Page 17 of The Duke of a Thousand Desires

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The household’sofficious senior footman, Weed, led Ravenna to the Italian gallery. This was the room forbidden to her earlier in the night. But then also forbidden to her was the man who half-rose from the couch at her entrance. The candlelight enhanced his appeal. His enigmatic smile aroused her curiosity. He looked even more composed than when she had left him. Had his assailant been caught?

The footman slipped away.

It was late. She wasn’t the least bit fatigued. The party had resumed. The excitement in the gardens had reinvigorated the guests. Many of them had crowded into the theater to await the play, to gossip. And she’d gifted them with enough to talk about for months.

Or rather Simon had. The duke was the darling of the night.

“Join me, Ravenna,” he said, gesturing to the low chaise longue.

Her embroidered gown rustled as she obeyed, on edge but not afraid of his company. “I don’t trust this setting,” she said. “We were caught in an apparent rendezvous. Why would the family leave us alone together? Are we being put to a test? Is there a peephole in the wall?”

His eyes reflected wry concern. He had removed his tailcoat. The warmth of his well-muscled arm as he leaned into her counteracted her chill of anticipation. Simon had excelled at boxing and fencing in his youth. Once he had carried Rhys back to castle on his shoulders when her brother had fallen down a steep hill and broken his leg. It horrified her to think that her vigorous friend might have been killed before her eyes.

“Thank you for what you did tonight,” he said. “I sensed an ambush but never considered it could be fatal.”

“I’m not a heroine. I didn’t do anything except act on instinct.”

“Instincts are what define one’s character.”

“I committed an unforgivable misdeed,” she mused. “A lady should never take charge of her life.”

“You put yourself at great risk for me.”

“It was a simple cry of warning, Simon. Any person of conscience would have done the same.”

He laughed. “Your cry could have toppled mountains and opened fissures under the London sewers. I’d forgotten the wonderful power of your Welsh voice. And you are not like any person I’ve ever known.”

“You’d have learned to raise your voice if you lived in a castle with three brothers. It was the only way to make oneself heard.”

He hesitated. “Your life is never going to be the same after tonight. I’m sorry. I would not have done this on purpose.”

She searched his face. He used to tease her with harmless threats. He wasn’t teasing now. Her self-inflicted ruination was off to an unforeseen start. “What is it, then? Death by the Boscastle firing squad for you? Banishment to a far-flung colony for me?”

“Something that could be considered more drastic than exile or execution,” he said.

“What could be worse?”

His mouth thinned. “We haven’t seen each other in years. We haven’t begun to catch up on our lives. This is going to be a serious conversation. Shall we begin it again?” He took a breath. “It’s good to see you, Ravenna. You are prettier than ever. Have you enjoyed London so far?”

She stared at him in suspicion. “It’s good to see you too, Simon. You look remarkably well. I’ve adored what little I’ve seen of London. I yearn to see more. Are you between lovers or shouldn’t I ask?”

“You’re the only lady in the world who would dare,” he replied dryly. “My love affairs are irrelevant and unremarkable. How have you been?”

“I’m frazzled. In a trance. I never did have the chance to offer my personal condolences on the loss of your sister. She was very sweet during the one Christmas she spent at the castle.”

“Too sweet, yes,” he said, his eyes troubled. “But thank you. My brother and I mourn her still.” He stared past her to the Roman statues posed against the wall. “I never congratulated you on your engagement.”

“Oh.” It was rather late to celebrate her broken betrothal, but what else could he say? “Did we forget to invite you to the wedding?” she asked, as if there were the slightest chance the ceremony would take place.

The glimmer of darkness in his eyes took her off guard. “I received an invitation and had planned to attend.”

Silence engulfed them. Simon didn’t seem inclined to pursue the subject, but then she could not read his thoughts. In fact, his next comment completely startled her.

“I’ve missed you, Ravenna. And Rhys, of course.”

“Have you?” she said, taken slightly aback.