The man looked down at her from his towering height, his eyes guarded as he considered something. He looked at the bed for a moment and then back at her. His eyes lost in unknowable thoughts.
Finally making up his mind, he stepped back to let her pass. Gwen felt a hot flush fill her body as she scooted past the man. What was it about him that made her get flustered like this? Her heart raced as she hurried down the hall, having to fight not to break into a run.
.o0o.
Later that evening she wanted to have Freddy take the Duke his dinner but, of course, the boy couldn’t be found when he was most needed. Reluctantly she brought the dinner tray into the study and felt herself flush with embarrassment when she thought about the scene in his bedroom earlier in the day.
The Duke sat behind his huge desk looking at several maps. His brows scrunched in thought. He reminded her of a General getting ready for battle. Without looking up, he absently nodded to the table by the fire
Gwen quickly placed the tray on the table and turned to leave when the Duke said, “Thank you, Miss Harding.” His smile had returned; it could melt one of Cook’s cast iron pans. “A friend of mine should be arriving tomorrow or the day after,” he said. “Sergeant Major Bowen,” he added.
Is this to be the new butler she wondered? It was obvious that Brookshire should have a butler, preferably of the regal, austere variety. Someone to intimidate both the staff and any visitors. Why couldn’t things stay the way they were. Where do you place a Sergeant Major was her next thought, is he to be in the servants quarters.
His Grace had said ‘Friend’ so not servant’s quarters.
As if reading her mind he said, “Please make up a room in the east wing. While this will be his permanent home, he’ll be traveling a lot. I want him to be comfortable coming and going.”
So not a butler then? “Have you known him long, sir?” She said, immediately regretting it, her nosiness getting away from her again.
“He was my corporal in my first platoon when I was commissioned a new Ensign. We served together ever since. More years have passed by than I want to think about. But yes, I have known him a long time. Too long and too much history,” he mumbled to himself. “A better man you’ll never meet,” he added.
“I will take care of everything, and we will ensure he knows that he is welcome at Brookshire.”
“Thank you, Miss Harding, I knew you would take care of things.”
She left the room sighing. It seemed that the earlier incident had been put behind them. Now if only she could get through the night without disturbing dreams.
The Reluctant Duke
Challenging A Rake (A Rake's Redemption Book 4) Page 22
