Two Lady Scoundrels and a Duke - Tessa Candle Page 0,9
you for the eggs, ladies. At least starvation will be held at bay for one more day, even if I will soon have no roof over my head. Perhaps the duke will be gone by then, so I will not have the added humiliation of having him witness my eviction.”
He fell back from the entrance, cruel clarity descending upon him. His beloved Katherine had been living on this tiny rundown property, not to hide from him, but out of necessity. She was destitute. How could he not have realized what was so plainly evident? What an idiot he had been—so foolish and self-centered. All he could think of was his joy at finding her, and all this time she was struggling just to give him food.
He recalled with guilt the gruel he had given to the dog. It was probably all she had to eat, if she was so thankful for a few eggs. And then there was her lodging—more a hovel than a cottage. And even that she was on the verge of losing. He had to fix this.
She emerged from the barn and started at the sight of him. “Fox.”
His mood immediately lifted, and he beamed at her. She had not called him by that old, familiar name this entire time, though he had so much wished she would. He could not keep the love from his voice as he replied, “Kat.”
She immediately recollected herself. “I am sorry. I suppose I should address his grace properly.”
“There is nothing so proper for you to call me as Fox. I wish you would always use that name. May I call you Kat? It rolls off the tongue so perfectly.”
She gave him an unhappy look.
“Very well, I shall call you Mrs. Sheldon, if I must. Only, call me Fox, I beg of you. It pleases me so much to hear that name from your lips.”
She sighed. “I shall call you Foxleigh, then. I spoke in haste because I was surprised to see you. That is all.”
“Thank you. In the very least, that is better than your grace.” He smiled at her, but her mood seemed as stormy as her grey eyes.
“What are you doing out here, anyway? You should be resting inside. We ought not risk a relapse. In fact, I have been meaning to ask you about taking your horse into town to fetch a doctor to you. Only…” She sighed and looked uncomfortable, casting her gaze downward. “Only, I do not have the money to pay a physician, at the moment, so I hope the highwaymen did not make off with all your pence.”
He was so grateful to have her bring up the very topic he would speak to her about. “Indeed, I still have some notes about me. They must have made off with the strongbox, but I escaped without having my pockets cut. However, I do not think a doctor is necessary. I am getting sturdier every day.”
“Let us get you back to the cottage.”
He knew it was small of him, but he cherished the look of concern upon her features. She must still care for him, a little. But what he really ought to do was stop thinking about his needs and start taking care of her. At least he could alleviate her immediate financial problems. But how to broach the subject? He stewed this over as they walked along the path. He was certain she was as aware as he of how close their hands were to touching. The intensity of the mood was lightened as they arrived at the cottage, and the dog, who had apparently been left to his own devices, came wandering up and presented himself to each of them for pets. “Well hello again!” Foxleigh scratched his head with both hands. “What is his name?”
“Dog.”
He peered up at her face to detect if she was having him on. Her lips curled into a faint smile. He gave her a skeptical look. “You are not in earnest, I see.”
Katherine shook her head. “You mistake me. Dog is truly his name.” In affirmation of this, the hound looked up at her each time she spoke the word Dog. “He wandered up to the cottage one day and stayed. I did not name him at first, because I thought his owner would eventually come to claim him, or he would find his way home. I called him Dog because I did not know what to call him.” She shrugged. “By the time I realized