Her Beastly Duke (Damsel in Distress #5)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Berkley Estate, Gloucester

B riar and Duncan had arrived, and the butler led them to the library. Briar looked around the familiar shelves, but the forgery was no longer there when she glanced at the easel. Her cheeks were heated when her eyes fell on the rapiers, and she could feel the duke’s scrutiny. She would not let him see how much his gaze unnerved her.

“Good morning,” The duke stood up from his chair and greeted them.

It was only then that Briar realized he was wearing a half mask. It would certainly be uncomfortable to wear the mask all day. Briar wondered why he felt the need to wear the mask when both she and Duncan had already seen his face. She did not like the mask and did not believe it was necessary. The mask made it difficult to ascertain his emotions and expressions. Although the mask was gold, it may as well have been black because it appeared ominous, cold, and dark.

“Good morning, Your Grace. I am returning the full amount for the painting.” Duncan took a step forward before the duke held up his hand.

“You may keep it. Consider it a payment for the work that Miss Walcot will do. We will discuss any additional compensation when Miss Walcot fulfills her obligations.”

“You are very generous, Your Grace. Thank you,” Duncan replied with a nod.

Briar’s eyes found his and held his gaze. “I will fulfill my obligations, Your Grace. You have my word.”

“I will be on my way then. I have matters to attend to at Walcot Hall.” With that, Duncan left the library.

They were alone. The atmosphere in the room changed. It became charged with something she could not name. Briar and the duke regarded each other, yet neither of them spoke.

Finally, the duke stood up. “Did you have a pleasant journey?”

Briar smiled tentatively. “I did, thank you.”

“I was going for a walk. Would you care to join me?”

Briar immediately relaxed. She enjoyed walking even at night. It always calmed her nerves and lifted her spirits. By God, she needed her nerves to be calmed right now.

“I would like that, Your Grace. I enjoy the open, fresh air.”

The duke moved to the library door and opened it. “Shall we?” When he walked through the door, his powerful, well-built frame filled it. Briar could tell he was strong. He had effortlessly thrown her over his shoulders when she attempted to escape and carried her back to the house with such ease. She had a head start, but he still managed to catch up to her, and she wondered how a man so large could be agile. Briar followed the duke down the stairs and into the courtyard.

The duke led her down a cobbled pathway toward the rear of the house. As Briar walked by the well-manicured lawn with a colorful border of flowers, she felt a sense of serenity. The Monterey pine and mighty redwoods from the Americas cast a shadow with instant character and color. It was a lovely garden.

The duke turned to her, and Briar looked up to see the wind ruffling his hair. It made him appear a bit wild and fierce yet noble at the same time.

“Berkley Estate has beautiful grounds, and you will enjoy walks here. It is more than just my home. It is my peaceful place, though there is a bit of a contrast between the quiet and the natural sights and sounds.”

“We are of like mind, Your Grace. I do enjoy the wide-open space with peace and calm. Nature invites us to share its beauty. Do you walk here often?”

“I alternate between a morning ride or walk when the weather permits.”

Although they were discussing walks and the weather, Briar’s mind was consumed with thoughts of how this unconventional arrangement would work between them. She was hoping the duke would tell her soon. Broadly speaking, she understood what the duke wanted, but now that she was here, she wanted to understand the finer details.

A cool breeze touched her skin and caused her to shiver.

The duke abruptly stopped, and Briar turned to face him. “Are you cold, Miss Walcot?” He arched the brow not covered by the mask and waited.

“I am not. I will admit that I am a bit apprehensive about our arrangement.”

The duke chuckled. “I find it hard to believe that anyone so bold would be apprehensive.”

“Well, you could put my mind at rest by telling me exactly what you want, Your Grace.”

The duke resumed walking and Briar fell in step beside him.

“All will be revealed in due course, Miss Walcot. I quite enjoy what we are doing now, and I would like you to join me for dinner this evening. I often eat in the library, but now that you are here, I will revert to the dining room.”

“As you wish, Your Grace.”

Perhaps the duke is right. She should take it day by day and not worry too much about the future. Briar had only just arrived, and she had already missed her family. Surely, the duke must feel a pang of regret for not having a wife or children. She would need to ignore the loneliness that would creep up inside her when she longed to be with Duncan, Victoria, and Mama. It must be loneliness which drove the duke to want a companion. But she could not be his companion indefinitely. What would this truly mean for him?

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, and Briar reveled in the warm feeling on her skin.

“I noted the uncanny resemblance between you and Duncan.”

“We are twins. Mama said I arrived first, so when we were children, I constantly reminded Duncan that I was older, and that held sway for a while.”

“I supposed that was only until he realized things were different for girls.”

“Exactly. I must say that we managed to maintain a close bond despite all conventions. Duncan and I have always been close and I suppose we always will be. You could say we share an irreplaceable, lifelong attachment.”

“And secrets?”

“Yes. We can always tell when something makes the other feel unsettled.”

“Interesting.”

“We understand each other better than anyone else could. I understand that Duncan did something foolish with the painting, but he has been under such immense pressure since Father died. The responsibility of our situation is great for one so young.”

“I am also close to my younger brother Baxter, although, with all the advice he gives, you could not tell he was younger.”

