Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington

Chapter Twenty-one

Turning to Esther he said, "Esther, would you mind fetching a pelisse for Noelle? It is a little chilly out and I would hate for her to catch a chill."

"But Your Grace, it wouldn't be proper for me to—"

"Now, Esther," he ground out between clenched teeth.

"YesYour Grace," she said, as she scurried out of the room to do his bidding.

The minute they were alone, Pierce wasted no time. He stepped forward and pulled Noelle into his arms. "Oh, how I have missed you, my minx."He bent his head and eagerly found her lips and kissed her with all the pent up passion he possessed. He was so distracted by the feel of her soft lips at first, that he failed to notice that she wasn't responding, or for that matter that he wasn't experiencing the same tidal wave of passion he had previously experienced either. When the fog of desire finally cleared from his mind, he realized that she stood stiff and unyielding in his arms. Never before, when he had kissed her, not even that first time in this very same room had she ever been so unresponsive and never before had he felt such lack of passion. It was as if there was no emotion involved when they touched. He heard an alarm sound in his head, as he pulled back to gaze into her amber eyes; eyes that usually sparkled with life were now dull and unwelcoming.

Pierce dropped his hands from her person as if he had been burned and took a step back, "I am sorry...it's just that I..." he stammered.

"Yes," Noelle replied coolly. "I trust you will not allow it to happen again before we are properly married."

Piercereeled back as if she had slapped him. Where had his passionateNoelle gone, the girl who so eagerly and hungrily partook of his kisses with an intoxicating mixture of innocence and barely contained passion?

"What's the matter, Noelle? Has something happened?"

Noelle could see in his face that he was genuinely concerned for her. She didn't have the heart to hurt his feelings and instead opted to tell a small lie, "I am just not feeling well."

"Why didn't you say so? Shall I ring for tea?"

"No, no, I think I just need to lie down for a while. If you wouldn't mind sending word to the dressmaker that I won't be able to keep my appointment, then I think I will just go lay down. Thank you for the visit and have a nice day." And with that, she hurried out of the room, leaving a stunned Pierce gaping after her.

The disappointment that invaded his mind and heart at the reunion would not ebb. He felt sick inside as he thought back on their past encounters, on the fiery passion that they had shared. He thought about how unassuming and likable Noelle had been at Ridgecrest manor and the lively badinage they had engaged in. She had been so different from any other woman he had ever known, but today she felt like a stranger. The concern he felt on her behalf was immense, and so he quickly took leave of her house hoping to find a way to distract himself from his fretting.

Pierce walked agitatedly back to his townhouse where he instructed his groom to ready his carriage so he could drive into town. His first order of business was to purchase a large bouquet of pink roses to be sent over to Noelle. The light, delicate shade of pink reminded him of the color of her soft, creamy skin after he had thoroughly kissed her. He had to keep reminiscing on their time together in the country to reassure himself that nothing was terribly amiss, that her sudden alteration in behavior was truly due to illness and not something more formidable.

Next, he drove to Oxford Street to make a purchase he had been contemplating ever since Noelle had told him of her penchant for writing. He alighted from his carriage and strolled into Gillow'sto pick out a Bonheur du jour for Noelle. It didn't take him long to pick out the perfect writing desk for her; the dainty George IIIdesk was made out of rich mahogany, imported from the West Indies and featured a central section bookshelf, flanked by two cupboards veneered in tulipwood. The drawers featured turned brass handles, and the desk sat atop elegant, squared, tapering legs mounted on brass castors. It was perfect—the desk radiated an air of elegance and beauty that reminded him of Noelle. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he presented it to her.