Hold Your Breath 01 - Stone Devil Duke (5 page)

A
couple rounded the terrace corner from a shadowed cove on his last words. The lady’s flushed face wrinkled in puzzlement at the comment, but the man at her arm smirked, obviously taking a different inference to the words, “shoot-out.”

“Evening, your grace
.” The man tilted his head in passing as the couple passed on their way back to the ballroom. “Nice to see you out and about this fine evening.”

Her fare
nodded politely toward the gentleman and lady. Aggie forced her head to incline in acknowledgement at the passing couple.

The couple moved o
ut of ear-shot, and her fare bent to whisper in her ear. “No need to worry about loose lips from those two. His heiress is inside looking for him.”

Separating, the couple disappeared into the ball, and Aggie’s
eyes veered back to her fare, only to be met by his penetrating gaze. Her breath caught.

He
was waiting for something from her. Patiently.

Then i
t hit her. Without mercy, the full implication of the man’s greeting to her fare snuck up and clubbed her.

“
Your grace…” Her earlier croak resurfaced. “Really? Your grace?”

She grabbed the
fan that had been delicately dangling from her wrist and spastically twisted it in her hands. There was only one duke in attendance here tonight. She spun on her heel away from him, taking a step. Then she whipped back to him.

“Please
, sir…” Voice trailing, she turned away again, then back. She stared at his chest, attempting another start at words. “I…”

It wasn’t successful. H
er mouth went dry. She lost all words, not even attempting to hide her shock.

Speechless, she stared at his chest, until the silence became awkward. Finally, realizing the twit she was
making of herself, her eyes lifted to his.

What she saw
in his grey eyes was complete amusement. Amusement at her uncontrolled emotions—realization, disbelief, outrage, and just plain dumbstruck. She’d shot through them all—openly displayed them, like an idiot. Easy amusement for the duke.

It was rude of her to react as she did. But even ruder of him to find laughter in it.

Well, no more.

No more uncontrolled reactions
to the situation. The initial shock of his presence, who he was, and what that could mean to her plans, sunk in. He could ruin everything. And would be amused in doing so. Why else would he have sought her out, if not to decimate her plans?

Frustration with the situation that had just
escalated out of her control, combined with the duke’s smirk, catapulted her into whirlwind of indignation.

His smile. So smug.
So completely in control.

Lips pulled hard, Aggie
did the only thing she could, the only thing she could think that would shock the duke enough to wipe that arrogant smile off his face.

She flicked his ear.

Bold forefinger launching out from her thumb with mighty force, she went up on her toes and flicked his ear.

Stunned,
his jaw dropped. But no words escaped out of his open mouth.

Taking adva
ntage of his incapacitated state, Aggie stepped alongside him, their arms touching. She didn’t look up at him, her eyes trained on the corner of the building. “Your grace, if you would be so kind as to follow me to the side of the balcony, there are some things that need discussion.”

Not waiting for him, she stalked off, turning the corner and moving along the
extension of the main balcony. Finding a nook closed off by lattice-work, where they would be out of eye—and ear—shot of the ball attendees, Aggie stopped, crossing her arms over her chest, fan swinging.

She t
urned to make sure the duke was following her. He was.

Aggie’s heart sped
into fast thuds when she realized that every step he took, every movement of his body, was lethal. She glanced around at the spot she had stopped in. Maybe out of sight and sound of the party wasn’t the smartest move. But she couldn’t back away now. She straightened as tall as she could as he stopped in front of her.

T
he heavy scents of the rose garden wafted up into the cove, and the two stood, both in stance for battle, glaring at each other, daring the other to make the first move.

Aggie deemed it would be her.

“Your grace, I realize what a shock this must be for you, seeing me here,” she started, now in firm control of her emotions, and full of determination that he not ruin her upcoming plans.

“R
est assured, you need not worry about the threat of me spreading word throughout society about your cowardice,” Aggie said. “Doing so would serve neither of us any purpose, even though, for myself, it would bring me great satisfaction to have your particular faults examined and heckled—but I have never much cared for the way society treats its weaker people.”

She blustered a
look that reeked of pity, ignoring the fact that his eyes had turned into dangerous thunderclouds, their deepest blacks promising destruction.

She sadly shook her head.
“They can be so harsh—wolves weeding out the weak—and it is, frankly, distasteful to me. I will not play a part in such abhorrent behavior. So I promise you, no one will know of your cowardice.”

Aggie’s gut flipped. He looked very near to choking her.

It took every bit of Aggie’s steel to raise her gloved hand and place it gently on his forearm. A pitying motion. He knew it, and his muscles flexed under her touch.

She knew she had gone much, much
too far in calling him a coward. Especially when it was so opposite the truth. But it was the only way she could think of to rid herself of him and she couldn’t stop now. She had to finish this. She needed to remove the threat he posed. She couldn’t let him ruin her plans. Her life, her family’s lives, depended on it.

“So
, your grace, if it would be amicable to you, I would like to keep our little…shall we say…adventure, between the two of us?” Her look turned to concern. “Your grace, are you listening to me? You seem a bit pale. Are you feeling well?”

He took a menacing step toward her,
closing the space between the two of them. “Yes, Lady Augustine, I am listening to you. And I am well, thank you for asking. While my recollection of last night’s activities is quite different from yours, you are correct in your assessment of what would happen to my reputation if word spread that I was called out as a coward by a woman. You have chosen an interesting gambit.”