A smile lit the duke’s face when he spoke of his brother.

When they first met, the duke seemed gruff and intimidating, but today, he seemed more human, a gentler soul. Briar wondered what else lay beneath his stern, intractable, and tough exterior. A certain warmth radiated from him when he spoke about his brother, which made her forget that he relished solitude.

“If you do not mind me asking, where is your brother?”

He paused for a moment as if he was weighing up whether he should answer. “He is in Scotland with his wife and children. He tells me there is another on the way.”

“Oh, how delightful.”

They walked in silence for a moment, but it was hard for Briar to remain silent when so many questions swirled around in her head. She could not contain her curiosity, and this time, she halted the walk.

“Why do you wear the mask when I have already seen your scars?”

The duke spun around to face her. His eyes bore into her as if the answer to his question lay in the depths. His brows knitted together for a moment. “I can count on one hand the number of people that have seen my scars. I do not wish to bear the scarred flesh for all to see so that I will receive looks of distaste, disgust, and revulsion.”

Briar looked away from his piercing gaze. “I see you fear I will be repulsed by your face in the light of day, but I can assure you I will not. I feel the same way now as I did when I first saw you in the library.”

She watched the emotions play over his face. He seemed doubtful yet hopeful. He made no reply. For the first time, Briar wondered if he could ever abandon this life where he was cut off. They had come through the clearing to find a wide, gently flowing river. Sunlight broke through the clouds hanging in the sky, reflecting off the calm water.

Ripples radiated through the water where a small boat was secured.

“How delightful. Do you go rowing?”

The duke smiled, and Briar knew an answer was forthcoming. The conversation had returned to a topic that he was more comfortable talking about.

“I do. Would you like to try the boat?”

Briar gave a start. She wasn’t expecting the invitation, and her breath caught in her throat. They would be in close confines but clearly visible. She had not thought about taking her parasol, so she would have to make do without it.

“I would enjoy that.”

The duke held out his hand to Briar, and she took it. A jolt of awareness ran through her arm, and she found herself staring at his hand on hers for a moment too long. She looked up and met his penetrating gaze. A flush crept over her cheeks, and Briar dropped her gaze. Without a word, the duke guided her to the boat and assisted her to a seat. He loosed the rope needed to anchor it to the shore and jumped in, sitting across from her. Their knees did not touch, but they were mighty close.

The duke reached for the oars and began to row. Briar could not help but notice the ripple of his muscles under his white shirt. Suddenly, her mouth felt dry, and she swallowed. She was keenly aware of his strength and virility that shimmered under the surface. The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile as if he knew what she was thinking. She quickly looked at the scene gently going by.

There was a flutter of wings, and Briar saw the ripples spreading across the river. “I have not seen these geese before. They are beautiful.”

“They are Barnacle geese, and these ones are distinct in their black-and-white color. I will get closer,” the duke said as he rowed further across the river.

The geese did not remain close to the bank. They seemed just as interested in Briar and the duke, so they fanned out, and a few made their way toward the boat. Briar was all too familiar with the grey geese, but the Barnacle geese captured her attention. She wanted to touch one of them, but they remained out of reach. She stood up, believing she could reach over a tad bit more. She lost her train of thought when she fell head-first into the river. She made a desperate grab, but she could only feel air before she parted the surface.

Splash !

Briar’s reality suddenly changed; one moment, she was warm and safe in the boat, and in an instant, she was covered in cold water and trying to survive. She could not swim! At first, she could not breathe, so it was difficult to understand what had happened to her, and she was in great fear for her life. In the rashness of the moment, she flung her arms and legs about, struggling to get to the surface. She was disoriented, unable to discern which way was even up. Powerfully built arms encircled her waist, and she was propelled to the surface.

She gasped for breath, inhaling the water-saturated air. She was ever so grateful to be snatched from the cold depths, but she was mortified too. It was only her first day, yet she managed to make a fool of herself. She brushed away the wet tendrils of hair that shielded her eyes only to find the duke’s furrowed brows mere inches away. Beads of water ran down his face to his lips, and Briar’s gaze followed the lazy trail. He licked his lips, and the simple movement caused Briar to forget that she was fighting for her life only a moment ago. She shivered in reaction to the duke’s nearness, his strapping arms and warm breath.

“You do like to get yourself into scrapes, don’t you, Miss Walcot?”

“Whatever do you mean, Your Grace? I was hardly trying to drown myself.”

The duke grunted before he commanded her to remain still. He slowly moved behind Briar while keeping one hand around her waist. Briar could feel the full length of his muscular frame against her back. Thank goodness he could not see her face because she was sure it was bright red.

“Lean back against my chest and allow me to guide you.”

Against his chest, more so than she was doing already ? The wet clothes clinging to his hardness were as close to naked as she had ever seen a man.

He sensed her hesitation. “The boat has drifted to the opposite side, Miss Walcot, so unless you have discovered you can swim, I suggest you lean back against my chest. You will be perfectly safe.”

Briar did as she was told. The duke’s arm left her waist and moved to her underarm. His hand brushed against her bosom, stirring a strange sense in her belly. Another flush worked itself over her cheeks. She had never felt anything like it. What did it mean? The duke slowly started swimming toward the river bank, to safety, or was it?