Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords #1)(13)
She had no idea how he felt about her. Her aunt was correct. She really didn’t know Alex. They shared a bond, true, but was there more? This journey would give them both a chance to strip away the masks and learn the truth about each other.
In her bedchamber, as she let Mary help her get ready for bed, she was determined that on this voyage, if nothing else, she’d prove she was the perfect woman for him in every way.
First she had to make him see her as a woman. That might be a tad difficult if she had to be dressed as a man. While she loved the freedom wearing trousers brought her, it did not bode well for seduction.
On a whim she’d packed her breeches for the trip to London. One thing life had taught her was to be ready for any situation. Besides, she’d thought to go home via her friend’s country estate and ride there. Her trousers represented and reminded her of a sense of freedom. Of all the situations she thought she’d find herself in, it had not occurred to her that she would have to sail with Alex, and on such short notice. The trousers were a blessing.
After being rescued by Alex from Murad’s evil clutches, she’d had nothing to wear but a torn night rail. Jacob had suggested they dress her as a boy to protect them all. They had altered some of the men’s clothes for her. If it was known they had a young girl on board…
Hestia knew she had an unconventional relationship with Alex. The things they’d done and seen. After everything they’d been through, she couldn’t treat him as if he were a stranger. She’d pretended the ton’s rules didn’t apply to them. But they did: he was a duke, she the daughter of an earl. She often forgot that during their time together on the seas, the boundaries of normal polite society had not applied. England was a different kettle of fish.
On the voyage home, Alex had never treated her as a lady of the ton, trying to dictate how she should behave or making her feel ashamed of what had happened to her. He’d given free rein to her independence, even encouraged it. He’d taught her things many men would deem inappropriate for a young lady, like fencing, how to shoot a pistol, and letting her wear breeches on board ship. Having tasted freedom, how could she go back? On her father’s estate in Wales, she’d often taken to wearing men’s clothing to ride and hunt. She enjoyed the comfort of wearing trousers.
Her heart skipped in her chest. She knew they had a bond, a special bond as only those who have been through a shared trauma share. But for some reason, Alex refused to see what else could grow between them. His resistance puzzled and hurt her.
Alex was everything she wanted in a man: kind, generous, intelligent, decisive yet humble, and sensually beautiful beyond words.
Every season she felt sick to her stomach knowing this could be the year he decided to select a bride. At his age he was expected to begin producing heirs.
This trip would allow her to understand why he pushed her away, and to perhaps get him to see her as something other than a young girl he’d saved.
They were friends. Friends who had shared something no one could understand. She knew he was not courting anyone, so why would he not consider her for the role of his duchess? It wasn’t the title she wanted. It was the man.
After the stress of the past week, sleep quickly took her. Her last thoughts were that on a ship he could not hide from her, and she was determined to make him see her. Not the daughter of an earl, not the young girl he’d rescued, but the woman who would give him her heart if he let her.
Chapter 4
When Alex arrived at Lord Foxhurst’s, he was not surprised Panton’s talk was ending. He was late. Very late. He couldn’t concentrate anyway.
His mind was focused on the dangerous task he’d volunteered for. Dangerous in more ways than one…Hestia.
His best friend and fellow adventurer, Sir Adrian Hemple, greeted him as he entered the hot and smoky drawing room. “Bedford, where the hell have you been? You’ve missed Panton’s talk. Very enlightening. Makes me want to set sail immediately, only the empty coffers stopping me.”
For the first time this evening a smile came to his lips. Hemple was very open about his lack of money and was never driven by jealousy or greed. He was an attractive man with a large but unfortunately unprofitable estate. He simply needed money to invest in it, and the estate could become financially bountiful. With his looks, he could have his pick of rich debutantes or widows, but he chose to wait. He wanted to marry with honor by letting his heart be involved in any match. Alex admired his friend’s stance on the institution of marriage.
Alex looked at the men around him in the crowded room and decided it would pay to set the tongues wagging. “If you must know, I was paying my respects to Lady Hestia. Her father, the Earl of Pembroke, has died. His second cousin Fredrick Cary returned from the Mediterranean with his body two weeks ago.”
The room erupted into rapid talking. Just as he thought, the men, all adventurers at heart if not in experience, crowded round him.
“Pembroke’s dead?” asked one.
“I told him a man of his age should leave the exploring to you younger fellows.”
Soon the house was in an uproar and Panton’s lecture was forgotten as the men drank to Pembroke and reminisced about his discoveries and the antiquities he’d brought back to London.
He joined in a few toasts to a fine man, and satisfied that the gossip would get back to Fredrick and indicate he believed the earl was dead, he left Lord Foxhurst’s in search of his friend and fellow devil-driven rogue Stephen Hornsby, the Marquis of Clevedon. He would try Stephen’s favorite haunts, starting with Mrs. Kinlock. He’d heard she had a new redhead, and Stephen loved redheads.