“No, my lady. The duke demanded to see the master of the house. I…I did not feel Icoulddisobey.”
Oh, dear. “We cannot let His Grace inside.”
“It is raining, my lady.”
Theo briefly slammed her eyes closed. “Botheration! Inform the duke that I am not at home to callers, and I will call upon him at his earliest convenience.”
His craggy features shifted into another expression and frowned, and her usually unflappable butler tugged at his necktie. “I truly do not believe the duke will accept that answer, my lady. There is something about him that was most…compelling.”
“Is that admiration I hear, Mr. Dobbs?”
His brows lowered even further at the coolness in her tone.
“The duke will not leave until he has seen the master of this home.”
If not for Mr. Dobbs’s advance years and his exemplary service in dealing with their shenanigans, Theo would have fired him just now. Agoodbutler knew how to deflect unwanted callers, even if they were dukes. “Did you admit His Grace to the yellow parlor?”
Mr. Dobbs looked decidedly uncomfortable, and she frowned. To Theo’s mind, there was no other room in the lavish townhouse suited to receive a gentleman caller. In truth, her home was no ordinary townhouse fitted to receive any eligible callers of society. Theo acknowledged then she had not prepared adequately for this moment, and she had known it was possible someone unexpected could arrive one day. “Well?”
“Lady Hatfield and Miss Lavinia are still in the yellow parlor discussing the chapter they had just read together ofRobinson Crusoe.”
That novel had made it onto their book club list because one of their members’, Lady Sylvia’s, guardian had banned her from reading it, with the inane reasoning that it might induce hysterics given her delicate nerves. It would not do to disturb their rousing debates of its themes. Nor would Theo know where to put them, with most of the rooms being occupied. His Grace being on her doorstep felt like a disaster. How clever she had thought herself to be having their ladies club in plain sight.
“Then where is the duke?”
“He…he is still on the doorsteps, my lady,” her butler said, clearly distressed. “We’ve never had a gentleman caller before, and all other parlors are occupied.”
“You left adukeon the doorsteps?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“And in the rain?”
“That is why I mentioned it was raining, my lady.”
“Good heavens!” Theo knew of Hartford’s rumored power and influence. The duke was not a man to be left on anyone’s doorstep, in the rain no less! Theo hurried to her feet, skirted around Mr. Dobbs, and rushed through the open door of her private parlor out into the long hallway to skid to an alarming halt.
A tall, powerfully built gentleman stood in the hallway, removing his hat, and glancing around with an expression of chilling insouciance. If this was the duke, the man had invited himself inside. She must have made a sound, for his head snapped around before he faltered into stillness.
Theo’s breath caught in her chest at the rugged handsomeness of the man in her hallway. His dark hair appeared windswept and in desperate need of a trim. His mouth was a tight, determined line, and he radiated certainty and purpose. He shrugged from a coat, sprinkling water droplets onto the floor. Her butler hurried past her to collect the man’s hat, jacket, and a walking cane.
The duke was impeccably dressed in tan breeches, a white shirt with a burgundy waistcoat, and jacket. Shockingly he wore no cravat, and his knee-high boots suggested he’d been out riding. Even with the distance between them, the blue of his eyes was stunningly discernable.And what a magnificent blue they were. Those eyes pinned her with a hawkish and very rude stare as they ran over her with thorough insolence.
Theo sensed his curiosity in the same manner she could sense her heartbeat in her throat.Was this…was this the duke?Or had someone else dared to invade her home without an express invitation? Nerves leaped inside Theo’s body, and she smoothed her dark yellow day gown, conscious of the cool tiles beneath her feet.
The duke eyes missed nothing, lingering in places a gentleman of good conduct had no place looking. His accusatory gaze lingered on her feet bare of stockings and shoes! He stared at her toes, and she reflexively curled them on the cool mosaic tiles. Theo almost blushed but instead lifted her chin, hoping to portray a cool composure. Still, a peculiar warmth hooked low in her belly and tugged.
Good heavens, what is this nonsense?
Chapter Three
It is just an unexpected reaction to how handsome he is, she silently said,gather yourself and greet him. Before she could speak, his voice snapped out a cold, crisp command.
“I will see the master of this house at once.”
It would be ill-mannered in the extreme to try and turn him away, though she was very tempted to at least try. Theo’s chest lifted on a ragged breath. That soft sound tugged his gaze to her face, and she could see that he had drawn a very unflattering supposition. Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, Theo took a few steps toward him before pausing at a respectable distance. “You are the Duke of Hartford.”
His nostrils flared as the man looked down his perfect nose at her for possibly daring to not know him.