The Blind Duke

by Emma Brady

  "Oh, Your Grace, I'm so sorry."

  Her voice was stuttered and frantic, to match her movements as she scrambled off of him. He hadn't been hurt by the fall but her foot connected with his knee when she was trying to get up. A curse slipped from his lips as he grabbed for his leg.

  "Are you hurt?"

  It was a ridiculous question to ask when he lay there clutching his wounded limb. "What do you think?"

  He hadn't meant to sound so sharp, but his throbbing knee had made him lose his patience. He heard her make an indignant noise before he felt her on his arm. She attempted to help him up. Grumbling, Thomas allowed her to assist him up from the floor and into a nearby chair.

  "I wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't been sneaking around." She sounded as if she were chastising him.

  He answered her through clenched teeth.

  "This is my library and my house."

  "You still should have made your presence known sooner."

  "If you hadn’t been poking around my belongings you would have heard me enter." There was nothing she could say to argue that point so she said nothing. "I simply waited until I knew where you were before I spoke. It is foolish talking into the air."

  He wished he saw her face as he waited for her answer. He imagined it looked similar to someone sucking on a lemon.

  "I'm sorry I fell on you," she finally mumbled.

  "It wasn't the fall that hurt, it was your attempt to recover from it."

  As he sat in the chair he continued to rub his injured knee hoping to soothe the pain. Suddenly her hand was on his leg, pulling up his trouser leg. Cool air touched first his shin and then his bare knee. Thomas couldn't believe it when her gloved hand started caressing him there, gently pushing on the tender spots.

  "There looks to be a nasty bruise forming, but nothing looks broken." Her breath was warm against his skin as she leaned in to inspect him and his body tightened in response.

  A combination of her closeness and the intimacy of the situation had caused an immediate response in his body. He felt his pants grow tight and hoped she wouldn't notice his discomfort. Taking deep breathes he tried to gain control of his body before she noticed.

  "Does it hurt terribly?" She misinterpreted his silence.

  "No."

  There was a part of his body that ached but it was not his knee. It had been a long time since he had been touched by a woman. The last was the night before his accident. His recovery had been spent alone, secluded in his house. He might have been able to pay for some private company, but that was never appealing to him.

  That's too much time for a man like him to go without satisfying his desires. That was the only reasonable explanation for his sudden response. He quickly pushed her hand away and put back his pant leg. If she continued to caress him in such a manner there would be no way to hide his response from her.

  He heard her sigh and move to stand. Thomas was hesitant to move for fear or showing the bulge in his pants. Instead, he had leaned back in the chair and waited until he heard the sound of fabric shifting, indicating she had sat down nearby. The tapping of her foot from beneath her skirts echoed in the room. Patience was not something she exhibited.

  "I'm a bit surprised you came, Miss Noble."

  "Eloisa."

  "Pardon?"

  "I would prefer you call me Eloisa," she said. "If we are going to be partners in some kind of scheme we can be at least that familiar."

  "Very well, Eloisa." It felt natural using her name. "I suppose you should feel free to call me Thomas."

  "I doubt I will, Your Grace."

  "Why not?"

  "Our circumstances are not the same."

  "In this venture, I would like us to be equals."

  He was in no hurry, so he sat through the silence as she tried to decide if this was something worth arguing about. When he heard her sigh he knew he had won.

  "Very well, Thomas."

  One small victory at a time. "Now, does this visit mean you have agreed to help with my courtship?"

  "Against my better judgment, I have. That means we need to discuss the terms of the agreement."

  He loved a good negotiation. He smiled and waited for her opening offer.

  "First, I'm not going to tell her she should marry you directly. She will only reject the idea and become more set against you." She took a pause to take a deep breath. "Instead I'm going to try and arrange for you to meet as frequently as possible to give you an opportunity to impress her."

  Remembering the brisk rejection she had given him, Thomas said, "She was hardly impressed with me last night."

  "That's because you weren't trying. You assumed she would fall at your feet easily, like other women." He didn't like the tone of her voice. "This might require a little effort on your part."

  She was right when she said he never had to charm women, since they never denied him anything. He had merely to glance in their direction and they became all too willing. It might have been too easy, making him lazy when it came to his affairs. Remembering Lady Owen's comments, it might apply in more ways than one. He would simply need to work harder now.

  "I'm already planning to attend almost every major social event this season, so that shows how hard I'm willing to work for it."

  "It won't be enough to just dance at a few balls with her. You have to seek her out for more attention."

  There were plenty of men giving Sarah attention last night and she wasn’t impressed by any of them. Thomas couldn't imagine himself being one of those adoring puppies. "I doubt she would even notice one more among the crowd."

  Her laughter was warm and rich, like it was the night before. "I can help you arrange more intimate encounters that will give you a chance to win her over."

  When he heard the word “intimate” his mind immediately went to a bedroom. He imagined himself with a woman who could wrap her long legs around him and smelled like citrus. It was both an uncomfortable and tantalizing thought. The bulge in his pants had gone away, but now returned with a vengeance. "Intimate?"

