A Duke in the Night(21)

He gazed at Anne, taking in her flushed face and snapping eyes. She hadn’t a leg to stand on when it came to righteous indignation, but he had to admire the fact that she had gone on the offensive. Gutsy, that. Instead of looking chastised, she looked as though she wished to run him through.

“You’re looking well, Anne. I’m pleased to see you survived the journey from London no worse for wear.” He kept his voice pleasant. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you were no longer residing in our house.”

She had the grace to redden. “I left a note.”

“You did.”

“With instructions. Instructions that you were not to follow me.”

“Indeed. Though had you thought to share your plans with me, I might have given you a ride here. As you may recall, I have interests in Dover that require my attention from time to time. The present being one of those times.”

Anne was staring at him as if he had sprouted a second head. “You’re not angry with me?”

“Oh, I didn’t say that, dear sister.” August avoided looking at Miss Hayward. God only knew what she was thinking.

Anne now looked positively mutinous. “Well, I’m not going back to London with you.” Her mouth was set in a hard line. “I’m…sorry for whatever inconvenience I might have caused, but I intend to stay. I do not require your supervision. I am perfectly fine on my own without you interfering.”

“You’ll be relieved to know that Miss Hayward has also conveyed the same,” August replied, frustration at her resentment rising despite his best efforts. “It is not my intention to interfere with anything. Though I might suggest that your manners are slipping. I am not the only one I think you owe an apology to.”

Anne colored again, and August met Miss Hayward’s dark, measuring gaze. He stared stonily back.

“Miss Hayward,” Anne said quietly, “I apologize for not being truthful with you. And I apologize for my behavior just now. I was just…surprised to see my brother here.”

“That would make two of us,” Miss Hayward replied easily, turning to address her student. “Apology accepted. And you should know that I am also well familiar with older brothers who do things that defy reasonable explanation.”

A reluctant smile pulled at the corner of Anne’s mouth, and August felt the muscles in his jaw tighten.

“I trust that you enjoyed your first day?” Miss Hayward inquired.

“I did. It was…incredible.” There was an instant, blinding animation on Anne’s face that August hadn’t seen in…well, forever. It made her eyes sparkle and her cheeks flush and a dimple appear on the side of her wide smile. He stared at his sister, unable to look away, but she didn’t elaborate on what it was that she had found so incredible. Nothing he had ever given her—no gown or slippers or jewels—had ever come close to eliciting such a reaction.

“I’m glad.” Miss Hayward inclined her head, a small smile playing around her lips. She didn’t offer an explanation either.

“I should go in,” Anne said into the silence that had fallen. “I do not want to be late for dinner, and I still have today’s reading assignment to complete.” She looked at August then, a clear challenge in her soft blue eyes, as if defying him to stop her.

“A good idea,” he said.

Anne bit her lip, suspicion shadowing her features, as if his answer had come too easily. And maybe it had, but for now he needed to be at Avondale, and it was better that Anne was here with him than left to her own devices in London, regardless of how that had come about. Here he could keep an eye on her and make sure she was safe while pursuing his own ambitions.

He supposed that he should be grateful that his sister hadn’t taken it into her head to see Italy. Or Siberia.

“Thank you, August, for being reasonable.” She was still looking at him as if she half expected him to implode.

“When am I not reasonable?” he replied, scowling.

Anne started to speak and then seemingly reconsidered. “Thank you, Miss Hayward,” she offered in lieu of whatever she had been going to say. “I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow. And good night, August,” she added in a courteous tone. “I hope your business goes well and doesn’t take long.” She headed toward the house, and August watched her walk away from him, her posture ramrod stiff.

“I apologize on behalf of my sister, Miss Hayward,” he said as Anne disappeared into the house without a backward glance.

“Do not make me accuse you of being redundant twice in as many minutes, Your Grace. Lady Anne already apologized.” Her words were light and held no judgment.

“Still, she should never have deceived you.” Or me.

Miss Hayward shrugged. “She’s still young. I suspect she acted as she did because she felt you didn’t trust her.”

“Trust her?”

“To conduct herself in a manner that meets your approval.”

August stared at Miss Hayward, aghast. “Is that what you think? Is that what she thinks?”

“I can’t answer for Lady Anne. But I do think she is fortunate to have a brother who cares as much as you do.”

She had done that neatly—softened her refusal to answer his question with a compliment meant to distract and flatter. It was a ploy he used regularly to get what he wanted—usually information—and it was a curious sensation to be on the receiving end.