She hurried down the corridor, bumping into the walls in her distraction as she gripped onto the dress to stop it from falling down. She even made candles in their sconces shake as she headed as far down the corridor as she could and into a room where she presumed she would be safe.
The library.
It was hardly the first time over the last few days she had found refuge in this room. Had she not been so panicked, she might have noted that someone had already lit candles in this room. Had she not been so busy grasping at the sleeve of her gown, she would have lifted her chin enough to note someone was sat in a chair by the fire.
As it was, she only noticed them when she came to a stumbling stop in front of them.
“If this is some scheme, leave at once.” He closed up the book he was reading with a heavy snap and pointed at the door with it.
It’s him. The Duke of Thornfield.
Margaret was so stunned to be alone in his presence that she said nothing at first. She stared at him, dumbstruck, her hands still clutching her sleeve.
He stood in one swift movement, towering over her despite her height.
Evelina is right about him. He wears darkness as if it is a second skin.
With a perfect glower, he gestured to the door with his book again.
“I will not be caught alone with any woman. Leave. Now. Before you are seen.”
“W-what?” she stammered, realizing what situation they were in.
“Do not act the fool,” he said scathingly, his eyes narrowed to slits. Now standing so close to him, she could see he had blue eyes. They were annoyingly quite beautiful, the color of aquamarines.
“I am no fool. I came here to escape.”
“Oh, of course you did.” The sarcastic tone was as plain as if he had jumped up and performed a jig. “Because ladies often leave balls to come to libraries, don’t they?”
“You have a rather slim version of what a lady can be, I see,” she retorted sharply.
He seemed startled, his eyes widening a little. Margaret instantly felt bad for letting her tongue run away with her. Evelina had raised her to be proper at all times, to hold her tongue and not always speak her mind, but more than once in her life had her boldness erupted from her.
“You leave.” Margaret gestured to the door. “I am in need of an empty room, and you are not.”
“I have come to be alone. To read.” He gestured to the book.
“And my dress is falling down!” she snapped. “Now, which of us will make more of a scene by returning to the ballroom?”
“And you expect me to believe that?” His voice was much deeper than she had expected it to be that first night she had seen him arrive at Evelina’s. Over the last three days, she had managed not to talk to him at all. She hadn’t even seen him speak much to anyone.Thiswas the most she had seen his mouth move.
“Would you rather I release my dress and have it fall down!?” she hissed.
“Pray, do not do that!” he barked.
“This is ridiculous.” She rounded the furniture, putting distance between them. “I have not come to intrude on your privacy, but to escape.”
“A likely story.”
“Your sarcasm is not helping matters.”
“On the contrary, it is.” He gestured to the door yet again with his book. “Leave. I will not be caught by your trap.”
“This is no trap!” She released the sleeve of her dress, watching as his eyes widened in shock. Looking down, she could see how the sleeve had broken off from the bodice entirely. Had someone just tugged at the bodice, the gown would have come undone completely.
When the Duke of Thornfield didn’t immediately look away, she snapped her fingers in the air.
“Do not be inappropriate.”
