Tall, Dark... Collection. Carole Mortimer

man involved are both irrelevant to this conversation, Your Grace,’ Jane reasoned softly. ‘What is pertinant is that you cannot expect Lady Arabella to receive proposals of marriage one day and be treated like a child again the next. Moreover, a child who is to be told what she may or may not do, and when she may do it.’

      Hawk drew in a sharp breath as he bit back his icy retort. A part of him knew that he had invited Jane’s criticism by confiding in her in this way, and another part of him was surprised that he had done so…

      In the years since he had assumed his role as head of the St Claire family, Hawk had expected his siblings to respect his wishes. That he did not appear to have achieved this as well as he might have wanted had been brought home to him not once but twice in recent weeks. First in Sebastian’s absolute refusal to contemplate the idea of any marriage—let alone one suggested by Hawk—and yet again today by Arabella’s stubbornness when it came to acceding to any of his demands.

      He did not, however, appreciate having Jane, of all people, point out these failings to him! He looked down his nose at her. ‘I refuse to believe I have ever been guilty of such arrogance with any of my siblings, Jane.’

      ‘Really?’ She gave an acknowledging inclination of her head. ‘Then I must assume it is only where “nuisances who disrupt your peaceful existence” are concerned…?’

      Hawk picked up his glass of claret and took a much-needed drink, his gaze narrowing as he looked down the length of the highly polished table at the woman who had disrupted his peaceful existence from the moment they had first met.

      Jane was looking particularly lovely this evening. Her gleaming red hair was arranged in an abundance of ringlets upon her crown, with several enticing tendrils brushing her nape and brow, her creamy throat was once again bare of any adornment—possibly because Jane had no jewellery with which to adorn it?—and the simple cut of her gown succeeding only in emphasising the curvaceous perfection of her body.

      A warmly seductive body that Hawk could not deny he was totally aware of. ‘I believe you malign me in saying I have ever told you what you may do, Jane.’ His voice was harsh.

      Her mouth thinned. ‘Only what I may not do, sir!’

      ‘You are referring, I presume, to the fact that I refused to allow you to run off to London in a reckless manner?’

      ‘I am referring, Your Grace, to the fact that at two and twenty I am perfectly old enough to make my own decisions!’ Her eyes glittered warningly.

      It was a warning Hawk had no intention of heeding. ‘Even if those decisions are wrong?’

      ‘Even then!’

      He eyed her consideringly. ‘Tell me, Jane, did you accompany the Sulbys when they came to London for the Season?’

      ‘I did…yes,’ she answered, almost warily.

      ‘And did you meet someone whilst you were there? A young man, perhaps?’ He frowned. ‘Maybe that is why you are so set on returning there? In order that you might seek him out…?’

      Jane gave him a pitying look. ‘I met no one whilst in London, Your Grace. My only excursions during that time were to the shops, and then simply so that I might carry Olivia’s purchases for her!’

      Once again Hawk was reminded that Jane had been more servant than ward in the Sulby household. Her presence at the Sulbys’ dining table two nights ago had been the exception rather than the rule.

      He sipped his wine. ‘Where did you go earlier this evening, Jane, when you decided to go outside?’

      Jane stiffened. ‘I trust I am at liberty to walk in the grounds, at least, Your Grace?’

      She was being overly defensive, Jane knew. Probably because she had not simply gone for a walk in the grounds of Mulberry Hall earlier, but had in fact made her way deliberately to the stables, with the intention of enquiring of one of the grooms exactly how far it was—and how long it would take—to get to her true destination of Somerset!

      Which she had done—and in such a way, Jane hoped, that she had not aroused the groom’s suspicions as to the true purpose of her enquiries.

      Although that might not be the case if the Duke of Stourbridge were to question the other man!

      ‘Did I say otherwise?’ the Duke prompted softly now.

      ‘You implied it!’ she snapped agitatedly.

      Hawk looked at her wordlessly for several long seconds as the anger inside him grew. This situation, with both a wilfully defiant Arabella and a stubbornly determined Jane, was not only trying his impatience in the extreme, it was becoming unendurable!

      ‘Do you find my concern for you so unacceptable, then, Jane?’ The icy softness of his tone was in no way indicative of his inner frustration at this situation.

      ‘Yes!’

      Hawk drew in a sharp breath before rising to his feet. ‘Then I must give you leave to put yourself in the path of danger at any time you so choose! Just so long as you accept that I will no longer be in a position to save you from your own reckless folly!’ He picked up the decanter of brandy and a glass from the dresser before turning sharply on his heel to stride forcefully towards the door, very much aware that if he did not leave now he would resort to either kissing her or spanking her!

      ‘Hawk…?’

      He would not—could not—allow himself to be deterred from his resolve, his immediate need to get as far away from Jane as was possible. Neither by the uncertainty to be heard in her tone nor the fact that she had at last once again called him by his first name. He was very aware that if he did not leave this room now—right now!—he was definitely going to do something Jane would find even more unacceptable than the arrogance she complained of so bitterly.

      He paused only long enough in the doorway to turn and inform her, ‘I have forgotten to tell you of the dinner party my sister has arranged for three evenings hence, Jane.’ his mouth twisted derisively as he added, ‘The same sister with whom, according to you, I have the seemingly annoying habit of saying what she may do and when she may do it!’

      Jane swallowed convulsively, never having seen the Duke in quite such a towering rage as this, and knowing, although Arabella had obviously caused him some irritation earlier, that it was she who had provoked this chilling anger.

      She moistened dry lips. ‘I—’

      ‘I will inform that same sister,’ the Duke continued icily, ‘that you are in need of a new gown for the evening. And I implore you, Jane, do not say another word to contradict me!’ The fierceness of his warning came through gritted teeth.

      ‘But—’

      ‘Will you not, just for once in our acquaintance, accept that I am doing this for your comfort rather than my own?’ His mouth had thinned ominously.

      Her chin rose determinedly. ‘That is the argument of all dictators, I believe.’

      Hawk’s gaze flared, and then glittered coldly. ‘One day, Jane—one day you will go too far!’ he finally managed to grind out. ‘And I give you fair warning that on that day you will discover exactly what I am capable of!’

      He turned and left the room before he could no longer control the urge he had to commence teaching Jane that lesson forthwith.

      Leaving Jane with the uncomfortable knowledge that her plans to make her way to Somerset at the first opportunity, would probably arrive rather sooner than the Duke could ever have imagined…

      ‘Is it the horses you are so fond of visiting, Jane, or do you have some other reason for haunting my stables in this way…?’

      Jane gave a guilty start at the sound of the Duke’s voice behind her, turning so sharply to face him that her slippered foot lost its purchase on the thick layer of straw that covered the floor, causing her to lose her balance completely.

      She