Two Lady Scoundrels and a Duke - Tessa Candle Page 0,40

she had been holding.

The man whistled. "So that is your ladyship's suitor? I am glad you refused him."

Eleanor knew she should be angry at this impudent comment, but she could not make herself rebuke him. "So am I."

His steel blue eyes blazed alarmingly in contrast to the swarthy skin of his face. "It is well that he did not challenge me. I'd have killed him."

Eleanor swallowed. This man might be the one she had overheard menacing whomever was imprisoned back in the pirate cave. The voice had been low and muffled. Was she just letting her fancy go wild? Perhaps, but he was certainly not what he pretended to be.

"Thank you for intervening." She stood a few moments and watched Auchdun get further away.

"Don't mention it. I should do as much for a duke's daughter."

Her eyes snapped to meet his gaze. Did he know who she was?

His smile was comical. "And equally for any daughter of less noble birth. Women should be protected."

It was hard to say if he knew more than he let on, or if he was just speaking in general terms. She sniffed. "We would not need so much protecting if it were not for men."

"Well, that depends a bit on how you define who is a man." He yawned and stretched indolently and his dirty cloak fell back to reveal lithe but well-muscled arms and a broad chest. Perhaps he was a labourer after all. "But that one," he nodded his head toward the retreating back of Auchdun, "and anyone like him is not what I call a man. Still, I take your point."

His language was not polished, yet he truly did not speak like a labourer. And no matter how much she liked what he was saying, she needed to get away from him. He could be very dangerous. "Well, I see my persecutor is leaving. I will wait here and give him time to get well ahead of me. Please do not let me detain you from your business."

He looked at her intently and she felt as though he were seeing her naked. "Just as your ladyship pleases. But if you don't mind my saying so, that seems like an ill-conceived plan. What is to stop him, as soon as he is out of your view, from hiding and waiting for you to pass him?"

She had to concede that he was right. "Decency, perhaps."

The cackle that escaped him did not sound bitter, but his words carried the weight of bad experience. "Decency is a fictional beast, like a unicorn. We speak of it dreamily as though it represents some true ideal, but it is a story for children. And even if unicorns are real, I would not stake two straws on that fellow's decency."

It was a certainty: this man was a gentleman of some sort—at least educated. But this did not make her feel more at ease. If he were a gentleman, why was he passing himself off as a member of the working class? Because he had something to hide. She was not safe with him.

But unfortunately, he was quite right about Auchdun, who was assuredly a sneaking turd. At least this man was the devil that she did not know. "If you do not object to walking at some distance in front of me, perhaps we might go on together to Fenimore."

He doffed his cap most sarcastically and said, "Are you sure you would not prefer me to walk behind you, like your servant?"

He was overly familiar, and she did not like being on the receiving end of sarcasm. She was far more comfortable dealing it out.

“You may suit yourself.” She started off down the trail. She would prefer to have him ahead of her where she could keep an eye on him, but it was most important that, if he were the malefactor from the pirate cave, he never suspected her of knowing anything. It was best to appear indifferent.

She kept her thoughts to herself and did not turn to look at the man or attempt any conversation as they made their way up the path.

This was a preposterous situation. Perhaps she should get out of the habit of going for walks without servants attending, but she had always hated restrictions on her freedom. Besides, it was not the country practice to always have a servant attend a simple morning walk. She was not sure she even trusted the servants. Not the servants at Blackwood, anyway. One of them had flapped