  "I'm not suggesting anything scandalous, just a few moments alone here and there. I'm not willing to risk her reputation for you."

  "It wasn't her reputation I was thinking about." He was trying to help her understand. "There is the possibility of seduction to consider."

  "That brings me to my second condition, no seduction."

  "Excuse me?" He must not have heard her correctly.

  "I want you to give me your word that you won't seduce her."

  This was an absurd conversation to be having with a lady. No one had ever asked him to give his word that he would behave like a gentleman. It was just assumed he would and he would be forgiven if he didn't.

  "Are you afraid I might do something to hurt her?" His hands tightened around the arms of the chair.

  "No, but I believe you are a man who would do anything to get what he wants."

  "That doesn't mean I don't still have some scruples. I'm not a spoiler of innocence."

  The volume of his voice went up and he sensed her jump. "I didn't mean to imply anything like that. I was simply being careful with the rules."

  The confidence in her voice had disappeared, but she didn't let it weaken her resolve. As much as it struck his pride that she wanted his word, he would give it to her.

  "Fine, I give my word there will be no physical seduction."

  "Good, I'm glad we can agree on that."

  "But I make no promises against other forms of seduction."

  "Other forms?"

  The slight crack in her voice made him smile. She might have learned a lot in her travels, but not everything.

  "Seduction is so much more than just the body," he reached out with one hand to caress the arm of her chair, without touching the hand that lingered there. He could feel the delicate embroidery of the expensive brocade fabric under the tips of his fingers.

  "Oh?"

  "There are ways to use a woman's senses to your advantage."
>
  "That sounds interesting."

  Her voice had dropped to barely above a whisper. With a smile he knew she watched him closely, he felt her gaze on his skin.

  "Once you have her attention, it's easy to connect it to her emotions. That's what makes a woman fall in love."

  When his fingers finally brushed across the top of her hand it was trembling. He traced along each of her fingers which were covered by soft silk gloves. All he wanted to do was remove the fabric and feel her skin.

  "You think Lady Sarah will respond to my attention?"

  She snatched her hand away from him. "I think you shouldn't assume all women are alike. Don't be disappointed if your usual tricks don't work."

  "If they don't, it's your job to help me find what does."

  "Very well, but I can only give you advice, not force you to take it."

  In that instant they had gone back to being business only. The way she flickered back and forth between flirtation and courtesy irritated him. His behavior should have had a more profound affect her. He wanted to linger in her mind, like she lingered in his.

  "Since you stated your demands and I agreed to them, I have a few demands of my own," he said.

  "Demands? You’re the one in need of my help."

  "True. I'm willing to follow your advice, but only if it works."

  "It will work, but you have to be willing to give it time."

  "How much time?" Now they were getting to the important point.

  "I imagine you will be engaged by the end of the season."

  "That's too long. If your plan doesn't work, I won't be able try again until after the winter."

  There was a long silence as she thought about his point. "How long are you giving me then?"

  "My mother gives a masquerade ball every year, to celebrate my birthday. It's in a fortnight." Thomas knew it was going to be difficult for her to manage in such a short time, but she was more than capable. "I hope to announce my betrothal that night, in front of the entire ton."

  "That's impossible. To convince someone to marry you takes time."

  "I'm not willing to wait."

  Once again her foot had started to tap. She was smart not to simply agree to it right away. The woman knew how to negotiate.

  "If I'm able to meet your demands..." She spoke slowly, as if choosing her words with care. "Would you be willing to offer me any sum of my choosing?"

  This bold move took him by surprise. "What did you have in mind?"

  "Since I have no intention of returning to London after this season, I'm in need of the financial security to live abroad."

  "I heard your father worked as an ambassador to the crown."

  "He does, for now, but he will start getting old soon. I don't want to rely on that for my own living."

  "Fine, I can give you a large settlement as payment for your advice if it proves effective."

  Her breath released. The tension in the room was finally gone, but he still felt as if he were on edge around her. She continued to surprise him with her behavior and opinions.

  "I accept these terms." She stood and walked past him, the scent of oranges lingering in the air. "We will begin immediately. I know you have a box at the Imperial Theater and they are opening a new play. Send us an invitation for this evening and we will accept."

  "Is she that easy to persuade?"

  "No, but she adores the theater."

  Eloisa stood to leave and Thomas acted like a gentleman standing as well. He was prepared to escort her to the door when she suddenly stopped and made a gasping sound. He was standing close enough to feel her skirts as she turned around to face him. They shouldn’t be that close but he didn’t want to move.

  "My earring." Eloisa said, her breath brushing against his neck. "My earring is missing. It must have fallen off when you fell on top of me."

  It would have been impolite to correct her by pointing out the fall was her fault. "I'm sure one of my maids will find it later when they are cleaning."

  "I can't leave here without it. If I'm not wearing them both someone will notice."

  "You can simply say you lost it."

  "Sarah wouldn't believe that. She knows how important they are to me. They belonged to my mother."

