breath. “My husband and his men now work as part of a group at the Home Office in the service of the office’s interests.”
“I see,” the earl said slowly, his expression shrewd. He knew more than he was letting on, Duncan realized.
Duncan glanced at Grace and found her looking at him, the surprise flaring in her eyes once again. He wondered what she was thinking, how much she understood.
The group lapsed into another long silence, punctuated now and then by pleasantries and brief comments on the weather. No topic seemed to hold for long, and the air in the room grew ever tenser. Duncan felt the strange desire to pull on his neck cloth so he’d be able to drag in more air.
Finally, the earl rose. “I must go. It is good to see you well, daughter.”
“And you, Papa,” Lady Campbell murmured.
“Give my regards to your husband.” The earl didn’t spare a glance at Duncan before leaving the room.
When the door closed behind him, it seemed he’d sucked all the stale air out with him, and Duncan took his first deep breath in what felt like hours.
Lady Campbell gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about our father. He’s not the friendliest man in the best of circumstances. Even men who’ve been members of the same club with him for a score of years tend to label him cold and uncompromising.”
“He’s not, though,” Grace added. “He’s…Well, he can be a bit difficult, I admit. But that hard exterior is simply a shell. Inside he’s soft as cake, truly. Claire and I have spent our lives in his house, and we just now feel we might finally understand him.”
“It only took twenty-two years,” Lady Campbell said with a small laugh. “Twenty-three, in Grace’s case.”
Duncan gazed into his teacup, then looked up at Grace. He’d been wrong coming to see her. It hadn’t taken the edge off his need. Instead, it had drilled in the impossibility of anything developing between them. “Maybe this wasna a good idea,” he said quietly. “I shouldna come.”
Grace’s eyes widened. “Of course you should have! Do you realize how much I’ve—”
She broke off midsentence. Lady Campbell rose to her feet, and Duncan followed suit.
“Will you be all right alone for a while?” the lady asked Duncan, smiling apologetically. “I’ve so much I want to take back to the house. I should get started packing.” She gestured at her sister. “I’m sure Grace wouldn’t mind keeping you company.”
Duncan didn’t miss the look the sisters exchanged before Lady Campbell exited the room. After the door closed behind her, he heard the sound of a key being inserted, then a lock turning.
He glanced at Grace with raised brows. “Is she lockin’ us in?” he asked in utter bewilderment.
A flush colored Grace’s cheeks, and she looked down at her hands. “It seems so.” Slowly, her head rose until she was smiling up at him.
He stared at her. She was
thankful
for her sister’s sudden departure. Thankful for being locked in this room with him. She
wanted
to be alone with him.
And they were. Finally alone.
Chapter 9
It was all Grace could do not to lunge at him. So much for her lofty plans of letting all thoughts of Duncan Mackenzie fall to the wayside as soon as she stepped onto English soil. It had been hopeless from the beginning.
She clutched her hands in her lap and planted her slippered feet on the floor and smiled at him instead.
He lowered himself back into his chair and gazed at her for a long moment. “I’ve missed ye so much, Grace,” he said in a low voice.
Her heart melted. “I’ve missed you too.”
They were drawn to each other. They genuinely liked each other. And they were attracted physically to each other. Even now, Grace’s heart raced, and heat flushed through her body. He appeared equally affected, his hands clutching the armrests and his breaths making his broad chest rise and fall heavily.
He glanced at the door. “Will they return soon?”
She shook her
“I see,” the earl said slowly, his expression shrewd. He knew more than he was letting on, Duncan realized.
Duncan glanced at Grace and found her looking at him, the surprise flaring in her eyes once again. He wondered what she was thinking, how much she understood.
The group lapsed into another long silence, punctuated now and then by pleasantries and brief comments on the weather. No topic seemed to hold for long, and the air in the room grew ever tenser. Duncan felt the strange desire to pull on his neck cloth so he’d be able to drag in more air.
Finally, the earl rose. “I must go. It is good to see you well, daughter.”
“And you, Papa,” Lady Campbell murmured.
“Give my regards to your husband.” The earl didn’t spare a glance at Duncan before leaving the room.
When the door closed behind him, it seemed he’d sucked all the stale air out with him, and Duncan took his first deep breath in what felt like hours.
Lady Campbell gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about our father. He’s not the friendliest man in the best of circumstances. Even men who’ve been members of the same club with him for a score of years tend to label him cold and uncompromising.”
“He’s not, though,” Grace added. “He’s…Well, he can be a bit difficult, I admit. But that hard exterior is simply a shell. Inside he’s soft as cake, truly. Claire and I have spent our lives in his house, and we just now feel we might finally understand him.”
“It only took twenty-two years,” Lady Campbell said with a small laugh. “Twenty-three, in Grace’s case.”
Duncan gazed into his teacup, then looked up at Grace. He’d been wrong coming to see her. It hadn’t taken the edge off his need. Instead, it had drilled in the impossibility of anything developing between them. “Maybe this wasna a good idea,” he said quietly. “I shouldna come.”
Grace’s eyes widened. “Of course you should have! Do you realize how much I’ve—”
She broke off midsentence. Lady Campbell rose to her feet, and Duncan followed suit.
“Will you be all right alone for a while?” the lady asked Duncan, smiling apologetically. “I’ve so much I want to take back to the house. I should get started packing.” She gestured at her sister. “I’m sure Grace wouldn’t mind keeping you company.”
Duncan didn’t miss the look the sisters exchanged before Lady Campbell exited the room. After the door closed behind her, he heard the sound of a key being inserted, then a lock turning.
He glanced at Grace with raised brows. “Is she lockin’ us in?” he asked in utter bewilderment.
A flush colored Grace’s cheeks, and she looked down at her hands. “It seems so.” Slowly, her head rose until she was smiling up at him.
He stared at her. She was
thankful
for her sister’s sudden departure. Thankful for being locked in this room with him. She
wanted
to be alone with him.
And they were. Finally alone.
Chapter 9
It was all Grace could do not to lunge at him. So much for her lofty plans of letting all thoughts of Duncan Mackenzie fall to the wayside as soon as she stepped onto English soil. It had been hopeless from the beginning.
She clutched her hands in her lap and planted her slippered feet on the floor and smiled at him instead.
He lowered himself back into his chair and gazed at her for a long moment. “I’ve missed ye so much, Grace,” he said in a low voice.
Her heart melted. “I’ve missed you too.”
They were drawn to each other. They genuinely liked each other. And they were attracted physically to each other. Even now, Grace’s heart raced, and heat flushed through her body. He appeared equally affected, his hands clutching the armrests and his breaths making his broad chest rise and fall heavily.
He glanced at the door. “Will they return soon?”
She shook her
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