot together. “Will you excuse me for a moment?” he had the courtesy to ask.
“Of course,” she replied. She watched his rigid carriage as he strode toward the door. His Hessians were perfectly polished, his clothing immaculate. Only his hair looked disorderly, as though he’d run his hands through it over and over. His shoulders were broad, his hips narrow.
“You should not be looking at the duke’s backside,” a voice full of censure called out from behind a nearby bush.
“I beg your pardon?” she asked as she strode toward the noise. She shoved some foliage aside and looked down. “Oh, you!” she groaned. “You should not be here,” she scolded.
The garden gnome glared up at her. Ronald was only as tall as Sophia’s knees, but he could have easily been glaring down at her with the way he made her feel. “I still think it was a bad idea for your grandmother to bring you here. I can only see bad things in your future.” He began to pace back and forth, wringing his hands in front of him. “Only bad things. No good things at all. This is all wrong. All bad.”
Sophia put her hands on her hips. “Has fortune-telling become a new power of yours? The last I heard, your kind was good for no more than gossip and an occasional errand.” She was being purposefully obtuse, of course. Everyone knew gnomes were speakers of the truth and were revered for their wise counsel. Only this time, he could shove his counsel up his…
“This is not good for you. You should not be here.” He shook his head and sighed heavily. “The duke is dangerous.”
“So his nickname might suggest,” Sophia said with a nod. “But he has been very nice so far.”
“He lusts for you already,” the gnome mumbled.
“And you would know this how?” She hadn’t seen a single solitary sign of any such intent on the duke’s part.
“You are too much of an innocent to see it. And you had better stay that way.” He shook a finger at her. The fae were held to the same societal rules as the ton. And if Sophia wanted to keep her wing color pure, she’d stay chaste. Everyone knew when a fae crossed from innocence to… not innocent. She had no intention of allowing her wings to change colors. It was like wearing a badge of dishonor on one’s back. “Do not allow that man any liberties with your person. Do you understand?”
Sophia bent down until they were nose to nose. “Or what?” she questioned. “He’ll devour me like the great beast that he is?”
A voice from behind her jerked her from her conversation. “As much as I’m enjoying the view, I feel like I’ve missed half of the conversation. Do you often talk to yourself?”
The dangerous Duke of Robinsworth enjoyed the view of her backside in the air?
“Told you so,” the gnome sneered before he disappeared.
Sophia stood and turned to face the duke. “You caught me,” she said with her hands upheld as though in surrender.
He shook his head slowly, a glint in those steely blue eyes. “I haven’t caught you yet, but I’d certainly enjoy a good try.”
Sophia’s heart skipped a beat within her chest.
Five
“And I don’t typically consume innocents in one big bite,” he informed her. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She looked a bit like a salmon there gasping for words. “I save the big bites for those who are not quite so innocent.” Her mouth snapped shut and he silently rejoiced, so he continued. “I like to take my time with innocents,” Ashley explained as he crossed his arms and gave her his most imperious glare. He’d heard her comment about him devouring her like the great beast he is. And it had pricked at him for just a moment. But he was quite used to the hostile stares and comments under people’s breaths.
She tilted her head a little to the left and smiled slowly. “What makes you think I’m innocent?” Her hazel eyes were hooded by heavy lashes that batted at him like those of the best coquette.
He forced himself to close his own mouth, for fear of doing her fish impersonation. But he was afraid it was too late. He needed more than a minute to recover from the shock of her question. “Are you trying to tell me something, Miss Thorne?” he asked.
She shook her head, making those auburn curls bounce around her shoulders. Her eyes flashed with mirth. It was quite obvious the chit was an innocent. She may as well wear it like a badge of honor on her gown. “I am untouched” oozed from her very person. And it made him want to touch her even more, particularly when she looked at him like that. God, it had been too long since he’d had a woman. He swiped a hand down his mouth.
“So, how many bites would it take for me?” she asked with a giggle. Then she held up her hands as though to fend him off. “Just for personal knowledge. It’s not often I meet a dangerous duke. I can’t let the opportunity pass me by. A lady needs to know these things.”
He could have her disrobed in ten seconds and could be devouring her within…
“Your Grace.” She jerked him from his reverie with her soft voice.
“Yes?” he responded, as soon as he was able to draw his gaze back up to her face.
