AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“As if you haven’t been utterly infatuated with her for the past several months.”
Was that a blush he felt warming his ears? Arthur frowned. “I won’t deny my attraction to her.” Attraction was putting things rather lightly, however. She had utterly captivated him in the woods. The echo of her cries and the way her sweet face twisted as he pleasured her with his mouth would be forever burned in his memory. She could rile him up like no woman had before. But their compatibility outside of sex was the more pressing concern. He recalled the pinpricks of affection he often felt around her and the fluttering of his heart whenever she smiled. Perhaps there was something to that, something worth investigating.
“I am not sure whether we suit,” he replied honestly.
“Which is what a courtship is for.” Ashford sighed. “Look, I’m not telling you to make a declaration. Just spend some quality time with the lady.” A small, mischievous smile spread across the duke’s face. “And by quality time, I don’t mean lifting her skirts in the middle of the woods.”
“Will you tell Amberwood?” Arthur said, knowing it was futile to deny what Ashford had pieced together.
“After some thought on the matter, no. Though Amberwood may not agree, I realized that who Lady Francesca consorts with is none of my business.” Though Ashford’s face appeared placid, there was a dangerous glint in his hazel eyes. “Unless you cause her distress, however.”
Arthur let out the breath he was holding. “Thank you.”
“He’d be thrilled were you to offer for her, I hope you realize. Even without the title.”
Arthur snorted. “A bastard gambling club owner would have been an acceptable husband for the daughter of an earl?”
“One of his best friends with an excess of wealth, loyalty, and all the morals that count? Absolutely. The earldom would be just a bonus, no doubt.” Ashford frowned. “We don’t care about your background. You know this.”
Yes, he very much did. The three of them were all but brothers, Arthur’s loyalty to their friendship unmatched. His previous statement had been a rather silly show of self-depreciation, and he wondered at it. Was it Amberwood’s disdain that he was truly afraid of?
Or was it Francesca’s?
Chapter Nine
Of all things Francesca had been expecting, it wasn’t the Duchess of Ashford knocking on her door as she was readying for bed. Kitty cracked the door and poked her head in. “May I speak to you for a spell?” Her face was carefully blank, giving no indication of what this little chat might be about.
Francesca stood from her chair by the fire, placing the book she had been reading on the seat and securing her dressing gown in place to ward off the night chill. “Please, come in,” she invited cautiously.
Kitty beamed. “Excellent.”
“Are you feeling better?” Francesca asked, noting that Kitty seemed less pale than she had at dinner.
“Much, thank you,” she replied and walked further into the room.
Francesca gestured to the sitting area, and the two settled on opposite chairs. She waited for Kitty to speak, watching as the woman twitched her fingers across the upholstery of the seat. “Sebastian has told me things,” her companion finally said.
“Things?” Francesca did her best to sound neutral, even though she was certain of what was being referred to.
“That you were alone with Mr. Barrow in the woods and lied about it.”
It was right on the mark, and there was nothing Francesca could say to defend herself. Anxiety roiled. “Will you tell Sophie?”
Kitty shot her a triumphant look. “Ah, so you were up to naughty things in there. And no, I haven’t told Sophie.”
Embarrassment and relief mingled within her. “I see.”
“To be honest, I’ve always thought you two would make a lovely match, so I am not keen on disrupting things.”
“A match,” she echoed wryly, twisting the hands in her lap.
Kitty peered at her with a frown. “That is what’s happening, right?”
“I don’t think so,” she replied with a shake of her head. Marriage was the last thing on Arthur Barrow’s mind. Francesca had known that when she’d allowed him to kiss her at Vauxhall, and she’d known it before their passionate moment in the woods. So why did her chest ache?
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! No… I don’t know.” She stared at her lap. “Everything is in a jumble. I am very—” she swallowed with a flush “—attracted to him, but I don’t know if that’s all there is.”
