Page 3 of Unbound Duchess

It was an offense. Ellen knew it as such, and she felt offended. Yet, despite that, she also felt curious. If this was not the man she was supposed to impress, why not allow herself a moment to be utterly truthful? After all, he did not know who she was; she certainly did not recognize him. Why not?

Feeling emboldened by such thoughts, Ellen leaned down and swiped his glass from his grip.

“Pardon me!” he exclaimed.

“I hate this paint,” she sighed, allowing her exhaustion to come fully through as she leaned against the high-backed chair to his left. “You have no idea how slick and awful it feels against one’s skin. And this dress? Deplorable. I can barely breathe. I certainly cannot even sit in this thing, and I detest the feel of velvet.”

She laughed without humor as she brought the glass to her lips to take a sip, then coughed the moment the liquor touched her throat.

“What is this?” she said hoarsely, holding it away from her as if it would strike again on its own.

The man’s look of offense shifted at once into a wide, handsome grin as he stood up and took the glass from her.

“A lesson, it seems,” he goaded. “Not to take a man’s drink from his very hands.”

He met her eyes as he brought the glass to his lips. He swallowed the rest of its contents in one long gulp—the planes of his face smooth and unbothered as he did so. When he’d finished, he let out a satisfied ah, then set the empty glass down.

“A lesson well noted,” Ellen rasped out, the liquor still burning her throat.

She let out another cough and pressed a hand to her stomach.

“Apologies,” she offered. “I am not usually so bold in social instances. Tonight is…well it has been full of unexpected circumstances.”

“So, you meeting the Duke of Calder is not a usual circumstance?” the man asked, a note of teasing in his voice.

Again, Ellen’s cheeks fused with heat as she shook her head.

“No. My friend, she…she had this idea,” she answered.

“How curious,” the man mused, going back to his seat. “Tell me about this idea.”

“And risk the feel of your judgment yet again? I think not,” she countered. “It was a foolish notion anyway.”

The man held his hands up as if in surrender.

“No judgment this time. I promise you,” he assured. “I would like to hear about this idea that is clearly so foolish.”

Ellen paused for a moment, debating whether or not she could trust such a statement. Yet despite the situation she was finding herself amused by this particular man, and with their identities firmly disguised, she decided to throw caution to the wind.

“My friend believes I am doomed to a life of spinsterhood,” she confessed, “And she believes that I should experience at least one impassioned kiss before I grow much older.”

The man’s amused smile slipped a little.

“She does not sound like much of a friend if she speaks to you that way or advises you toward such reckless behavior. Even a masquerade carries no guarantee of anonymity,” he replied in a serious tone.

“She meant no offense,” Ellen countered with a shrug of her shoulders. “Though I agree her plan is…a risk, to be sure, but her words are true enough. Though I disagree that I am ‘doomed’ to spinsterhood.”

“You wish to be on the shelf for the remainder of your days?” the man mused.

“Not particularly,” she confessed. “But I know how our society sees me when I am plain faced and in my preferred dress. No gentleman wants me—save to make me a joke.”

“It would be nice,” she went on after a silence fell between them, “to feel a kiss. A real, lovely kiss just once. Even if it is at a time I look nothing like myself.”

Silence fell between them once more, and Ellen wondered if her truthfulness had made the moment uncomfortable for him.

“You put yourself at risk in moments like these,” the man said, just as she was about to offer an apology. “I cannot speak for the duke as I do not know him personally, but you should not allow yourself to be wooed by a man you know nothing about. It is a most dangerous position you are putting yourself in.”

The grave tone in his deep voice gave her pause, and she realized that her initial reaction to Judith’s idea was correct. However, she could not help but notice that another situation had presented itself.