AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rathe froze, the sound coming from behind him taking him by surprise. It was five o’clock in the morning, wasn’t it? She wasn’t supposed to be awake.
He spun around, wanting to see if he had just imagined hearing Mary’s voice.
He hadn’t.
She stood by the kitchen entrance, a tiny dark-haired temptress in a silk nightgown that barely covered anything, enticing him with the sight of her creamy breasts and shapely legs.
“Good morning.” Although his accent sounded more pronounced, Rathe managed to keep his voice even, nothing to betray the painful erection he was currently sporting.
How long had it been since they last made love?Too bloody long, Rathe thought, if the way his cock tried to force its way out of his trousers was any indication.
Mary swallowed back her disappointment at Rathe’s level response. Seduction attempt #5 was another fail. It had taken all her courage to come down wearing something so skimpy, knowing that any of the duke’s stay-in servants could also catch sight of her. But she might as well have come down in her pajamas, the way Rathe appeared so composed before her.
It made her own reaction to him laughably ironic. He, on the other hand, didn’t have to do anything to reduce her into a seduced mess. Today, Rathe had on a blue shirt under a red wool vest and a casual business jacket. He looked like the quintessential British man about town, and just the sight of him had her knees quaking.
Had it only been a few months since she had first learned the beauty of lovemaking? It was such a short time, really, and yet she missed Rathe’s touch like she had known its taste forever.
Gripping her tray tightly, she asked, “I thought w-we could s-share breakfast before you left?”
The words finally had him noticing the contents on her tray: a bowl of his favorite cereal, two slices of toast, a cup of steaming coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice. His kind of breakfast in other words.
He opened his mouth to refuse, but when he saw a determinedly bright smile form on her lips, he knew Mary was already preparing herself for rejection.
“Of course,” Rathe heard himself saying instead.
Mary’s eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing. Had he really agreed to spend time with her? After being treated almost like she didn’t exist in the past few days, the words made her afraid to hope.
Flushing at the visible surprise on Mary’s face, he gestured to the smaller dining area to their right and asked stiffly, “Shall we have it there?”
“Y-yes.” She couldn’t keep happiness from seeping into her voice, couldn’t help smiling widely when Rathe took his tray from her.
When they went to the dining room and Rathe seated himself at the head of the table, he glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.
She blinked in bemusement. “D-do you want something else?”
Rathe frowned. “Aren’t we supposed to be eating together?”
“Oh.” She had been so happy he had agreed to spend time with her she forgot all about getting her own meal. Blushing, she stammered, “I...I’ll be right back.”
Rathe watched Mary dash out of the room as if it was the utmost importance she came back to his side right away. Guilt stung him, Rathe knowing fully well why she was acting so.
Ever since their return from London, he had found himself avoiding her. Distancing himself. Protecting himself.
That time she had chosen not to accompany him to the ball, it had been like a slap to his face, forcing him to see things the way they truly were. And the reality was that he needed to re-learn how to live without her.
Mary’s smile faded when she returned to the dining room. Even without Rathe saying a word, she knew, shesensedthat he had changed. That he had gone back to being the Duke of Flanders, a man completely out of reach.
Despite it, she persisted, taking the seat next to him, carrying her own tray of breakfast with her.
Her heart sank a little when she saw that he was almost done with his. “Y-you want another serving?” she asked hopefully.
“I don’t think so.” Seeing her still gazing at him, Rathe added, “Everything tastes delicious, though.”
The compliment made her face feel like a frozen mask. She almost wished he had growled or snapped at her instead. She hated the way he treated her so civilly nowadays. It was as if Rathe saw her as someone no different from all the other people he kept at a polite distance.
When Rathe was done, he glanced at Mary and noticed that her entire meal was untouched. The sight had guilt stinging his conscience once more. His jaw clenched, knowing he should ask her about it. But in the end, he said nothing, his heart refusing to lay itself open to more pain in the future.
When he stood up, she did the same.