Her eyes widened a
t his use of her name. Damn. He knew too much. Of course he did. He was a blasted duke. He knew whatever the hell he wanted. She took a step backward, hand falling from his arm, only to feel the iron railing press into her backside.

“
But you are also wagering that I bear resemblance to the majority of men in society.” He closed the space she had just maneuvered. “Unfortunately, my lady, you must know little or nothing of my reputation if you decided so quickly on such a useless tactic.”

“Useless?” Aggie forced the word out through a choke.

The throbbing that had, until now, been constant along his jaw, disappeared into a smile. “You see, I simply do not care. I would give absolutely nothing to have society deem me an acceptable gentleman. In fact, I rather enjoy my notorious reputation in society—it keeps the wrong people away.”

Aggie’s shoulders slumped.
“Such as young girls looking for a husband?”

“Precisely,
Lady Augustine.”

“
Your grace—”

“Call me
Devin.”

“
Your grace, I do not know you well enough for such an intimacy.”

“You will.”

He was too close, too overbearing for Aggie to create even the simplest thought. She looked over her shoulder, searching for air. She needed space before she crumbled to anything he demanded of her.

Aggie lifted her hand, her
gloved fingers landing lightly on his chest. Completely improper, but she was stuck. Not meeting his eyes, she pushed gently, knowing she couldn’t move him, but had to try. “Please, your grace, just a step.” Her eyes met his. “Please.”

To Aggie’s surprise, he
gave her one reverse step. It was enough.

The duke’s eyes pinned her. He gave her space, but not a moment to catch her breath.

“Your brother. He is presumed dead?”

“
My brother?” The topic switch snapped Aggie’s mind back into working order. “No. My brother is presumed missing. Unreachable. Not dead. Whatever you have heard, it is not true. We received a letter from him months ago.”

“Doe
s he not know about your father? That the title is now his?”

Aggie shook her head. “Messages have been sent. We are awaiting his return.”

The duke’s eyes swept her face. Aggie swallowed at his look. He didn’t believe her. But why should he? She was lying.

Aggie pasted a smile on her face.
He had taken her over in one breath, and if she was going to get out of this, she couldn’t let him control the conversation. “Your grace, I do believe I must be contrary to your statements about the importance of your reputation in society. I understand you are a close friend, and an even closer business associate of the Marquess of Southfork.”

His left
eyebrow lifted in surprise. She looked up at him, letting the challenge reflect on her face as her mind whipped through all the tidbits of gossip she had heard earlier about the duke. Why hadn’t she paid closer attention?

“What do you know of Lord Southfork
?”

“I know you are helping him gain
power and money in society. I know that the men you need to impress to gain investment with, will, unfortunately, not take very kindly to a coward.” She inwardly cringed at her own words, but she had to say it once more. Options were limited.

His jaw began to throb again
. And he took back the step of space he had just given her. “Yes, Lady Augustine, you are correct about my situation with Lord Southfork. But you underestimate me if you believe that ultimately, I would not sacrifice my good friend’s advancement in society, if it meant utilizing an opportunity to glorify the notorious reputation that I have worked so hard to earn. Killian will do fine, with or without my prodding of select gentleman.”

He glared
at her, assessing. “You, my dear, have much more to lose if I let it slip about last night’s activities. And we both know it.”

The duke
paused, letting his threat sink in.

Aggie couldn’t control a
slight squirm as she stared up at the man. Damn him. There was no escape, and she had just led him to where she didn’t want to go. What she didn’t want to acknowledge. Of course he could ruin her. Ruin her plans.

His grey eyes flickered at her, and she was suddenly struck by the fact that he was a very handsome man. She hadn’t slowed enough in her dealings with him
last night to actually notice the fact, but there it was. Lording over her.

But he was also completely overbearing. And the worst sort of threat to her plans. One word to her uncle, and she would be shipped out of London back to the countryside, a sitting duck to be gunned down.

It was now obvious that she could not back him into a corner of compromise to stay silent about her nightly activities. A new approach would have to be employed if she was going to keep her nightly activities discrete.

The easy
half-smile came back to his face. He knew he had her cornered. “My lady, I must inquire, how did you come about my connection with Lord Southfork so quickly? I had believed that you knew not my identity, until just a few short moments ago.”

“You are cor
rect in all that you say, your grace. I have everything to lose, and you have nothing.” Even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she conjured a sweet smile, nodding in acquiescence. Honesty was the only tactic she had left. “The information about you, well, you must have noticed it was no small stir you caused when you entered the ballroom—did you see the feathers above the crowd?”

Aggie
was rewarded with a full smile from the imposing duke. If he stretched it, it might have even turned into the smallest chuckle.

“I knew all I could ever
—or will ever—want to know about the Duke of Dunway within moments of your entrance.”

The smile instantly left his face, storm clouds gathering in his eyes once more.

The change startled her, and she knew she needed to clarify. “Although, I believe at least ninety-eight percent of the information could only be considered fabricated gossip. Lord Southfork happened to fall into the two percent of truth that was flying about.”

“Interesting
ratio.”

“It
is rarely off.” Aggie shrugged. “But you must understand, I need to request that we not be seen cavorting with each other.”