Page 37 of A Virgin to Tempt the Duke

Frederick walked him out through the hall. At the door, Thomas put on his hat with a raised eyebrow. He shook Frederick’s hand a second time.

“She is,” Thomas said, entirely pleasantly, “as pretty as I remembered.”

“Get out,” Frederick growled.

Thomas got into his carriage, laughing, and Frederick shut the door. He stood in the entrance hall for a moment. Simmons appeared from the direction of the study with the careful invisibility of a man who had heard nothing and seen even less.

“Shall I have fresh tea brought to the drawing room, Your Grace?”

“Yes,” Frederick said. “Do that.”

“Thomas means well,” he said as he returned to the drawing room, which was both true and all he had to say on the subject.

“I could see that he did,” Anna said. “He is very charming.”

“Yes,” Frederick said, his chest inexplicably tight. “He is very aware of that.”

The ghost of a smile moved across her face, and he sat down in the chair that was not Thomas’s chair and looked at the fire. He said no more.

Percy materialized from somewhere in the direction of the study door and stepped over Frederick’s feet without looking at him.He crossed the room and settled on the hearthrug nearest to Anna’s chair. Frederick looked at his cat, who just looked at the fire.

Traitor.

CHAPTER 14

Anna found him in the kitchen.

“He’s been there the better part of an hour,” the cook’s assistant said, without turning around. “Won’t be moved.”

“I see,” Anna said.

She had come down early the next morning, before anyone else in the house was properly awake, for no better reason than that London’s mornings had a different quality to them than Rathbourne Hall’s and she had not yet adjusted.

The townhouse was still finding its rhythm, or at least Anna was trying to find her place in it. She had dressed and come downstairs with the vague intention of tea and had drifted instead toward the kitchen passage. She stood and looked at Percy, who did not look back. He was entirely focused on the larder door.

“Is there anything in there,” she asked the cook’s assistant, “that a cat would want?”

“Cold roast from last night, Miss. And some fish the butcher sent yesterday.”

“I see,” Anna said again.

She looked at Percy. His tail moved once, forward and back.

I see.

Anna crossed to the cold larder and opened the door. She found the fish, wrapped in cloth, on the second shelf. She pulled off a small piece, rewrapped the parcel, and closed the larder again.

Let’s see how you feel about this…

Percy had turned around, which Anna suspected he had done the moment she opened the door, though she had not been quick enough to see it. He was now sitting facing her with an expression of polite expectancy, his eyes wide as saucers. She crouched down and held the piece of fish out flat on her palm.

Your move.

Percy looked at her hand. Then at her face. Then at her hand again. He moved forward, one careful step at a time. He stoppeda foot away and lowered his nose toward her palm without touching it.

Anna did not move, did not speak. She let him have the full length of his consideration. He ate the fish.

Good kitty.