Page 31 of A Duchess Untouched

“Ishould be the one asking you that question, wife.”

To Selina’s surprise, her husband’s movements were slow and deliberate. Perhaps that made him dangerous as he walked toward her, the low fire from the hearth casting shadows on his face.

She could not help but notice that he was still wearing his coat and breeches. He must have been working the whole day, as she had originally thought. But now, he seemed ready to do something else entirely, like punish her.

He stripped off his cravat with one pull. Then he let it fall to the floor. Selina gaped at him as he unfastened the top buttons of his waistcoat, stalking closer to her.

“Tell me, what is my wife doing alone in my private study with my brother, wearing nothing more than scraps of clothing? At past midnight!”

Selina could not control the blush that quickly spread up her neck and her cheeks. The ugly insinuation in his words was clear. It made her retreat further, but her hips had nowhere to go. The wood behind her was a reminder that she had been cornered.

“I… It is not what you think, Matthew!” she exclaimed. Outrage blended with a dash of humiliation. “I… I was not… Oliver was…”

“Oh, do tell me that this is not what it appears to be,” Matthew interrupted, now so close she could feel his breath on her, warm and smelling of brandy.

Selina remained speechless, her eyes wide, drinking in the sight of her husband. She barely noticed when he planted a hand on the desk’s edge, so close to her hip. When he leaned down, the room darkened, or perhaps her eyes blurred from the close attention. The feeling of him getting too close. The smell of brandy, cedarwood, and a hint of tobacco. All these things that assaulted her senses formed a dangerous man.

“I confess that I am finding it quite difficult to understand your intentions,” he murmured, his fingers touching a stray strand of hair on her forehead. “First, I caught your foot exploring Oliver’s calf during dinner. Now, I return to my study to find you in nothing but your nightclothes in the dim room, talking to my brother as if there is a secret between you. For what cannot wait until the morning light, if not something shared in secrecy?”

“How dare you! Are you implying that Oliver and I…”

“What is there for me to think, given everything that has happened? Why were you here alone with him?”

“I came here looking for you!” Selina cried, anger bursting from within her. She had never been so blatantly accused of things she would never dare to do. Of course, to be fair, she had never been caught in compromising positions before, but this was different. “I was not here for Oliver! I was here for you! I just came from your bedchambers, but you were not there.”

“For me?” Matthew asked, raising an eyebrow, his eyes dropping to the tiny space between them. “In a nightgown? At this hour?”

Selina swallowed hard. Should it be that difficult and shameful to admit what she was trying to do? They were married, and he probably already had an idea, anyway.

Still, she could not put her plan into words. How could a once-abandoned wife tell her husband she was desperate for him to give her the attention that would secure her place in Wentley House? His eyes were fixed on her face as if searching for clues to distinguish truth from lies.

“Yes, I came to speak to you,” she insisted. “I wanted to talk to you about… my father. His behavior has been cumbersome so far, but he will try to do better. I will make sure of that, and… then, there is the household. There are things I want to discuss with you, but I know you are far too busy settling things before you go. I also want to consult you about my charity, particularly the one that has been supporting widows. I did not dare disturb your work during the day, so I thought we would be able to speak at night.”

Matthew stared at her. She could not blame him. The words had spilled out so fast. She had said everything else except the main truth, which was that she was trying to seduce him.

“Selina, I did not…”

“No, I am tired of you thinking so little of me, Your Grace. I understand that you do not truly know me. However, you continue treating me like a deceitful stranger, while I have done nothing wrong other than attempt to hold this family together!”

Whatever argument Matthew might have had seemed to die in his throat. His head tilted to one side, even as his eyes traveled lower to the space between them once more. At that point, the collar of her thin robe had slipped, exposing her collarbone and the sheer fabric of her nightgown. He swallowed visibly, his throat bobbing. Selina again became aware that his unbuttoned shirt revealed a hint of his hard, muscled chest.

Matthew’s nostrils flared, his breath coming short and shallow. When his eyes met hers, the predatory flicker had become sharp and angry.

“Let us say I believe you, wife. So answer my question: Why would you come to me to discuss several subjects dressed like that?” he asked.

Selina could not answer him. Lies would not save her, and the truth threatened to destroy her. Her cheeks burned anew.

“You have a great deal of nerve, wife,” Matthew muttered, edging closer so that his thigh brushed against her trembling knees. She was trapped. “Sneaking into my study at midnight, claiming innocence, while… while looking like that. After you have spent the week finding every possible excuse to put your hands and feet on any man near you but me.”

“That is unfair!” Selina cried, her fists pressing against his coat, feeling the unyielding man just beneath it. “I have had enough of your ridiculous accusations!”

She tried to shove past him, but he wrapped his hands around her slender wrists.

“Matthew, what are you doing? Unhand me at once!” she demanded as she tried to escape his grip.

“No, I will not,” Matthew growled. “A wife who cannot behave herself ought to be treated like someone who cannot.”

Neither moved. Matthew’s grip on her wrists stayed firm, yet his expression shifted to a different kind of hunger. Selina sensed the anger between them melting into intense heat. She knew she should have been scared, but instead, she could not tear her eyes away from him.