A Duchess a Day (Awakened by a Kiss #1) - Charis Michaels Page 0,106

you think?”

Grateful tears shot to Helena’s eyes. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t breathe. She worked very hard not to dissolve into a tearful, breathless heap in her chair.

Titus said, “But, Your Grace, you’ve been betrothed to Lady Helena for these many years. We’ve an agreement with the earl and countess. Lady Helena has—”

“Lady Helena,” Lusk cut in, “does not interest me. I’ve thrown her over. Pray, someone attend her, lest she swoon.”

Helena blinked away tears in time to see Lusk shoot her a sardonic look over the brim of his glass. He raised an ironic eyebrow. Knightly Snow let out a giggle.

Every head swiveled to Helena. She felt their collective gaze like the gust of a voracious wind. For how long had she dreamed of this moment? And yet, she wasn’t certain how to react. Should she feign heartbreak? Toss the contents of her water goblet in Lusk’s face? Slink from the room? Her mind spun. An unwitting footman had leaned in with the salt cellar when Helena remembered Declan’s advice: Keep as close to the truth as possible.

The truth was, she really wanted to speak to Lusk.

Unsteadily, she shoved from her seat. “Would His Grace grant me a moment alone to . . . discuss his change of heart?”

She would not rest easy until she had his assurance that this was not a one-evening stunt.

Girdleston leapt at this request. “Yes, yes,” the old man enthused, “you and the duke have a word and perhaps your differences can be smoothed over. We shall set a place for the duke’s new friend. Here. Beside me.”

Without looking at the man seated to his left, Girdleston slid his plate away and signaled to a footman. He continued, “By the time you return—”

“Miss Snow will not move from her current chair,” commanded the duke, tossing his napkin on his plate. He pushed back from the table with undue force. Before he strode from the room, he kissed Knightly Snow full on the mouth.

While stunned guests watched in motionless shock, Helena struggled to dislodge herself from the crowded table and hurried after the duke.

“She is a marvel,” enthused Lusk when Helena joined him in the corridor.

“Oh yes, quite,” Helena said. “I believe being marvelous is a priority to Miss Snow.”

Helena had vowed to follow his lead. If he wished to profess his appreciation of Knightly Snow, she would not contradict him. She owed her future to the marvelous Knightly Snow.

“Do you think the two of you will, er, suit?” Helena asked.

“We suit,” Lusk assured her, straightening his cravat.

“I am grateful that you are releasing me from the betrothal. I . . . I hope—”

“Convenient, isn’t it?” he said. “Considering you’re married to someone else.” He shot her a look of challenge.

Helena felt her face go hot. And now she wasn’t sure what to say.

The duke continued, “Knightly told me about the stable boy. Aren’t you a little minx?”

“I—” began Helena. She was wholly unprepared to defend herself and Declan.

She began again. “Mr. Shaw and I sort of . . . fell into one another. He was hired to guard me, we were thrown together, and . . . we found love. Please believe me, Bradley, I hope the same will happen for you. Truly. I’m thrilled that you get on so well with Miss Snow.”

The duke snorted. “I’d not double down, if I were you.” He was looking over her shoulder into the dining room.

“I’m not doubling down.” She stepped right, forcing him to look her in the eye. “You should have a wife who shares your interests and has your heart. And you should challenge your uncle. Girdleston takes every advantage. He serves only his own ambition, and I believe he takes a strange sort of pleasure in telling you what to do. You can throw him over and be the duke you were born to be.”

Lusk laughed bitterly. “What do I know of being duke?”

“You’ve had the best tutors and studied at Oxford, for God’s sake. Surely you learned something. Your friends have titles and somehow manage. You can hire a trustworthy steward. Or you may invoke the advice of Miss Snow. I have it on good authority that she is very clever.”

Lusk snapped his attention back to Helena. “Do you think she would fancy managing the dukedom? Alongside me?”

“Ah,” Helena scrambled. “I believe she is very ambitious. And she prefers to keep busy. With an estate and holdings as vast as yours, surely there will be some stimulating task to keep her