Loved by a Duke (The Heart of a Duke #4)(26)



He fed his annoyance, preferring that sentiment to the cloying fear at discovering her here, alone in the streets. Auric, she said? As though they were meeting amidst a ballroom or in a drawing room and not in the muddied, dangerous streets of London. Fury replaced the mind-numbing fear from moments ago and he stalked the remaining distance to her. Her eyes widened, perhaps in fear? Good, she should be fearful. He fed his ire. “What are you doing out here in this weather, unchaperoned, in this part of London, my lady?” Rain blurred his vision and he angrily swiped away the drops.

“I’m shopping.” She planted her arms akimbo. “The better question would be, what are you doing here, Auric?”

“Returning you home.”

“Oh, no you’re not.” She winked once.

She was having a splendid time, was she? “This is not a game,” he gritted out. The lady didn’t realize she risked life and limb coming here.

“I never said it was,” she said on a beleaguered sigh. She narrowed her eyes. A suspicious glint lit their brown depths. “And for that matter, Your Grace, how did you find me here?” Daisy wrinkled her nose. “Are you spying on me?” Which suggested the lady was engaging in activities that merited him spying on her. He swiped a hand over his face. God help him. He could manage his estates in a way that saw his coffers abundantly full. He could command a room of peers to silence with a single look. He was not, however, equipped to handle this older brother business. “Well?” she prodded, annoyance in her tone.

Auric lowered his arm to his side. “Frederick was very enlightening.” Because the old servant clearly had more sense than Daisy and her mother combined.

“Traitor,” she mumbled. Then, she gave a toss of her damp curls. “Regardless, I’ve important business to see to.” With that, she turned on her muddied heel and started down the road.

Auric remained fixed to the spot, blinking several times in rapid succession. By God, had she just wandered away from him? In this weather? Unchaperoned? In this part of London? With a growl, he stalked after her. “Lady Daisy Meadows, by God if you do not stop I will toss you over my shoulder and remove you to my carriage.” He planted himself in front of her and halted her forward movement.

She stopped. Which was good. Because he really didn’t want to do anything as barbaric as tossing her over his shoulder. Which he would do if he needed. But he’d still rather not. Not with Daisy. Nor any young lady for that matter. But especially not Daisy. For all the sins he was guilty of, he cared to leave off any further ones that involved Daisy and, most especially, any outrageous acts that involved his hands upon her person.

Rain ran in a steady stream around them, like crystal teardrops upon her cheeks. But then she smiled, the one splash of joy in an otherwise cheerless world, and for a brief moment, he forgot the terror that had dogged him since Frederick had announced the lady’s plans to visit Gipsy Hill and any annoyance. “What were you thinking going out without an escort?” he asked, when he at last managed to form words.

“I have an escort.” Daisy looked around. A frown tugged her lips downward and then she lifted a finger up. “Ah, here she is.”

As if on cue a young woman in a serviceable, brown cloak came tearing down the street. “My lady, we need to go. It is—” She skidded to a halt at the sight of Auric and fell silent.

He returned his attention to Daisy. “That is not an escort, my lady.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Indeed, she is.”

Auric took a slow, steadying breath and counted to five. “No. No, she is not.” She was a young maid who didn’t look strong enough to stand upright in the howling wind knocking into them now.

A chill stole through him at the idea of all manner of danger that could have befallen her.

“What manner of madness has befallen you to come here alone, Daisy?” he asked, slipping with formality. Her mother would do to not let her from her sight for the rest of the Season, or better yet, until she was wed and firmly enfolded in some gentleman’s protection.

Except, then he imagined her with some bastard of a husband who didn’t deserve her, and then he would feel a whole new onset of guilt for the absence of her brother who’d have seen to the very important detail of securing a match for his…for his…

Daisy muttered and proceeded to rifle through her reticule.

He furrowed his brow. “What are you doing?”

She continued to dig around the inside of her pale yellow satin bag.

“Daisy, I asked what you are—?”

Her head shot up and her smile widened. “Here.” She handed a small silver object over to him.

Auric accepted the delicate piece. “A quizzing glass?” He alternated his gaze between Daisy and the fragile item.

She pointed to the quizzing glass. “I imagine if you can’t see Agnes standing right before you to know I’m not, in fact, alone, well then you need this even earlier than I’d imagined you would.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Daisy?”

“Yes, Auric?”

“Get in your damned carriage. Now.”

Daisy opened her mouth to protest when thunder rumbled in the distance. She jumped. Unfortunately, landing her slippered feet into the fast rising puddle between them. She glanced forlornly down at her soaked hemline. “You know, this is really all your fault.”

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