  Thomas knew when he was in a fight he couldn't win. The woman wasn't going to leave his house until they found that damned earring. With a sigh, Thomas dropped down to his knees and started searching the carpet with his hands.

  "What are you doing?" Eloisa asked from above.

  "I'm not going to be able to find the elusive earring with my eyes." Thomas thought that would have been obvious. "So I'm hoping to find it with my hands. Are you going to stand there or help me search?"

  He didn't expect her to get down on her own hands and knees, but that was exactly what she did. There was a lot of noise as she tried to work around the difficulties of her clothes. Ladies skirts were not designed for something like this.

  "I think it would have landed further in this direction." Her voice was muffled but he followed it to where she was looking closer to the bookcases.

  Since he had never seen the earrings in question, Thomas wasn't sure what he was looking for. He only knew that finding it was the only way to be rid of the woman. He continued to stretch his hands across the carpeting, hoping to find something. What they found was the soft shape of her leg.

  "That's not an earring." Eloisa sounded amused as she pulled the leg away from him. It had been a long time since he had felt the soft skin of a woman, even beneath a skirt and it tempted him too much to ignore.

  "I'm afraid without my sight I'm not able to avoid touching things I shouldn't."

  He caught her ankle in his hand and waited a moment for her to pull it back. A smile formed on his lips when she didn't. Slowly, he let his hand slide up the stockings she was wearing until it reached the bend of her knee. That's when she kicked out with one of her feet and knocked him in the head.

  "I can't believe you kicked me." He said, pushing away from her to sit on the carpet. "Simply pulling away would have been enough to stop me."

  "I didn't want to simply stop you, I wanted to teach you a lesson."

  "Who are you to teach me anything?"

  "A woman who doesn't want your attentions."

  Hearing that said out loud stung. "You are hardly the type of woman I would be ravishing in my own house. I don't pursue dull spinsters. I was just having a laugh at you."

  Angry at himself and the situation, Thomas leaned back. That's when he felt the sharp stab in his left palm. He felt the small, delicate shape of a woman's earring cutting into his skin. As a peace offering, he held it out to her.

  "Thank you, Your Grace." Her words were stiff and he could hear every step she took while marching towards the door. "I hope we can both forget what happened here."

  After she left, Thomas was in desperate need of some physical release. That’s why Alex found him he in his practice room, swinging his cane at the hanging sandbag the instructor installed. After months of practice, he could wield it better than a soldier with a saber.

  "Is that how you managed to stay so fit for an invalid?" Alex said, coming into the room with his usual loud footsteps.

  Without warning, Thomas swung the cane at his friend, knocking him off his feet and onto his back. Then he knelt on Alex's chest with the wood against his throat. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

  "Give, I give." Alex's voice was muffled from trying to talk with something closing off his air. "Don't have to get so touchy about it."

  Thomas felt the sweat dripping down his back and making the light cotton shirt he wore stick to his skin. He wore a tight pair of riding pants and was in bare feet to make it easier to move against the hardwood floor. This was not proper attire for receiving company but Alex was almost family.

  "I'm surprised to see you out of bed before noon." He helped his friend stand up.

  "My aunt pays the staff to roust me early in the morning. She thinks if I'm up and dre
ssed I can be of use." Alex's footsteps could be heard moving around the sandbag. "I'm afraid I have proved her wrong. What were you doing when I came in?"

  Alex was the first person besides Thomas’s mother or the instructor to enter the practice room. It was a bedroom that had been cleared of all furnishings and decorations. Even the carpets had been stripped away and the floors were highly polished. His instructor had hung the sandbag for him to practice with but left the rest of the room bare. It gave him the room he needed to move around while learning how to use his cane as more than just a guide.

  "My mother thought I would recover more quickly if she made it interesting. She hired a martial arts teacher to convince me to use my cane." Thomas twirled the piece of wood in his hand to demonstrate. "This is where I had to learn how to do everything without my sight."

  "That must have been difficult," said Alex, who could be heard from the other side of the bag. "I have trouble managing with my eyes."

  "I remember the way you were always dressed and I would rather be blind."

  Realizing his sight wasn't going to return, Thomas was bitter and stubborn and didn't want to do things differently than before. For the first couple of months he tried to act the same as before and struggled with basic tasks. That was when his mother found a doctor who knew how to teach him without making him feel like a child and that's when Thomas started to accept that he was going to live life as a blind a man.

  At first it was the little things, like arranging his closet so he knew where his day clothes were and evening attire were. He used to be careless with his things, but now organization was crucial. His valet helped him a great deal, but Thomas wanted to be sure he could dress himself if he needed to.

  "Is that why you took so long to return to society?" Alex asked.

  "I just wanted to be sure I was prepared for the challenges it presented. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to face everyone again."

  "London can be cruel."

  Thomas hated to admit it, but he was afraid. The thought of spending the rest of his life being the object of mockery or worse, pity, made his stomach tie into knots. Before his accident he had been at the top and he wouldn't stop until he was back there again. With gritted teeth he started hitting the sandbag.